Opinion: The Newest Irvine Electioneering Ploy—The Merry-GO-round Game
Let me introduce you to Irvine’s latest electioneering game: The Irvine Merry-GO-round. As you read the information below, keep in mind that rumors exist that Councilmember William Go is planning on running for mayor in the 2026 election.
Musical Chairs Revisited
Below is some information on the Irvine musical chairs election game that has evolved into the Irvine Merry-GO-round election game.
Some History
Irvine council members have a history of using their commission appointments as tools for their personal political gain. This is instead of choosing commissioners who would be the most effective in serving the Irvine community. A previous article, Why Is Musical Chairs Being Played at the Irvine Commissions?, provides more details on this. As explained in the article, a few months before the 2024 election, every city council member at that time (Kim, Carroll, Khan, Agran, Treseder) gave the boot to some of their commissioners. They did this either in a direct or indirect way. The council members then appointed to the vacant commission spots some of the candidates that they had endorsed for council seats in the 2024 election.
This political maneuvering by city council members is most visible during election seasons. The next election for the Irvine City Council is not until 2026. However, election maneuvering similar to the musical chairs game that Irvine council members played during the 2024 election season seems to have already started. And Councilmember William Go is the one who has kicked off this new season of Irvine electioneering games.
The Why
Being able to put the title of Irvine Commissioner as part of their ballot description gives candidates election advantages. These advantages include increased name recognition and the appearance of having relevant experience. In addition, a candidate’s ability to claim the “Commissioner” title gives the candidate more opportunities for networking. To get candidates who they feel are their political allies on the city council, many city council members have been willing to participate in this political maneuvering game.
Some of the negative consequences of city council members playing this political game are as follows: New commission appointees’ qualifications to serve on the commission to which a council member has appointed them are often questionable. Add to all that, a learning curve exists for new commissioners. So, when a council member appoints a new commissioner, it causes a period of reduced productivity. For these reasons, new commission appointments should not be made lightly.
Today, we have a new version of this Irvine political game. Since this is a repeat of the Irvine musical chairs game of the 2024 election and Councilmember William Go is kicking it off, an appropriate name for this latest Irvine election season political ploy would be: The Irvine Merry-GO-round Game.
The Game as Currently Played in Irvine
Here is how Go is playing this Irvine election game:
In August 2025, Go removed Ken Montgomery, his Transportation Commission appointee, from the Transportation Commission. In Montgomery’s place, Go appointed Mark Deppe. Deppe seems to be a person with competencies, but expertise on transportation issues does not seem to be one of them. Add to this, it would be hard to find anyone with more relevant experience on transportation matters than Montgomery.
Montgomery was first appointed to the Transportation Commission in 2017, which is when the Transportation Commission was established. He has been on the Transportation Commission every year since then. This includes periods when Montgomery was Chair of the Transportation Commission. In addition, Montgomery’s previous experience as Director of Public Works for Laguna Niguel, Norwalk, and Redondo Beach gives Montgomery over 40 years of experience in managing public works and transportation issues.
Go had appointed Deppe to the Community and Library Services Commission in January 2025. Then, as stated above, in August 2025, Go unappointed Deppe from that commission. However, shortly after that, Go appointed Deppe to the Transportation Commission seat that was made vacant by Go’s dismissal of Ken Montgomery. Go then made another August 2025 appointment; Go appointed Anita Bhat to the Community Services Commission seat that was made vacant by Go’s removal of Deppe from that commission seat.
So, get the pattern? A repeat of the musical chairs game that city council members played in the 2024 election season is occurring.
Déjà Vu, Irony, and Some General Interest Notes
William Go was part of the slate of city council candidates that former Councilmember Tammy Kim supported in the 2024 election. Shortly before the 2024 election, Kim removed Ken Montgomery as her Transportation Commission appointee and appointed Go to take Montgomery’s place. This would give Go an advantage in the election due to Go being able to put the designation of “Irvine Commissioner” on his ballot statements.
Go won the District 2 seat and was sworn in as an Irivne city council member in December 2024. However, Tammy Kim lost her run for mayor and, therefore, was no longer on the Irvine City Council. As a newly elected city council member, Go then appointed Kim, his former supporter, as his Finance Commissioner. But Kim was Go’s Finance Commissioner for only about two months. This is because Kim was accused of election fraud. As a result of the bad publicity, Go dismissed Kim as his Finance commissioner. Go then appointed Rus Phanvong as his Finance Commissioner. Kim’s case of alleged election-related misdoings is currently working its way through the court process.
Also of note, Go represents District 2, which includes not only the Great Park but also the Portola Springs, Cypress Village, and Woodbury communities. William Go’s City of Irvine page contains a lot of information on the Great Park, but the other communities in District 2 are not mentioned. Five of Go’s six commission appointees live in the Great Park. The sixth currently lives in Woodbridge but previously lived in the Great Park.
A Run for Mayor
You might say that it is not election time yet, so the claim that this is a repeat of past Irvine election-time games does not apply. But rumblings are that Go is planning a run for mayor in 2026. If so, the political election-time games have started already, and you can say hello to the most recent Irvine electioneering game: The Irvine Merry-Go-round.
