Incumbents and newcomers battle for state seats in the San Gabriel Valley
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_21869262/incumbents-and-newcomers-battle-state-seats-san-gabriel
Posted:
10/27/2012 07:15:46 AM PDT
Updated:
10/27/2012 08:31:00 PM PDT
The political trinity of
job creation, balanced budgets and support for public education are the
common themes in the San Gabriel Valley state Assembly races.
The incumbents, mostly seasoned Democratic Party political heavyweights, all tout their experience and have pledged support for educational funding in hopes that support for schools will lead to future job growth.
Meanwhile, their conservative challengers have focused on returning fiscal discipline to the state capitol.
In the 41st state Assembly District, Republican Donna Lowe plans to fire up her conservative base against 23-year Pasadena City Councilman Chris Holden, a Democrat.
Like many of her Tea Party comrades, Lowe is a small government disciple.
Her opponent, Holden, looks to restore fiscal security to California by rebuilding the state's economy.
He said the economy must "be robust so (the state) can start to put away some money to make the budget whole again."
The 41st state Assembly District includes the foothill cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, Monrovia, Claremont, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.
In the 49th state Assembly race, Montebello Unified School District board member Democrat Ed Chau is running against Republican Dr. Matthew Lin.
In the state's first majority Asian state legislative district, Chau and Lin are battling it out to replace Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, who is a term-limit casualty.
Both men claim support for public education. Lin aims to couple his strong support for our state's schools and colleges with a more business-friendly environment with less oversight and regulation.
Chau said his experience in the political trenches will serve him well in Sacramento.
The 49th state Assembly District includes Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, San Marino and Arcadia.
Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina, survived a brutal spring where he was arrested for drunk driving and failed to top all competitors in the June primary.
He hopes to rebound in the general election for the 48th state Assembly seat as he runs against Republican Joe Gardner, a retired law enforcement officer from West Covina.
During June's race, Gardner beat out Hernandez by 719 votes, winning 45.6 percent of the vote to Hernandez's 43.4.
Both Hernandez, who was acquitted of DUI charges at trial, and Gardner say their focus is on reforming the struggling economy and implementing fiscal responsibility in Sacramento.
The 48th state Assembly district includes Duarte, Azusa, Glendora, Covina, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, part of El Monte, and the unincorporated communities of Charter Oak,
Bassett and Valinda.
In the 25th state Senate district, political newcomer Republican Gil Gonzales will vie to replace incumbent Democrat Carol Liu.
Gonzales pointed to his impoverished childhood and business experience as responsible for honing the skills needed to win the seat. He said he would focus on bipartisan cooperation to tackle important issues like jobs.
Liu said the state must support fiscal solvency and has stumped for Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30 tax initiative. Lie said Californians "need to get the structural deficit settled."
Registered Democrats are in the majority in the 25th state Senate District, which includes Pasadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Marino.
The incumbents, mostly seasoned Democratic Party political heavyweights, all tout their experience and have pledged support for educational funding in hopes that support for schools will lead to future job growth.
Meanwhile, their conservative challengers have focused on returning fiscal discipline to the state capitol.
In the 41st state Assembly District, Republican Donna Lowe plans to fire up her conservative base against 23-year Pasadena City Councilman Chris Holden, a Democrat.
Like many of her Tea Party comrades, Lowe is a small government disciple.
Her opponent, Holden, looks to restore fiscal security to California by rebuilding the state's economy.
He said the economy must "be robust so (the state) can start to put away some money to make the budget whole again."
The 41st state Assembly District includes the foothill cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena, Monrovia, Claremont, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.
In the 49th state Assembly race, Montebello Unified School District board member Democrat Ed Chau is running against Republican Dr. Matthew Lin.
In the state's first majority Asian state legislative district, Chau and Lin are battling it out to replace Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, who is a term-limit casualty.
Both men claim support for public education. Lin aims to couple his strong support for our state's schools and colleges with a more business-friendly environment with less oversight and regulation.
Chau said his experience in the political trenches will serve him well in Sacramento.
The 49th state Assembly District includes Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, San Marino and Arcadia.
Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina, survived a brutal spring where he was arrested for drunk driving and failed to top all competitors in the June primary.
He hopes to rebound in the general election for the 48th state Assembly seat as he runs against Republican Joe Gardner, a retired law enforcement officer from West Covina.
During June's race, Gardner beat out Hernandez by 719 votes, winning 45.6 percent of the vote to Hernandez's 43.4.
Both Hernandez, who was acquitted of DUI charges at trial, and Gardner say their focus is on reforming the struggling economy and implementing fiscal responsibility in Sacramento.
The 48th state Assembly district includes Duarte, Azusa, Glendora, Covina, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Irwindale, part of El Monte, and the unincorporated communities of Charter Oak,
Bassett and Valinda.
In the 25th state Senate district, political newcomer Republican Gil Gonzales will vie to replace incumbent Democrat Carol Liu.
Gonzales pointed to his impoverished childhood and business experience as responsible for honing the skills needed to win the seat. He said he would focus on bipartisan cooperation to tackle important issues like jobs.
Liu said the state must support fiscal solvency and has stumped for Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30 tax initiative. Lie said Californians "need to get the structural deficit settled."
Registered Democrats are in the majority in the 25th state Senate District, which includes Pasadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra and San Marino.