Capizzi Hires New Consultant for November’s Runoff Race

SANTA ANA —  Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi, who fell short of his goal in last month’s election to retain his office without a November runoff, has switched campaign consultants in an effort to broaden his base.

Capizzi said Monday that he has hired Glenn Greener of Greener-Adams in Irvine, who ran Sally Ann Sheridan’s successful bid to unseat Irvine Mayor Larry Agran in the June 5 election.

Gone from the Capizzi’s campaign is Eileen Padberg, an Irvine-based political consultant who had run successful campaigns for Sheriff Brad Gates and Capizzi’s predecessor, Cecil Hicks. Padberg said she encouraged Capizzi to switch because nonpolitical clients left her without enough time to concentrate on his campaign.

Capizzi, appointed by the county supervisors in January, will face his longtime rival within the office, Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. James G. Enright.

Enright, who entered the race at the last minute with no political organization, ran 40,000 votes behind Capizzi in June.

But Enright ran strong enough to easily outdistance two other challengers and leave Capizzi well short of the majority he needed to win the election outright.

Capizzi and Padberg said that they remain close friends and that the impressive showing by Enright did not affect Capizzi’s decision to switch political consultants.

“We wanted a strong, grass-roots campaign and we think Glenn (Greener) will do a great job for us,” Capizzi said.

Enright, who was attending a campaign meeting Monday, was unavailable for comment.