Election Day lunch in Costa Mesa served with a side of satire

Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, former Assemblyman and Supervisor Todd Spitzer and other well-known Orange County politicians attended Iger & Associates Election Day Lunch Tuesday at the Orange County Hilton in Costa Mesa.

Former Costa Mesa Mayor Peter Buffa, a columnist for the Daily Pilot, served as emcee and didn’t shy away from teasing elected officials — many of them in the room. The event began informally among friends 20 years ago and has grown into a popular event, even for those in the last hours of a campaign.

As is tradition, participants in the satire-laced event employed sometimes off-color humor to roast candidates and make fun of the election process. Among those teased from the stage was Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor, who was featured on a PowerPoint slide with the slogan, “A Rule of Law City is a Happy City,” a reference to the City Council’s recent position against illegal immigration.

The event also featured a Sarah Palin impersonator with clothing tags hanging from her outfit. Fake Barack Obama birth certificates lined the tables.

Newport-Mesa area officials in attendance included Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry and Costa Mesa City Manager Allan Roeder.
Guests also participated in a mock primary election on their way in. The pick for governor on the Republican side was Meg Whitman. Results for the Democrats were not announced, as Jerry Brown was a shoo-in.