Ken Stock said Sunday’s viewing party was the first he had attended. “Why? Because I wanted to party!” he said with a laugh.Aside from Krause, Mayor Rick Cook and Ventura Councilman Carl Morehouse, other politicians in attendance included Jill Martinez, who is challenging Rep. Elton Gallegly in November.The race between Vinick and Rep. Matthew Santos, played by Jimmy Smits, was right down to the wire – at one point only 12 electoral votes separated them. Near the end Vinick noted, “I’ll be a winner or a loser, but not a sore loser,” and then proved it, earning warm remarks from newly elected President Santos.“It was a really close race, right down to the wire,” said Krause. Throughout the campaign, Vinick “demonstrated the good moral values he developed here in Santa Paula. I’m sure Vinick won’t just fall from the limelight… after a long and distinguished career, whether his future will be in politics or in another business or a nonprofit venue, his skills will be revered.”The final episode of the award winning “West Wing” – which has been on the air for eight seasons - will air in May.
‘West Wing’: SP Favorite Son Vinick loses – with grace - presidential bid
April 19, 2006
Santa Paula News
Although he did not win the highly contested presidential race on the “The West Wing,” Senator Arnold Vinick treated his defeat with the grace typical of a Santa Paulan.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAlthough he did not win the highly contested presidential race on the “The West Wing,” Senator Arnold Vinick treated his defeat with the grace typical of a Santa Paulan. Vinick supporters gave Santa Paula’s Favorite Son a strong round of applause as they watched the deciding episode of “The West Wing” election Sunday at the Community Center.“It’s been a hard campaign, both sides have worked very hard,” said City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz before the episode aired Sunday on NBC. “We’ll see how it turns out.”One issue that didn’t need to be debated was the “good humor of NBC and Warner Brothers,” who officially acknowledged Vinick as a Santa Paulan, said Bobkiewicz. “Either way, Santa Paula is the big winner.”Led by then Mayor Mary Ann Krause, the Vinick as Favorite Son campaign was launched more than a year ago when the fictional Republican senator, played by award-winning actor Alan Alda, mentioned during his faux campaign kickoff that he was raised in a citrus producing portion of California. After intensive lobbying, including sending a barrage of Vinick T-shirts, buttons, Santa Paula books and memorabilia - even dedicating the Depot as Vinick’s hometown campaign headquarters – NBC confirmed on its Web site that the lanky candidate was indeed a Santa Paulan.Jill Dolan of Ojai was a committee of one who Sunday night decorated the Community Center with balloons and bunting that complemented the campaign signs created by city employee Elisabeth Amador. “It’s just in the spirit of fun, no agenda,” said Dolan, a member of the Santa Paula Theater Center’s Board of Directors.
