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Ventura City Councilman Carl Morehouse Endorses Das Williams for Assembly

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams reports today that Ventura City Councilmember Carl Morehouse has endorsed his campaign for 35th Assembly District in 2010.

“Ventura needs an Assemblymember who understands local government concerns and local issues,” said Ventura City Councilmember Carl Morehouse. “I have known Das for some time and know that he knows what it’s like to be a local elected official from serving on the Santa Barbara City Council.”

Morehouse added that “Das is energetic and passionate about the issues he pursues. As a result of my endorsement I will be holding him accountable to maintain strong working relationships with all of the cities in this district and being responsive to our concerns. With that commitment, I am proud to support Das Williams for the State Assembly and am confident he will be an outstanding champion for Ventura in Sacramento.”

Other Ventura leaders endorsing Das Williams’ candidacy include: Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, former Ventura County Supervisor Susan Lacey, Ventura City Councilmember Brian Brennan, Ventura County School Board Member M.L. Peterson, Ventura Community College District Trustee Arturo Hernandez, Ventura Community College District Trustee Stephen Blum, Vice President of the Ventura Unified School District Debbie Golden, Ventura Unified School District Trustee Barbara J. Fitzgerald, Ventura Planning Commissioner Dan Long, and Richard Francis of Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR).

“Councilmember Morehouse has been a community leader in Ventura for years and I am honored by his support of my campaign,” said Das Williams. “Carl shares my principles and passion for promoting sustainable development, smart growth and land use policies, affordable housing, transparency in government, and fair and balanced budgets.”

“Californians are continuing to suffer from Sacramento’s bad decisions and I look forward to joining the State Assembly and continuing my work with Carl and other Ventura County leaders to advocate for what’s right for this district and state,” added Williams.

Councilmember Das Williams is running to succeed fellow Democrat and termed-out Assemblyman Pedro Nava.

Senator Dean Florez, State Senate Majority Leader and Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Speaks to UCLA Students

Friday, December 4th, 2009
CA Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez and Assembly Candidate Ernest Morrell

CA Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez and Assembly Candidate Ernest Morrell

On November 12, Senator Dean Florez, State Senate Majority Leader and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, spent an afternoon with faculty, students and invited guests at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies to discuss education and pressing concerns in California. After a brief introduction by Dr. Ernest Morrell, Senator Florez discussed his educational experiences growing up in Shafter, Kern County. He then shared details of his educational journey from community college, to UCLA and finally Harvard Business School. As a student at UCLA, Senator Florez became involved in politics and as he spoke, compared the concerns while he was a college student to challenges facing students today.

A significant amount of time was set aside for questions for Senator Florez that ranged from topics related to education, prison and the media to passing legislation in Sacramento. Senator Florez offered candid responses and suggestions for how individuals can become involved in politics to make a difference. He elaborated on many of the intricacies of politics and reminded the group of his motto, “Hard Work Matters”.

The informal discussion was arranged by Morrell, UCLA Associate Professor, Associate Director of the Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (IDEA), and candidate for the 37th State Assembly district. Florez and Morrell felt the forum was important to discuss serious concerns about the direction in which California is headed. They share a commitment to equitable access to education for all students, care for the environment, and improving the quality of life for Californians.

Prominent Women’s Groups Endorse Susan Jordan for Assembly

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Susan Jordan, a candidate for State Assembly District 35, has earned the endorsement of two highly respected women’s organizations, the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC) and the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC).

Beth Schneider, President of the SBWPC board, praised Jordan as a “highly competent candidate with broad knowledge in key areas of concern to the citizens of Ventura and Santa Barbara and with a 16-year history as an advocate for women’s health and reproductive justice.”

The Santa Barbara group, which can endorse both women and men, chose to sponsor Jordan’s candidacy. The highly coveted Sponsorship is reserved for those candidates who show they are strong and proactive leaders on the issues of importance to the organization and its membership. SBWPC commended Jordan for her work as a health care advocate, statewide environmental leader, successful businesswoman, and as the former chair of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission.

“Susan has been an effective advocate for key environmental laws and policy, including defeat of an LNG project in Ventura County, and legislation on coastal land use,” the SBWPC wrote.

In the early 1980s, as a volunteer for the National Women’s Health Network, Susan led a seven-year campaign to gain FDA approval for a barrier method of birth control still in distribution today. After a successful career in the private sector, Jordan founded the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) in 1999 and serves as its executive director. CCPN is considered one of the top environmental advocacy organizations in the state and Jordan has received numerous awards for her precedent-setting work.

Jordan also has gained the endorsement of the National Women’s Political Caucus,  a multi-partisan, multicultural grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women’s participation in the political field and creating a political power base designed to achieve equality for all women.

“We need women like Susan Jordan in Sacramento today,” said Celeste Weingardt, immediate past president of the California NWPC.  “Her incredible work ethic and experience will serve her district and the women of California well.” Weingardt pointed out that women make up a small minority of the Assembly today and their numbers are dwindling.

Jordan is deeply honored to be recognized by these two well-respected and effective groups. “I am very grateful for their commitment to my candidacy and I intend to honor that commitment by mentoring other women candidates. The Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee has a long and distinguished history in the community and NWPC’s excellent advocacy has benefited women across the U.S.”

For further comment, please email jordan4assembly@gmail.com or call (805) 252-6271.

Prominent Women's Groups Endorse Susan Jordan for Assembly

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Susan Jordan, a candidate for State Assembly District 35, has earned the endorsement of two highly respected women’s organizations, the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee (SBWPC) and the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC).

Beth Schneider, President of the SBWPC board, praised Jordan as a “highly competent candidate with broad knowledge in key areas of concern to the citizens of Ventura and Santa Barbara and with a 16-year history as an advocate for women’s health and reproductive justice.”

The Santa Barbara group, which can endorse both women and men, chose to sponsor Jordan’s candidacy. The highly coveted Sponsorship is reserved for those candidates who show they are strong and proactive leaders on the issues of importance to the organization and its membership. SBWPC commended Jordan for her work as a health care advocate, statewide environmental leader, successful businesswoman, and as the former chair of the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission.

“Susan has been an effective advocate for key environmental laws and policy, including defeat of an LNG project in Ventura County, and legislation on coastal land use,” the SBWPC wrote.

In the early 1980s, as a volunteer for the National Women’s Health Network, Susan led a seven-year campaign to gain FDA approval for a barrier method of birth control still in distribution today. After a successful career in the private sector, Jordan founded the California Coastal Protection Network (CCPN) in 1999 and serves as its executive director. CCPN is considered one of the top environmental advocacy organizations in the state and Jordan has received numerous awards for her precedent-setting work.

Jordan also has gained the endorsement of the National Women’s Political Caucus,  a multi-partisan, multicultural grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women’s participation in the political field and creating a political power base designed to achieve equality for all women.

“We need women like Susan Jordan in Sacramento today,” said Celeste Weingardt, immediate past president of the California NWPC.  “Her incredible work ethic and experience will serve her district and the women of California well.” Weingardt pointed out that women make up a small minority of the Assembly today and their numbers are dwindling.

Jordan is deeply honored to be recognized by these two well-respected and effective groups. “I am very grateful for their commitment to my candidacy and I intend to honor that commitment by mentoring other women candidates. The Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee has a long and distinguished history in the community and NWPC’s excellent advocacy has benefited women across the U.S.”

For further comment, please email jordan4assembly@gmail.com or call (805) 252-6271.

Das Williams For Assembly Picks Up Another Local Labor Endorsement

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

SANTA BARBARA, CA – Assembly candidate Das Williams is pleased to announce that he has received a new labor endorsement of his campaign for the 35th Assembly District:

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 46

ILWU Local 46, which represents longshoreman and warehouse workers at Port of Hueneme, now joins a number of other unions which are already in support of Das Williams’ campaign, including the Santa Barbara Police Officer’s Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 952, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 413, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 186, Ironworkers Local 433, Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 484, Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local 273, Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, and UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 114.

“I am so grateful to have received such an overwhelming amount of support from local labor in this race,” said Das Williams. “I’ve worked hard on the Santa Barbara City Council to create jobs and opportunities for our working families, and I will continue to fight for them in the Assembly.”

Das Williams is running to succeed termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava in 2010.

####

Das Williams grew up on the Central Coast and is a product of local public schools. In 2003, Das Williams became the youngest person ever to be elected to the Santa Barbara City Council, and was re-elected in 2007. Das has worked as a teacher, a policy aide for former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, and a community organizer working to stop the development of a Wal-Mart in Ventura and enact local living wage laws in Santa Barbara and Ventura. Das serves on the Peabody Charter School Board and is a national board member of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Das received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and holds a graduate degree in Environmental Science & Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Willie Brown Suggests O’Connell Would Be Favorite for Lt. Gov.

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Via Timm Herdt at the VC Star, there’s been an interesting development in the game of musical chairs that is the Governor and Lieutenant Governor races. Despite little previous mention of Jack O’Connell’s name in association with the Lieutenant Governor’s race, Willie Brown’s influential column in the SF Gate suggests not only that O’Connell might join the race, but that he would be essentially unchallenged should he choose to do so:

[Newsom] certainly couldn’t beat the incumbent, Democrat John Garamendi, although Garamendi is making noises about running for governor himself. But even if Garamendi is out of the lieutenant governor’s picture, Newsom will still be up against it if state schools chief Jack O’Connell jumps into the Democratic primary.

O’Connell may not have the name recognition of a Gavin Newsom, but he has deep roots within the party statewide.

Willie Brown may have an inside scoop here. If O’Connell were to run and win the Lieutenant Governor’s seat, it would serve to marginally increase the influence of public education’s interests in the state government. Perhaps more importantly, it would give more influence to the Central Coast than it has perhaps had since Santa Barbara native Ronald Reagan won the governorship.

O’Connell, of course was CA State Senator for the 18th District for 8 years (1994-2002), and the Assemblyman for the 35th District for the 12 years previous to that. O’Connell knows the issues of the Central Coast extremely well, and would be in an excellent position to give more attention to the area not only in terms of policy and funding, but also in terms of elections to unseat the likes of Maldonado and the Stricklands, who are entirely unrepresentative of the areas they serve.

It will be interesting to see where the major players in California are seated when the game of musical chairs is over.

Willie Brown Suggests O'Connell Would Be Favorite for Lt. Gov.

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Via Timm Herdt at the VC Star, there’s been an interesting development in the game of musical chairs that is the Governor and Lieutenant Governor races. Despite little previous mention of Jack O’Connell’s name in association with the Lieutenant Governor’s race, Willie Brown’s influential column in the SF Gate suggests not only that O’Connell might join the race, but that he would be essentially unchallenged should he choose to do so:

[Newsom] certainly couldn’t beat the incumbent, Democrat John Garamendi, although Garamendi is making noises about running for governor himself. But even if Garamendi is out of the lieutenant governor’s picture, Newsom will still be up against it if state schools chief Jack O’Connell jumps into the Democratic primary.

O’Connell may not have the name recognition of a Gavin Newsom, but he has deep roots within the party statewide.

Willie Brown may have an inside scoop here. If O’Connell were to run and win the Lieutenant Governor’s seat, it would serve to marginally increase the influence of public education’s interests in the state government. Perhaps more importantly, it would give more influence to the Central Coast than it has perhaps had since Santa Barbara native Ronald Reagan won the governorship.

O’Connell, of course was CA State Senator for the 18th District for 8 years (1994-2002), and the Assemblyman for the 35th District for the 12 years previous to that. O’Connell knows the issues of the Central Coast extremely well, and would be in an excellent position to give more attention to the area not only in terms of policy and funding, but also in terms of elections to unseat the likes of Maldonado and the Stricklands, who are entirely unrepresentative of the areas they serve.

It will be interesting to see where the major players in California are seated when the game of musical chairs is over.

2008 Election Results for Ventura County and the State of California

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Data from http://vote.sos.ca.gov and http://recorder.countyofventura.org/Election%20Result.htm

These are the results from both the County of Ventura and the State of California for the November 4, 2008 Election as of November 06, 2008.

Ventura County Registration & Turnout
425,968 Voters
Vote Count Percent
Precinct Totals Turnout 182,283 42.79%
Vote by Mail Turnout 60,537 14.21%
Total 242,820 57.00%

U.S. President – California Statewide Results
Barack Obama (Dem) 6,308,161 61.00%
John McCain (Rep) 3,849,431 37.2%
Alan Keyes (AI) 30,586 0.3%
Cynthia McKinney (Grn) 28,431 0.2%
Bob Barr (Lib) 51,096 0.5%
Ralph Nader (P&F) 80,993 0.8%

U.S. President – Ventura County Results
Barack Obama (Dem) 132,937 55.4%
John McCain (Rep) 103,256 43.0%
Alan Keyes (AI) 763 0.3%
Cynthia McKinney (Grn) 457 0.1%
Bob Barr (Lib) 1,222 0.5%
Ralph Nader (P&F) 1,543 0.7%

U.S. Congress – District 23, District Wide Results
Lois Capps (Dem) 130,595 67.6%
Matt T. Kokkonen (Rep) 62,832 32.4%

U.S. Congress – District 24, District Wide Results
Marta Ann Jorgensen (Dem) 91,289 42.0%
Elton Gallegly (Rep) 126,052 58.0%

State Senate – District 23, District Wide Results
Fran Pavley (Dem) 187,245 67.7%
Rick Montaine (Rep) 74,327 26.9%
Colin Goldman (Lib) 15,125 5.4%

State Senate – District 19, District Wide Results
Hannah-Beth Jackson (Dem) 153,106 50.1%
Tony Strickland (Rep) 152,998 49.9%

State Senate – District 17, District Wide Results
Bruce David McFarland (Dem) 118,463 45.2%
George Runner (Rep) 143,097 54.8%

State Assembly – District 37, District Wide Results
Ferial Masry (Dem) 69,646 48.5%
Audra Strickland (Rep) 73,673 51.5%

State Assembly – District 35, District Wide Results
Pedro Nava (Dem) 87,127 66.7%
Gregory G. Gandrud (Rep) 43,641 33.3%

State Assembly – District 38, District Wide Results
Carole L. Lutness (Dem) 68,357 45.9%
Cameron Smyth (Rep) 80,353 54.1%

State Assembly – District 41, District Wide Results
Julia Brownley (Dem) 92,323 66.6%
Mark Bernsley (Rep) 46,308 33.4%

Proposition 1A = Y Safe, Reliable High-Speed Train Bond Act
Yes 5,072,778 52.2%
No 4,661,366 47.8%

Proposition 2 = Yes Standards for Confining Farm Animals
Yes 6,259,522 63.2%
No 3,656,765 36.8%

Proposition 3 = Yes Children’s Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program
Yes 5,314,603 54.9%
No 4,383,084 45.1%

Proposition 4 = No Parent Notification Before Terminating Minor’s Pregnancy
Yes 4,761,793 48.0%
No 5,157,390 52.0%

Proposition 5 = No Nonviolent Drug Offense. Sentencing, Parole, Rehabilitation
Yes 3,910,125 40.0%
No 5,843,962 60.0%

Proposition 6 = No Police, Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Laws
Yes 2,927,597 30.7%
No 6,581,530 69.3%

Proposition 7 = No Renewable Energy Generation
Yes 3,419,193 35.1%
No 6,307,979 64.9%

Proposition 8 = Yes Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry
Yes 5,387,939 52.5%
No 4,883,460 47.5%

Proposition 9 = Yes Criminal Justice System. Victims’ Rights. Parole
Yes 5,100,970 53.5%
No 4,438,988 46.5%

Proposition 10 = No Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds
Yes 3,889,794 40.2%
No 5,763,536 59.8%

Proposition 11 = Yes Redistricting
Yes 4,666,457 50.6%
No 4,567,689 49.4%

Proposition 12 = Yes Veterans’ Bond
Yes 5,998,849 63.5%
No 3,452,835 36.5%

Ventura County Local Races

Ventura County Board of Education TA 3
Mark Lisagor 23,461 57.94%
Christopher Valenzano 16,659 41.14%

Ventura County Board of Education TA 5
Dan Miller 8,387 33.45%
Ramon Flores 16,448 65.59%

Conejo Valley Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem
Marlon Delano Williams 1,352 1.96%
Julie Svitenko 8,681 12.55%
Scott Lamp 6,626 9.58%
Dennis Hatland 10,277 14.86%
John Andersen 10,687 15.46%
Betsy Connolly 14,802 21.41%
Douglas Nickles 4,180 6.05%
Peggy Buckles 12,337 17.84%

Cuyama Joint Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
No information

Camarillo Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
Ron Speakman 13,005 19.38%
William Little 12,305 18.34%
Patty Lerner 11,529 17.18%
Susan Herrera 8,187 12.20%
Judith Chuidian 9,228 13.75%
Sandra Berg 12,558 18.71%

El Tejon Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
Paula Regan 34 20.61%
Ana Soares 12 7.27%
Gary Sokolowski 10 6.06%
Jennie Jenkins 27 16.36%
Kenneth Hurst 27 16.36%
John Fleming 24 14.55%
Peter Kjenaas 9 5.45%
Bradford Oliver 7 4.24%
Terry Brennan 15 9.09%

Fillmore Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
John Holladay 1,744 25.14%
Mark Austin 984 14.18%
Virginia De La Piedra 2,023 29.16%
John Garnica 2,166 31.22%

Moorpark Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
Donna Lacour 3,495 17.05%
Lou Langkusch 2,802 13.67%
Ute Van Dam 3,518 17.16%
Natialie Panossian 2,775 13.54%
Gregory Barker 3,764 18.36%
Bruce Thomas 4,053 19.77%

Oak Park Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
Barbara Laifman 1,934 27.90%
Jan Iceland 2,356 33.99%
Edward Kaz 1,828 26.37%
Philip Bonoli 794 11.45%

Simi Valley Unified School District – Gov Brd Mem.
ERIC SMITH 8,227 10.44%
DEBBIE SANDLAND 18,064 22.92%
BRAD JASHINSKY 6,791 8.62%
JANICE DIFATTA 14,349 18.21%
RAY CRUZ 12,263 15.56%
ROB COLLINS 18,874 23.95%

Santa Paula Union High School District – Gov Brd Mem.
CHRIS WILSON 2,166 24.44%
CATHERINE SEPULVEDA 1,684 19.00%
ANDREW F. CASTANEDA 1,023 11.54%
YOLIE CERDA 1,277 14.41%
DIANA S. PONCE-GOMEZ 2,675 30.18%

Hueneme School District – Gov Brd Mem.
RAFAEL ”RALPH” RAMOS 4,026 37.15%
SCOTT SWENSON 2,798 25.82%
DONNA L. BRANSTROM 3,934 36.30%

Oxnard School District – Gov Brd Mem.
AURELIO JAUREGUI 6,616 24.35%
ALBERT ”AL” DUFF 8,450 31.09%
DENIS O’LEARY 11,886 43.74%

Pleasant Valley School District – Gov Brd Mem.
WARREN HARWOOD 9,529 29.47%
RICK HAZELTINE 5,210 16.11%
JUDITH A. CHUIDIAN 6,504 20.11%
SUZANNE KITCHENS 10,937 33.82%

Santa Paula School District – Gov Brd Mem.
GARY D. MARSHALL 1,741 22.42%
TIM HICKS 1,414 18.21%
OFELIA V. DE LA TORRE 1,771 22.80%
GINGER GHERARDI 1,031 13.28%
RICK CADMAN 1,773 22.83%

Supervisor – 5th District
JOHN C. ZARAGOZA 14,897 54.14%
JOHN K. FLYNN 12,472 45.33%

Camarillo City Council
DON WAUNCH 9,346 30.90%
DAVID P. SCHLANGEN 7,561 25.00%
KEVIN KILDEE 13,211 43.68%

Fillmore City Council
OMERO MARTINEZ 1,109 12.56%
GAYLE WASHBURN 1,367 15.48%
MARCOZ HERNANDEZ SR. 858 9.71%
ROYCE DAVIS JR. 794 8.99%
STEVE CONAWAY 1,190 13.47%
M. CECILIA CUEVAS 1,144 12.95%
NORRIS PENNINGTON 1,018 11.53%
JAMEY BROOKS 1,333 15.09%

Fillmore City Clerk
CLAY WESTLING 1,781 52.54%
SHIRLEY J. SPITLER 1,585 46.76%

Fillmore City Treasurer
ANGELICA RICHARDSON 1,030 30.10%
GRACE M. DONAHUE 974 28.46%
NORMA E. GUTIERREZ 1,399 40.88%

Moorpark City Mayor
JANICE S. PARVIN 8,596 95.76%

Moorpark City Council
JOSE ”JOSEPH” MAGDALENO 2,613 16.39%
KEITH F. MILLHOUSE 5,400 33.86%
ROSEANN MIKOS 5,143 32.25%
ROBERT ”BOB” FREEMAN 2,717 17.04%

Ojai City Council
MIKE LENEHAN 536 11.53%
RAE HANSTAD 790 17.00%
MARY SUE HORGAN 1,057 22.74%
SUZA FRANCINA 969 20.85%
BETSY CLAPP 1,275 27.43%

Ojai City Clerk
CARLON STROBEL 2,077 98.02%

Ojai City Treasurer
ALAN RAINS 2,174 97.40%

Oxnard City Mayor
ROBERT LEE SUMPTER 1,631 5.13%
THOMAS E. HOLDEN 18,061 56.77%
TIM FLYNN 11,856 37.27%

Oxnard City Council
CARMEN RAMIREZ 8,775 17.37%
BRYAN A. MACDONALD 8,330 16.49%
SAUL MEDINA 7,181 14.22%
LAWRENCE PAUL STEIN 2,844 5.63%
ARTHUR JOE LÓPEZ 5,484 10.86%
DEIRDRE FRANK 4,725 9.36%
AL VELASQUEZ 1,867 3.70%
IRENE G. PINKARD 10,438 20.67%
ENRIQUE PETRIS 594 1.18%

Oxnard City Clerk
DANIEL MARTINEZ 26,382 97.16%

Oxnard City Treasurer
MARTIN D. JONES 6,241 21.14%
DANIELLE ”DANIE” NAVAS 22,904 77.59%

Port Hueneme City Council
KESA RYONO 963 16.12%
SYLVIA MUÑOZ SCHNOPP 1,415 23.68%
ADA SETO 184 3.08%
LANCE LIVERMORE 629 10.53%
ELLIS L. GREEN 1,178 19.72%
DOUGLAS BREEZE 1,567 26.23%

Santa Paula City Council
FRED W. ROBINSON 2,775 32.85%
JENNIFER A. MATOS 2,749 32.54%
JAMES ”JIM” TOVIAS 2,863 33.89%

Santa Paula City Clerk
JUDY RICE 4,575 97.63%

Santa Paula City Treasurer
SANDRA ”SANDY” EASLEY 4,699 98.31%

Simi Valley City Mayor
PAUL MILLER 29,599 78.66%
BRUCE WITKIN 5,001 13.29%
ED LANG 2,811 7.47%

Simi Valley City Council
BARBRA WILLIAMSON 17,074 29.02%
GERALD F. SMITH 3,433 5.83%
STEVE SOJKA 21,045 35.77%
DANIEL R. JENKINS 5,043 8.57%
MICHAEL THOMAS JUDGE 10,128 17.21%
RICHARD PAUL CARTER 1,939 3.30%

Thousand Oaks City Council
RAMAUL RUSH 644 0.99%
HOLLY LA RUE 11,285 17.41%
ERNEST J. LE GAULT 4,625 7.14%
AL ADAM 11,820 18.24%
G. GREGORY AKREY 3,871 5.97%
JACQUI IRWIN 19,305 29.78%
THOMAS P. GLANCY 13,078 20.18%

Bell Canyon Comm Serv Dir.
GERARD DOUGLAS 374 24.80%
WILLIAM E. CROCKETT 302 20.03%
HOWARD J. CHRISTIE 317 21.02%
JOHN J. TICKNER 192 12.73%
LANA TICKNER 315 20.89%

Channel Island Beach Comm. Serv. Dir.
SUSAN M. MC DONALD 281 20.07%
KEITH A. MOORE 459 32.79%
JIM HENSLEY 395 28.21%
KAYE J. CRANDALL 260 18.57%

Oxnard Harbor District
JESS J. RAMIREZ 13,031 26.00%
MANUEL M. LOPEZ 14,239 28.41%
DANIEL HULTGEN 6,854 13.68%
ARLENE NAOMI FRASER 8,307 16.58%
ANTHONY VOLANTE 7,355 14.68%

Oak Park MAC
DEREK ROSS 2,139 35.15%
MICHAEL R. MC REYNOLDS 1,953 32.09%
DREW FINE 567 9.32%
ALON GLICKSTEIN 1,248 20.51%

Ojai Valley MAC DIV 7
ALAN SALTZMAN 2,898 42.64%
GERALD ”JERRY” KAPLAN 3,777 55.58%

Ojai Valley Sanitary District DIV 1
WILLIAM M. STONE 465 48.95%
GEORGE GALGAS 470 49.47%

Ojai Valley Sanitary District DIV 3
FRANK MC NERNEY 113 11.71%
PETE KAISER 618 64.04%
JEFF KETELSEN 220 22.80%

Triunfo Sanitation District
RONALD ”RON” STARK 4,353 47.00%
MICHAEL L. PAULE 4,866 52.54%

Castaic Lake Water District Short Term
No information

Castaic Lake Water District DIV 3
No information

Meiners Oaks Water District
NORM DAVIS 475 35.82%
JAMES BARRETT 506 38.16%
KAROL BALLANTINE 329 24.81%

Calleguas Municipal Water District DIV 2
JOHN M. ECKLUND 7,701 23.68%
SCOTT H. QUADY 14,147 43.50%
JEFFREY A. BORENSTEIN 10,464 32.17%

Casitas Municipal Water District DIV 2
JIM WORD 1,652 81.46%
DAVID L. NORRDIN 341 16.81%

Casitas Municipal Water District DIV 3
PETE KAISER 2,305 65.88%
JEFF KETELSEN 1,146 32.75%

Measure P Ojai S.D. Parcel Tax
YES 4,853 65.42%
NO 2,565 34.58%

Measure Q Santa Paula Union High S.D. Bond
BONDS YES 3,861 70.96%
BONDS NO 1,580 29.04%

Measure R Oak Park Sch. Dist. Bond
BONDS YES 2,934 57.00%
BONDS NO 2,213 43.00%

Measure S Moorpark Sch. Dist. Bond
BONDS YES 6,932 65.64%
BONDS NO 3,629 34.36%

Measure U Camarillo Sch. Dist.
YES 30,175 48.76%
NO 31,712 51.24%

Measure T Board of Sup. Term Limits
YES 159,016 76.96%
NO 47,600 23.04%

Measure H City of Fillmore North Specific Plan Ref
YES 1,881 60.02%
NO 1,253 39.98%

Measure I City of Fillmore General Plan Amendment
YES 1,877 56.71%
NO 1,433 43.29%

Measure O City of Oxnard Sales Tax
YES 20,088 65.57%
NO 10,547 34.43%

Measure V City of Oxnard Traffic Init.
YES 11,678 38.26%
NO 18,848 61.74%

Measure W City of Pt. Hueneme Sales Tax
YES 2,774 71.48%
NO 1,107 28.52%

Measure L Blanchard Library Appropriations
YES 3,577 67.40%
NO 1,730 32.60%

Measure M Piru Cemetary Maint.
YES 299 86.67%
NO 46 13.33%

Ferial Masry Could Make History in the 37th California Assembly District

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Every once in a while, reality serves up a story so perfect, so inspiring, so hokey even, that we’re tempted to believe in some divine authorial intervention in human affairs, that the old Greek muses have bestirred themselves to remind us that art and irony live on. Such a story is playing out in the 37th Assembly District of California. where the contest between Ferial Masry and Audra Strickland looks suspiciously like the forces of light battling the forces of darkness. Really.

I’m a sucker for fairy tales and morality plays, so when I come upon such dramas in the real world I find immense comfort in seeing that these old stories are based on real human possibilities.

Ferial Masry is the perfect heroine for our time. She is a Saudi woman, an Arab and a Muslim born in Mecca, the sacred center of Islam. Ferial’s story is one of an archetypal struggle against incredible odds, of her uneducated mother’s determination to see that Ferial and her sisters got out of Saudi Arabia where women could not get an education and traveled to Cairo to go to school. When, after graduating from Cairo University, marrying, and years of travel with her husband and family, Ferial settled in California, she brought with her a deep understanding of, and passion for, democracy, for equality of opportunity, for tolerance, for the separation of church and state. She became a high school American Government teacher so she could share her love of America and its possibilities with students who might otherwise take their country for granted.

When Ferial was approached four years ago to run for a seat in the California Assembly, she welcomed the opportunity to serve. She lost. Two years ago she ran again. Again she lost. Now she’s running again. Even this pattern seems strangely familiar from fairy tales, the hero’s perseverance three times in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

An Arab in a xenophobic country. A Muslim in a society where the ignorant equate Islam with terrorism. A Democrat in a district that has been solidly Republican and controlled by the Stricklands, first Tony Strickland and now that he termed out, his wife Audra Strickland.

The Stricklands, financed by oil and tobacco and other large corporations, relying on huge campaign donations to mount advertising campaigns smearing their opponents, hardly bothered to consider Ferial Masry worth smearing—after all, she’s an Arab and a Muslim. In fact Audra donated large sums of her campaign money to her husband’s efforts to vilify Hannah-Beth Jackson. Now, with the polls showing that Ferial is gaining support, Audra wants her money back.

The Stricklands are Christian fundamentalists who are determined to force others to live according to scriptural dictates. For them there is no such thing as equality under the law, no such thing as tolerance for diversity. This mind set is the dark side, the American nightmare that threatens to destroy the American dream.

When the voters of the 37th AD send Ferial Masry to Sacramento—as one quite possible ending to this story—it will be because we recognize the right choice and because we want to make that choice for ourselves. But we should know that the world is watching. Ferial, who was the first woman to appear on the cover of a Saudi magazine without a head scarf, would be the first Saudi-American elected to political office in the United States. It would be an interesting story to share with the world–to say, “Look, we really believe what we say we believe!”

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