Loretta Sanchez’s rough election year of 2016 is in the rear-view mirror, but 2017 greeted her with another setback.

After 20 years in the House of Representatives, the Democrat ran for U.S. Senate last year and lost by 23 percentage points to Attorney General Kamala Harris. That included losing her home county of Orange by 5.5 points.

On Jan. 7, Democrats in each of the state’s 80 Assembly districts elected seven men and seven women to serve as delegates on the state party’s governing Central Committee. The low-profile caucuses typically attract a few dozen Democrats to vote in each district — mostly friends and families of those seeking a seat.

Sanchez was one of 15 women vying to represent central Orange County’s Assembly District 68. It could have been a bright moment on her birthday, as Sanchez turned 57 that day. Instead, she finished eighth with 65 votes, eight votes shy of the seventh and final slot.

I’ve been covering politics in the county for 19 years and hadn’t previously heard the names of any of AD 68’s female winners. But this isn’t an event where name recognition is necessarily important.

“The fact is, a group of candidates got together to help each other out and bring their friends and relatives to vote for one another,” said Henry Vandermeir, the outgoing chairman of the county Democratic Party who was on hand for the Teamsters union hall Jan. 7 caucus.

“This is an event where insiders know that getting as many friends and family to show up and vote is key to winning.”

Orange’s Nick Seider, who finished first on the men’s side of the AD 68, said he was part of a slate of seven female and five male candidates who each encouraged their supporters to vote for the others on the team. All twelve won.

Seider, a Bernie Sanders delegate to the national convention last year, said the slate shared left-leaning predilections. Sanchez, you may recall, positioned herself as a moderate in last year’s race against the more liberal Harris.

“The progressive team I was on arrived at the election at 8:30 a.m. and left six hours later when results were announced,” he said. “We spoke with every voter that came, explained what we wanted to accomplish as delegates and listened to what voters had to say. Loretta Sanchez came, said a quick speech and left.”

Vandermeir confirmed that Sanchez didn’t really campaign for the post.

“She didn’t actively pursue this spot,” he said. “I think that if she were really serious about winning, there would have been a different result – especially considering she came in eighth without any campaigning.”

Among duties of the elected delegates is approving the state party’s platform, endorsing candidates and deciding the party’s position on state propositions.

Sanchez could not be reached for comment.

Celebrate or protest

If you want to get off the couch and join in the inauguration celebration – or protests – you won’t have to leave Orange County.

Tea Party activist and Donald Trump backer Deborah Pauly is hosting “The DeploraBall,” a “formal/semi-formal” bash at Campus JAX in Newport Beach. The event starts at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 with a champagne social hour and hors d’oeuvres. That will be followed by a four-course dinner, dancing, live entertainment and “a few surprises.”

The cost is $150. For reservations, email DeborahPauly@gmail.com.

If that’s not your cup of tea, you might consider the Orange County Women’s March, one of many local events being held around the country on Jan. 21 in support of the Women’s March on Washington being held the same day.

The free event begins at 9 a.m. at the 4th and French streets in downtown Santa Ana.

“This is an all-inclusive, family-friendly, non-partisan event,” according to the email. However, everyone I know going to these marches here and elsewhere are critical of Trump. For more information, OCWomensMarch@gmail.com.

Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com