The state Senate contest that is expected to be the most competitive in November has gotten off to a raucous start, after supporters of Hannah-Beth Jackson and Tony Strickland tangled in the streets of Thousand Oaks last week.
The two sides literally came to blows.
Strickland, a former assemblyman and the Republican nominee, was in town for a fundraiser with former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza hotel.
But supporters of his Democratic opponent, former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, came out in force to protest Strickland, the Romney fundraiser and his acceptance of tobacco funds.
Supporters for both candidates met in the streets, where, eventually Joel Angeles, the chief of staff for Assemblywoman Audra Strickland (Tony's wife), confronted the protesters.
What ensued from there is a "he said/she said" tiff that left both sides pointing fingers, an elderly Jackson supporter on the sidewalk "looking for my hearing aid," and Angeles taking "an upper cut to the chin."
Here's the Ventura County Star's report:
The counterprotesters ended up gathering in front of a gas station on the southeast corner of Westlake Boulevard and Townsgate Road. Angeles stood on the opposite corner holding an anti-Jackson sign.
Louis Pandolfi, the Simi Valley resident who organized the protest against Tony Strickland, described what transpired as "horrible." At the front of a group of about 50 people, including one dressed as a cigarette in protest of campaign contributions from tobacco companies, Pandolfi said he heard Angeles tell them not to step on the curb.
Angeles denied saying that.
"My primary concern throughout the whole thing was the safety of all involved," Angeles said in an interview Wednesday.
"My attempt was to talk to someone who was leading the group and say, Let's keep our groups separated 10 to 20 feet apart.' There was a decision on their part to just move ahead."
As the group moved past Angeles, he ran in front of them, in what appeared to be an effort to stop their movement. Pandolfi said he was pushed.
Jack Phillips, a Vietnam veteran, retired minister and head of the Camarillo Democratic Club was elbowed to the ground by Angeles, in front of news reporters. His left arm was injured.
"He was moving back and forth to block people, and he bumped me," Phillips, 67, said. "All of a sudden, I found myself on the ground looking for my hearing aid."
Phillips said when he got up, he confronted Angeles. The two traded heated insults with their faces inches apart. Phillips said he put his finger into Angeles' chin.
Angeles said Phillips had "given me an upper cut to the chin."
The whole incident has become political fodder for the campaign, with Election Day still more than four months away.
Audra Strickland told the Ventura County Star that she was placing on Angeles on "a one-month leave of absence without pay for what I view as a show of poor judgment."
That clearly did not satisfy Jackson, who issued a statement saying, "Mr. Angeles' attack was provoked only by the protesters' desire to exercise their first amendment rights."
"Had Joel Angeles been my employee he would have been fired on the spot," Jackson continued. "There is no justification for anyone, let alone a state employee, to deprive anyone of their free speech rights."
The whole incident has fired up supporters of both candidates, particularly in the comments on the Ventura County Star blog of Brian Dennert, where posts have drawn more than 100 comments. (Dennert has pictures of the protest, as well.)
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