Garamendi Kicks Off 2014 Election Campaign During Whirlwind Tour of 3rd District
This week Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), the incumbent representative of California’s 3rd Congressional District, officially launched the beginning of his 2014 Congressional campaign during a whirlwind tour of five counties in the district.
“In the coming months, voters in the 3rd Congressional District will face a clear choice on who they want to represent them in Congress. My life’s work has been focused on shaping an economy where good jobs are created and pathways to the middle class are built for all Californians willing to work hard and play by the rules,” Garamendi said.
His day began from his home in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta community of Walnut Grove to the Sacramento County Registrar’s Office to file his paperwork as a Congressional candidate and drop off his June primary ballot statement for Sacramento County. The 3rd District includes Sacramento Delta communities like Walnut Grove and Isleton, in addition to Rio Linda. Garamendi was joined by his wife Patti and their three-year old granddaughter Maddie.
Garamendi then traveled north to a luncheon in his honor with Garamendi for Congress supporters in Yuba City. At the luncheon, Garamendi laid out the foundational messages of his campaign: strengthening the middle class and creating ladders of opportunity for all Americans. Garamendi’s economic agenda includes Make It In America policies, equal pay for equal work, protecting Social Security and Medicare, guaranteed paid sick and parental leave, affordable college education, and the need to stop the tunnels and save the Delta.
“My campaign will be focused on the serious issues facing our region, our state, and our nation,” Garamendi added. “We must stop the twin tunnels and save the Delta. We must prioritize job creation. We must back quality and affordable education. We must protect benefits in Social Security and Medicare. We must support our veterans.”
After the luncheon, Garamendi delivered the nomination signatures and ballot statements to the county clerks in Sutter and Yuba counties.
Garamendi then traveled to the Davis Senior Center in Yolo County where he met senior service providers, non-profit representatives, senior advocates, and seniors for a wide-ranging conversation on the needs of seniors in Northern California. Garamendi pledged to fight efforts to weaken and reduce benefits in Social Security and Medicare.
The tour of the district continued in the Solano County city of Vacaville, where Garamendi joined Solano County Supervisor John Vasquez for a small business walk in Vacaville’s Historic Downtown. Garamendi is a small business owner, managing a cattle ranch in Calaveras County and a pear orchard in the Delta with his wife Patti.
Garamendi’s day ended at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Hall in Vacaville, where Garamendi met with electricians and other union members from across the district. Garamendi has long encouraged and supported labor unions’ efforts in shaping a skilled American workforce through their apprenticeship programs, often in partnership with community colleges and businesses. The union representatives gave Garamendi an update on the state of the regional economy from the perspective of workers.
Congressman Garamendi looks forward to visiting Colusa, Glenn, and Lake counties during his town halls on March 8 and 18.
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Yolo County Mayors Endorse Ortiz
Jesse Ortiz, candidate for Yolo County Superintendent of Schools, has been endorsed by eight current and former Yolo County mayors. This photo of Yolo County mayors include: left to right: Skip Davies, current Mayor of Woodland; Gary Sandy, former Woodland mayor; Ortiz; Dan Parrish, former Woodland mayor; and Art Pimentel, former Woodland mayor. Missing from the photo are Joe Krovoza, Davis mayor; Mike Martin, former Mayor of Winters; former Woodland mayors Matt Rexroad and Mel Losoya; along with West Sacramento & Davis Mayor Pro Tems Mark Johannessen and Dan Wolk.
Ortiz’s community involvement of serving Yolo County youth as an educator and athletic coach for close to 35 years was cited for the support given. Ortiz is completing his 31st year as a public educator in the K – University system and has been in involved as a basketball, boxing, and track & field coach in Yolo County.
Jesse Ortiz Assists Region Two Debate Team
I am assisting Region 2 Migrant Education in their annual Speech & Debate competition. The event will be held at Woodland Community College on Saturday, March 29 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Approximately 300 migrant education students will participate with the top school teams and individuals moving on to the state competition in Los Angeles in April.
We are need of 25 judges to score the competition. No speech background is necessary. You can opt to do the morning or afternoon or all day. On Thursday, March 20th there will be judge training at Woodland Community College from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (not mandatory). Experiencing these 7th – 12th grade migrant students compete is very exciting and uplifting. You will have the option to judge English or Spanish.
Please let me know by March 10th if you are interested in participating. Thank you, Jesse.
REGION 2 INCLUDES THE COUNTIES OF: Del Norte, Siskiyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Shasta, Lassen, Mendocino, Tehama, Mendocino, Glenn, Butte, Lake, Colusa, Yuba, Placer, Sonoma, Lake, Sutter, Yolo, Napa, Marin, Solano, El Dorado, and Sacramento.
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Bill Dodd’s Video Report
There’s a lot happening in our campaign and I wanted to share the latest with you in a video my team and I made.
While it outlines recent progress, there’s still so much more to do, and I need your help. After you watch the video, please take a moment to contribute (here), volunteer (here) or endorse my campaign (here).
I can’t solve problems for seniors, students, job-seekers, middle class families, the poor, agriculture, the environment or anyone else unless I’m elected. And your help will get me there, so please act today.
Thank you for all that you’re doing. Your support means a lot to me.
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—Compiled by Lily Shen
