Orange, Calif. — In response to the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in Washington today, Democratic Party of Orange County Chairwoman Ada Briceño released the following statement:
“Congratulations President Biden and Vice President Harris. We’re ready to build with you. This is a new moment for our nation, and a mandate for change. We’re united to end four years of hardship created by Donald Trump and enabled by Republicans in Washington and Orange County.
This moment is a testament to Orange County communities, who stand strong for a safe pandemic response, for economic recovery that includes everyone, for our climate, for justice and truth.
Over the last four years, we worked hard. There are now 44,000 more Democrats than Republicans in Orange County, and Orange County Democrats flipped Congressional seats, state seats, and more than 20 local seats from red to blue.
In the years ahead, we must remain committed to our values. As the Capitol insurrection showed, we have a lot of work to do. Orange County Democrats are prepared to keep building a healthier, safer, and more inclusive county and country.”
About the Democratic Party of Orange County
Orange County is a nationally-watched battleground for federal and state elections. Once famously known as “Reagan country,” after President Reagan called Orange County the place where “all good Republicans go to die,” Orange County is rapidly shifting from a Republican stronghold into a highly diverse Democratic metropolis.
Chair Ada Briceño, a longtime labor organizer, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11, and Democratic National Committee member, is the first immigrant and second Latina to lead the Democratic Party of Orange County. Her executive leadership team includes Latino, Asian American, millennial, and LGBT representation.
Orange County Democrats are experiencing dramatic growth at all levels of office. In 2018, they famously swept all seven Congressional seats in Orange County. In 2019, Democrats overtook countywide voter registration to become the region’s leading political party. In 2020, Democrats flipped 20 local seats and two state senate seats from red to blue, including in deep-red areas of the county. Over the past four years, Democrats made a 5-point gain in voter registration, and now outpace the OC GOP by more than two points.
Orange County is the nation’s sixth largest county, with 3.2 million residents and more than 650,000 registered Democratic voters.
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For Immediate Release: January 20, 2021