Under a city-ordered investigation and hounded by negative political ads, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken’s reelection bid is more embattled than expected.
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, the mayor‘s chief of staff, Berenice Ballinas, filed a 25-page legal claim detailing allegations of discrimination and harassment.
An independent investigation into Ballinas’ claims that Aitken called her a “dirty Mexican,” persistently questioned her sexuality and mocked her Catholic faith, sometimes at city functions where she had been drinking alcohol, is underway.
But the mayor, who has denied the allegations while admitting to an “unhealthy relationship” with alcohol, doesn’t believe the scandal will deter voters from returning her to office.
“I’ve delivered results for Anaheim over the past four years,” Aitken wrote in an email. “When reelected, I’ll work with residents to bring in high-paying jobs, build housing that working families can afford, keep our community spaces clean and safe and advocate for youth and seniors.”
Aitken’s reelection could be likely, as she faces two political newcomers — Dr. Imran Sharief and Alfredo Rodriguez — with far less name recognition. But her opponents are using the situation to their advantage.
“Aitken should have resigned already so that our community could begin taking the necessary steps towards healing,” Sharief said. “When I’m out talking to residents, we’re hearing that people are tired of the drama and distractions surrounding City Hall. They want leadership that puts the community first.”
Rodriguez stressed the need for the allegations to be addressed transparently but said that a bigger problem of broken trust in city leadership remains.
“Anaheim has experienced its share of controversy involving city leadership over the years,” he said. “I believe it’s time for a new chapter, one built on integrity, accountability, transparency and respect for every resident.”
Should voters reelect Aitken, what that would mean politically is up for debate.
“There’s sometimes an analysis that wrongly takes a scheduled election as some kind of referendum or mandate that the voters did not intend,” said Jodi Balma, a political science professor at Fullerton College. “The city’s investigation will go forward after all the ballots are counted.”
Aitken’s campaign contrasts with the moment she proudly made history four years ago as the first female mayor of Orange County’s most populous city.
The milestone came at a crossroads.
A once-in-a-century pandemic had ravaged the city’s tourist-driven economy. An FBI investigation revealed a self-described “cabal” that cast a shadow of corruption over City Hall and led to former Mayor Harry Sidhu’s resignation.
“The last few years have been tumultuous,” Aitken said after being sworn in on Dec. 6, 2022. “We have been let down by leaders that were incapable of placing residents’ needs ahead of personal greed.”
Aitken, the daughter of influential Democratic Party of Orange County power broker Wylie Aitken, had just come from a bruising loss to Sidhu in 2018, and promised reform.
“I implemented important new ethics reforms, including lobbyist reforms to reduce the undue influence in our city,” Aitken said. “Voters have seen these results, and they trust that I’ll continue fighting for them.”
A protester holds up a sign demanding Mayor Aitken’s resignation after allegations of racism by a former employee surfaced. The mayor denies the allegations.
(James Carbone)
But the legal claim about Aitken’s alleged conduct during Ballinas’ time as chief of staff from 2022 to at least June 2026 stands at odds with her public-facing political persona.
Ballinas, who filed her claim in September and is on leave from City Hall, alleged the mayor dodged questions about a Qatar trip, including from the city’s ethics officer, after the Qatari embassy paid for Aitken and her husband, Michael Penn, to attend an economic forum in Doha last year.
The Fair Political Practices Commission, which enforces the state’s gift laws, initially declined to investigate a constituent’s complaint as an embassy email showed Penn being invited as a representative of Chapman University, not as the spouse of the mayor. The watchdog agency has not made a decision since the complaint was refiled, citing Ballinas’ allegations, which include her account about how the trip was scheduled.
Ballinas also claimed Aitken called off a directive to investigate police overtime issues to secure the Anaheim Police Assn.’s endorsement for reelection.
The police union later suspended its endorsement, in light of her claim.
“The central irony of Aitken’s reelection campaign is that a mayor elected to demand accountability from City Hall may begin a second term with serious questions of her own still unresolved,” said Anaheim watchdog blogger Duane Roberts.
Anaheim Mayor Ashley Aitken during last year’s state of the city address.
(James Carbone)
While no Latino organizations have called for Aitken’s resignation in the wake of the “dirty Mexican” allegations, the mayor may still stand to lose votes from Anaheim’s Latino community, which makes up 53% of the population.
The mayor initially earned praise for her response to President Trump’s masked federal immigration raids, as agents arrested Latinos suspected of being in the country without authorization in Anaheim’s public parks, car washes and areas where day laborers congregate.
“If you have a neighbor that is afraid to go to the grocery store to get food or necessities for their families, check in on them,” Aitken said during a June 10, 2025 council meeting. “If you have a mother in your community that, maybe, is afraid to take her kids to camp or drop them off at school, perhaps offer a ride.”
In response, city officials launched Anaheim Contigo (“with you,” in English), a program to track immigration enforcement activities and provide resources to the affected community.
Jorge Gaviño, an Anaheim resident and Aitken supporter, reflected on the legal claim after it surfaced, especially the alleged racist remarks. He sees a need for a probe but also believes Aitken remains the best choice for mayor.
“I see the work that she has done and the support she has given my community, the Latino community, during the ICE raids,” Gaviño said. “I have personally seen her on the ground. I have personally seen her advocating for and trying to protect our community from the Trump administration.”
Chispa, an organization of young Latino progressives standing by Ballinas, issued a public statement in September more critical of the mayor.
“Mayor Aitken does not get to condemn the racism coming from the Trump administration while being accused of this behavior,” it read. “You cannot stand at a press conference and claim to defend immigrants while demeaning a Mexican American woman behind closed doors.”
Heading into the final days of the campaign, Aitken maintains a healthy fundraising advantage, having collected $250,000 in individual contributions since last year.
Rodriguez, who picked up an endorsement from Councilmember Natalie Meeks after the Aitken allegations became public, has raised about $24,000. Sharief has pulled in nearly $60,000.
Neighbors for a Strong Anaheim, a PAC, spent $60,000 on mailers supporting the mayor.
Two political action committees — the 1962 PAC of the Lincoln Club of Orange County and the APA — are hitting Aitken with negative ads fueled by the allegations against her.
“These groups can’t attack my record on housing, safety, homelessness or libraries, so they go for the cheap shots,” Aitken said. “But I’m still standing.”
The conservative 1962 PAC of the Lincoln Club of Orange County spent $40,000 through Oct. 27 on streaming ads opposing Aitken. The APA’s independent expenditure committee has spent $93,500 on negative mailers.
“Certainly, there’s a political opportunity to weaken her electoral victory,” Balma said. “To what political end? I don’t know.”