American politician and businessman
Miguel A. Pulido (born 1956) is an American politician and businessman who served as mayor of Santa Ana, California from 1994 to 2020.
Early life and education[edit]
Pulido was born in Mexico City. He and his parents immigrated to the United States in 1961, settling in Fullerton, California.[1] Pulido attended Troy High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fullerton.[2]
Pulido was first elected to the City Council on November 4, 1986. He was the first Latino mayor of Santa Ana, serving in the position from November 8, 1994 to December 8, 2020.[3] He is a member of the Democratic Party.[4] In total, he would be elected to serve thirteen consecutive two-year terms as mayor.[5]
Pulido has been a supporter of the OC Streetcar project.[6]
Pulido opposed efforts in both 2006 and 2012 to institute mayoral term limits in Santa Ana.[6] On November 6, 2013, Santa Ana voters overwhelmingly approved "Measure GG", which limited mayors to serve a total of eight years. Measure GG grandfathered terms which preceded its 2013 passage, thus allowing Pulido the possibility of serving an additional four two-year terms.[6] Puldio would go on to be elected to three more terms after the passage of the bill. Since he had served for seven years after the 2013 term-limit measure went into effect, he is ineligible to serve another 2-year term, as that would cause him to exceed the eight-year tenure limit.[7]
In 2016, Pulido was fined for failing to report campaign expenses.[8]
In 2017, Santa Ana Residents Against Corruption Launches a Recall Against Mayor Miguel Pulido
Pulido ran as a candidate in the 2020 Orange County Board of Supervisors election, placing third in a field of four candidates.[9][10]
Pulido's term as politician ended in disgrace December 8, 2020.[11]
Personal life[edit]
Pulido and his wife, Laura, have three children.[12] Pulido's wife works as a freelance writer.[13]
Electoral history[edit]
City Council[edit]
1986 Santa Ana Ward 3 City Council election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido
|
13,819
|
52.13
|
| P. Lee Johnson
|
12,689
|
47.87
|
| Total votes
|
26,508
|
100
|
1990 Santa Ana Ward 3 City Council election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
16,433
|
53.59
|
| Coween Dickerson
|
14,232
|
46.41
|
| Total votes
|
30,665
|
100
|
1994 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido
|
10,288
|
41.80
|
| Ann Avery Andres
|
8,830
|
35.87
|
| Sal Mendo
|
5,496
|
22.33
|
| Total votes
|
24,614
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
35.05%
|
1996 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
26,688
|
65.80
|
| Leah Dupont
|
13,871
|
34.20
|
| Total votes
|
40,559
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
54.23%
|
1998 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
24,032
|
70.18
|
| Ted Moreno
|
10,214
|
29.83
|
| Total votes
|
34,246
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
50.73%
|
2000 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
34,102
|
71.25
|
| Vital D'Caprio
|
8,025
|
16.77
|
| Steve Rocco
|
5,733
|
11.98
|
| Total votes
|
47,860
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
57.33%
|
2002 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
25,669
|
100
|
| Total votes
|
25,669
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
31.31%
|
2004 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
38,634
|
80.55
|
| Stanley Fiala
|
9,327
|
19.45
|
| Total votes
|
47,961
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
53.02%
|
2006 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
23,170
|
68.77
|
| Thomas A. Gordon
|
8,262
|
24.52
|
| Stanley Fiala
|
2,259
|
6.71
|
| Total votes
|
33,691
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
36.14%
|
2008 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
30,352
|
54.96
|
| Michele Martinez
|
16,199
|
29.33
|
| George M. Collins
|
7,610
|
13.78
|
| Stanley Fiala
|
1,069
|
1.94
|
| Total votes
|
55,230
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
53.47%
|
2010 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
21,588
|
49.46
|
| Alfredo Amezcua
|
11,689
|
26.78
|
| Charles Hart
|
4,216
|
9.66
|
| George M. Collins
|
3,820
|
8.75
|
| Roy Alvaredo
|
2,339
|
5.36
|
| Total votes
|
43,652
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
40.32%
|
2012 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
27,092
|
48.18
|
| P. David Benavides
|
14,995
|
26.67
|
| George M. Collins
|
6,289
|
11.18
|
| Lupe Moreno
|
3,147
|
5.60
|
| Roy Alvaredo
|
3,082
|
5.48
|
| Miguel Angel Briseno
|
1,626
|
2.89
|
| Total votes
|
56,231
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
49.20%
|
2014 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
16,608
|
50.07
|
| Roman Reyna
|
11,477
|
34.60
|
| Mark I. Lopez
|
5,000
|
15.07
|
| Laura Perez
|
85
|
0.26
|
| Total votes
|
33,170
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
35.01%
|
2016 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
34,317
|
50.72
|
| Benjamin Vazquez
|
24,576
|
36.32
|
| Steve Rocco
|
8,774
|
12.97
|
| Total votes
|
67,667
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
66.0%
|
2018 Santa Ana mayoral election[5]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Miguel A. Pulido (incumbent)
|
28,360
|
50.61
|
| Sal Tinajero
|
27,674
|
49.39
|
| Total votes
|
56,034
|
100
|
| Voter turnout
|
53.04%
|
County Supervisor[edit]
2020 1st district Orange County Supervisor primary[14]
| Candidate
|
Votes
|
%
|
| Andrew Do (incumbent)
|
40,999
|
42.31
|
| Sergio Contreras
|
21,721
|
22.41
|
| Miguel A. Pulido
|
19,616
|
20.24
|
| Kim Bernice Nguyen
|
14,570
|
15.04
|
| Total votes
|
96,906
|
100
|
References[edit]
