Cabaldon Formally Announces His Run For 8th AD

At the Train Station in Davis, West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon with more members of the media than supporters and more elected officials than members of the public announced his bid for the Democratic Nomination for the 8th Assembly District of California.

Flanked by several of his early elected official endorsements, Cabaldon was introduced by Davis Mayor Pro Tem Ruth Asmundson. Also speaking were two County Supervisors Helen Thompson and Mike McGowan, two West Sacramento City Councilmembers Oscar Villegas and Wes Beers, Woodland Mayor David Flory, and Davis City Councilmember Don Saylor.

Woodland City Councilmember Jeff Monroe was there briefly in his Sheriff’s Uniform, but he was on duty and could not be on stage. However, he too has formally endorsed Cabaldon’s candidacy.

The most interesting statements made by Mayor Cabaldon came in response to questions from the press.

Beth Curda of the Davis Enterprise asked what issues were most important to him. Interestingly his first response was controlling sprawl. This seemed a bit ironic considering his growth policies while Mayor of West Sacramento. Not to mention he was flanked by several of the more pro-development elected officials in the county including Davis Mayor Pro Tem Asmundson and Councilmember Don Saylor–both of whom were strong proponents of both Target and Covell Village.

Secondly, Josh Fernandez of the Woodland Daily Democrat asked him who was the consultant working on his campaign. His response was that he hadn’t hired a consultant and that had not been determined. This runs against the reported information that Richie Ross would be his campaign consultant. Ross was his campaign consultant in his previous race for the Assembly in 2002.

Finally, (and someone will have to forgive me because I do not know the reporter who asked the question), he was asked how long he had considered running for the Assembly. He mentioned that he ran for the Assembly in 2002 and that it was basically a good thing for his city that he lost and that Lois Wolk had won. Which was somewhat of a reprise of the statement he made during the Davis Democratic Bean Feed last fall–but was a rather striking statement coming from an elected official and prospective office seeker.

Meanwhile the anticipation and speculation will continue to mount as to who else will run for office. Clearly neither Don Saylor nor Mike McGowan will be candidates for the Assembly.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

Author

  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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Elections

104 comments

  1. Cabaldon’s announcement shows the Machiavellian side to his candidacy. He is one of the most pro-urban sprawl politicians in the region, yet he states the biggest issue facing the region is controlling urban sprawl and he is the guy who can do it.

    His campaign sign illustrates the deception even further using a deep rich green color with a crane wading in the delta flyway to imply his candidacy is pro-environmental. He is a big time pro-development politician masquerading as a defender and protector of the environment.

    At his staged announcement pro-development politicians from West Sac, Davis and Woodland are the only ones to surround and endorse him.

  2. Cabaldon’s announcement shows the Machiavellian side to his candidacy. He is one of the most pro-urban sprawl politicians in the region, yet he states the biggest issue facing the region is controlling urban sprawl and he is the guy who can do it.

    His campaign sign illustrates the deception even further using a deep rich green color with a crane wading in the delta flyway to imply his candidacy is pro-environmental. He is a big time pro-development politician masquerading as a defender and protector of the environment.

    At his staged announcement pro-development politicians from West Sac, Davis and Woodland are the only ones to surround and endorse him.

  3. Cabaldon’s announcement shows the Machiavellian side to his candidacy. He is one of the most pro-urban sprawl politicians in the region, yet he states the biggest issue facing the region is controlling urban sprawl and he is the guy who can do it.

    His campaign sign illustrates the deception even further using a deep rich green color with a crane wading in the delta flyway to imply his candidacy is pro-environmental. He is a big time pro-development politician masquerading as a defender and protector of the environment.

    At his staged announcement pro-development politicians from West Sac, Davis and Woodland are the only ones to surround and endorse him.

  4. Cabaldon’s announcement shows the Machiavellian side to his candidacy. He is one of the most pro-urban sprawl politicians in the region, yet he states the biggest issue facing the region is controlling urban sprawl and he is the guy who can do it.

    His campaign sign illustrates the deception even further using a deep rich green color with a crane wading in the delta flyway to imply his candidacy is pro-environmental. He is a big time pro-development politician masquerading as a defender and protector of the environment.

    At his staged announcement pro-development politicians from West Sac, Davis and Woodland are the only ones to surround and endorse him.

  5. The design of the Cabaldon campaign sign and theme is done in the classic style of a pro-developer political consultant. Cabaldon and his consultants know that protecting the environment and limiting urban development is a winning issue in the 8th assembly district.

    They have determined it to be the number one issue, hence they introduce into the campaign materials both a flora & fauna theme and the environmental green color to send the disingenuous message that Cabaldon is against urban sprawl and for reducing our human footprint on the remaining open spaces and agricultural lands of our region.

    This was the same strategy used by the Yes on Covell Village Campaign consultants when their theme, brochures and lawn signs used “new urbanist” and environmental friendly language along with shades of green and brown to appear in all aspects respectful stewards of the land and promoters of sustainable communities.

    Even Cabaldon’s brown suit and green tie is color coordinated to match his campaign sign and theme.

  6. Democrats in Name Only supporting “Democrats in Name Only.” Seems fitting. My vote will go elsewhere. We’ll wait and see who else runs. I hope the Democrats don’t give this seat away. If I recall correctly, Mike McGowan voted for Prop 187 and Prop 209…I never understood why he calls himself a Democrat.

    If this is the kind of support Cabaldon has then all I can say is think of the old saying, “The best way to tell a person’s character is by those that he/she associates with.” That is very telling in this case.

    Karen

  7. The design of the Cabaldon campaign sign and theme is done in the classic style of a pro-developer political consultant. Cabaldon and his consultants know that protecting the environment and limiting urban development is a winning issue in the 8th assembly district.

    They have determined it to be the number one issue, hence they introduce into the campaign materials both a flora & fauna theme and the environmental green color to send the disingenuous message that Cabaldon is against urban sprawl and for reducing our human footprint on the remaining open spaces and agricultural lands of our region.

    This was the same strategy used by the Yes on Covell Village Campaign consultants when their theme, brochures and lawn signs used “new urbanist” and environmental friendly language along with shades of green and brown to appear in all aspects respectful stewards of the land and promoters of sustainable communities.

    Even Cabaldon’s brown suit and green tie is color coordinated to match his campaign sign and theme.

  8. Democrats in Name Only supporting “Democrats in Name Only.” Seems fitting. My vote will go elsewhere. We’ll wait and see who else runs. I hope the Democrats don’t give this seat away. If I recall correctly, Mike McGowan voted for Prop 187 and Prop 209…I never understood why he calls himself a Democrat.

    If this is the kind of support Cabaldon has then all I can say is think of the old saying, “The best way to tell a person’s character is by those that he/she associates with.” That is very telling in this case.

    Karen

  9. The design of the Cabaldon campaign sign and theme is done in the classic style of a pro-developer political consultant. Cabaldon and his consultants know that protecting the environment and limiting urban development is a winning issue in the 8th assembly district.

    They have determined it to be the number one issue, hence they introduce into the campaign materials both a flora & fauna theme and the environmental green color to send the disingenuous message that Cabaldon is against urban sprawl and for reducing our human footprint on the remaining open spaces and agricultural lands of our region.

    This was the same strategy used by the Yes on Covell Village Campaign consultants when their theme, brochures and lawn signs used “new urbanist” and environmental friendly language along with shades of green and brown to appear in all aspects respectful stewards of the land and promoters of sustainable communities.

    Even Cabaldon’s brown suit and green tie is color coordinated to match his campaign sign and theme.

  10. Democrats in Name Only supporting “Democrats in Name Only.” Seems fitting. My vote will go elsewhere. We’ll wait and see who else runs. I hope the Democrats don’t give this seat away. If I recall correctly, Mike McGowan voted for Prop 187 and Prop 209…I never understood why he calls himself a Democrat.

    If this is the kind of support Cabaldon has then all I can say is think of the old saying, “The best way to tell a person’s character is by those that he/she associates with.” That is very telling in this case.

    Karen

  11. The design of the Cabaldon campaign sign and theme is done in the classic style of a pro-developer political consultant. Cabaldon and his consultants know that protecting the environment and limiting urban development is a winning issue in the 8th assembly district.

    They have determined it to be the number one issue, hence they introduce into the campaign materials both a flora & fauna theme and the environmental green color to send the disingenuous message that Cabaldon is against urban sprawl and for reducing our human footprint on the remaining open spaces and agricultural lands of our region.

    This was the same strategy used by the Yes on Covell Village Campaign consultants when their theme, brochures and lawn signs used “new urbanist” and environmental friendly language along with shades of green and brown to appear in all aspects respectful stewards of the land and promoters of sustainable communities.

    Even Cabaldon’s brown suit and green tie is color coordinated to match his campaign sign and theme.

  12. Democrats in Name Only supporting “Democrats in Name Only.” Seems fitting. My vote will go elsewhere. We’ll wait and see who else runs. I hope the Democrats don’t give this seat away. If I recall correctly, Mike McGowan voted for Prop 187 and Prop 209…I never understood why he calls himself a Democrat.

    If this is the kind of support Cabaldon has then all I can say is think of the old saying, “The best way to tell a person’s character is by those that he/she associates with.” That is very telling in this case.

    Karen

  13. Yes, I’m an unbiased person. I spend my free time going online and beating up candidates over the color of their tie.

    But seriously…

    If you look at Cabaldon’s campaign from 2002 it was all about his service on the Delta Protection Commission. I don’t think any of this is new.

    Yeah, his endorsers in this picture are kinda white and boring, butif he is getting endorsements from the people we’ve elected – then it’s not his fault that they’re white and boring… it’s ours!

    And I don’t know if others from Davis ever get off the freeway and actually drive through West Sacramento, but it has really cleaned up in the past decade. That place used to be a pit.

  14. Yes, I’m an unbiased person. I spend my free time going online and beating up candidates over the color of their tie.

    But seriously…

    If you look at Cabaldon’s campaign from 2002 it was all about his service on the Delta Protection Commission. I don’t think any of this is new.

    Yeah, his endorsers in this picture are kinda white and boring, butif he is getting endorsements from the people we’ve elected – then it’s not his fault that they’re white and boring… it’s ours!

    And I don’t know if others from Davis ever get off the freeway and actually drive through West Sacramento, but it has really cleaned up in the past decade. That place used to be a pit.

  15. Yes, I’m an unbiased person. I spend my free time going online and beating up candidates over the color of their tie.

    But seriously…

    If you look at Cabaldon’s campaign from 2002 it was all about his service on the Delta Protection Commission. I don’t think any of this is new.

    Yeah, his endorsers in this picture are kinda white and boring, butif he is getting endorsements from the people we’ve elected – then it’s not his fault that they’re white and boring… it’s ours!

    And I don’t know if others from Davis ever get off the freeway and actually drive through West Sacramento, but it has really cleaned up in the past decade. That place used to be a pit.

  16. Yes, I’m an unbiased person. I spend my free time going online and beating up candidates over the color of their tie.

    But seriously…

    If you look at Cabaldon’s campaign from 2002 it was all about his service on the Delta Protection Commission. I don’t think any of this is new.

    Yeah, his endorsers in this picture are kinda white and boring, butif he is getting endorsements from the people we’ve elected – then it’s not his fault that they’re white and boring… it’s ours!

    And I don’t know if others from Davis ever get off the freeway and actually drive through West Sacramento, but it has really cleaned up in the past decade. That place used to be a pit.

  17. “We” may have elected some of those people standing with Cabaldon, but other than Thomson, I didn’t vote for any of them. They don’t represent my views. Neither does Cabaldon on a lot of local issues.