A Santa Ana city council hopeful learns a SoCal political trick: host a soccer watch party
It was an hour before the start of the Mexico-South Africa FIFA World Cup opener, but Isuri Ramos was already in full campaign mode at Mission Control Bar Arcade in Santa Ana.
The 27-year-old nonprofit executive is running for a council seat in Orange County’s most Latino city. She’s hosting public watch parties for all Mexico matches during the Cup “because I was going to watch the games anyways, so might as well invite people to hang out and let them know about me, you know?”
Campaigning at soccer watch parties has become part of the Southern California political landscape in recent years. I watched the thrilling 2022 World Cup final at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles at one held by then-councilmember Kevin de León, who was just weeks removed from the City Hall audio leak scandal that would ultimately sink his career and was looking for any chance to clean up his name.
Many members of the Los Angeles City Council are holding watch parties in their district throughout this Cup, including Hugo Soto-Martínez, who just won his reelection campaign for District 13.
“Few things can bring people together across cultures and backgrounds the way soccer can,” said the avid soccer player, who plays right back and defensive midfielder. “In a district as diverse as ours, these watch parties are a chance to build community, make new friends, and celebrate what we have in common.”
Banners with Ramos’ name hung on a staircase leading to Mission Control and below the large screen that would show the game. She went from table to table not talking about her progressive vision for the city where she was born and raised but rather letting people know about the $10 chilaquiles special from the restaurant below.
“You always hear in community organizing that you gotta to meet the community where they’re at,” said Ramos, who wore a replica of Mexico’s solid-green 1986 jersey. She reached into her pockets to give arcade tokens to any children she saw. “For something like the Mundial, this is where so many are going to be.”
Ramos sat with friends and recorded the Mission Control crowd of about 100 as it cheered when El Tri took the pitch at Estadio Azteca. When Mexico scored its first goal, she high-fived anyone within reach.
When it was halftime, Ramos made her pitch.
It was just a few minutes, but people listened and cheered as she laid out her main goals of housing affordability and protection for residents against ICE, which runs a detention center just a half mile away from Mission Bar and whose raids essentially shut down Santa Ana most of last summer. She also introduced Santa Ana council member Jessie Lopez, who’s moving on to the general election to represent the 68th assembly district.
“Thank you all, have fun!” Ramos concluded as volunteers handed out campaign fliers and QR codes for people who wanted to know more. One of them was Santa Ana resident Isidro Rangel.
“I think it’s cool she’s doing this,” said the 36-year-old truck driver just before the second half began. “If you’re a politician and you don’t like futbol, something’s wrong with you.”