Primary Election Picks

Tomorrow is the California Primary Election.  Like many people these days I've already filled by VBM (vote by mail) ballot out and sent it in weeks ago.  If you have yours or still go to the polls, please remember to vote!  If you have a VBM you haven't mailed yet, you can turn it in at the Registrar's office in the County Government Building on the west side of Mooney across from Mooney Grove Park, or at any polling place Tuesday.  You can find polling places and all the election information at their site, http://tularecounty.ca.gov/registrarofvoters/.uilera


As usual, I voted the entire endorsed Democratic slate.  There are some offices without an official endorsement, however, and I will give you my preferences for those.  With our still-new "Top Two" primary, the hopefuls of all parties and independents square off in the primary.  Only the top two vote-getters will appear on the general election ballot in November.

First, the officially-endorsed candidates. (I) means "incumbent."  Democrats hold all statewide offices in California.
Governor: Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown (I)
Lt. Governor: Gavin Newsom (I)
Treasurer: John Chiang
Attorney General: Kamala Harris (I)
Insurance Commissioner: Dave Jones (I)
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Tom Torlakson (I)
Board of Equalization, District 2: Chris Parker
U.S. Representative, 22nd District: Suzanna "Sam" Aguilera-Marrero

Propositions:
41 Veterans Housing and Homeless Prevention: Yes
42 Open Government Records, Public Right to Know: Yes

Now, statewide offices with no Democratic endorsement:
Secretary of State: Alex Padilla.  His opponent Leland Yee is embroiled in a corruption scandal.
Controller: Betty Yee (unrelated to Leland). She is better qualified, with a Master's Degree in Public Administration and experience as Deputy Budget Director, than former Assembly Speaker John Perez.

Legislative District Offices:
State Senate, 16th District: Republican Jean Fuller is running unopposed.  I did not vote for this office.
U.S. Representative, 21st District: Amanda Renteria.  She's a highly qualified candidate with a good chance to win.  This is the district to our immediate west.
State Assembly, 26th District: I voted for Carlton Jones.  Ruben Macareno, the Tulare County Party Chairman, is a good man and would be fine, too.  I voted for Carlton though, because as a sitting Tulare City Councilman he has shown he can win an election, and what Democrats need more than anything else in this area is someone who can win.

County Offices: In both these races we have situations in which incumbents stepped down and the Board of Supervisors filled the vacancies, creating appointed incumbents.  This is a favored tactic of insiders to keep their friends and handpicked successors in power after them.  Therefore, I don't like it.  Though I have met both candidates in each race and they are all qualified and can do the job, I voted for the candidate in each contest who was not the appointed incumbent.  These are not "top-two" races, and whoever gets the most votes tomorrow will win.
Sheriff: Dave Whaley. 
District Attorney: Ralph Kaelble.