I’m running against Kevin McCarthy this next year in a tough race that, hopefully, will become more equitable after redistricting. I’m lucky though because I feel the process is fairly transparent in California. The California Citizens Redistricting Commission was created in 2008 after a ballot initiative received a majority of Californians’ votes. Seems like the will of the people prevailed because, currently, Gavin is the only white guy in California’s Executive Branch. Joining him are four brilliant women of color, a fantastic black man heading up education, a Filipino-American Attorney General, and a Latino Insurance Commissioner.
Kern County, CA 23’s home base, on the other hand, is a different story. Of the five Supervisors, only one is not a straight, white Republican GOB (Good Ol’ Boy). The exception has decided to not stick around for another term because I assume, she’s fed-up, lonely, or completely disgusted by what she has experienced.
It might not surprise you that these Supervisors are the ones that approve the new redistricting maps. The last cycle ended in a giant expensive lawsuit that the County lost and had to redraw the lines in 2018. The slippery four GOBs still ran a rough shot over the process and managed to redraw one of their opponents out of his district, and another made his district redder so he could defeat the first female LGBTQ candidate in the history of the County. Kern’s population is hungry for change, but the structure keeps these pasty fat cats calling the shots.
Bakersfield’s City Council isn’t much better. We do have two Latinos elected out of seven, but considering the Latinx population constitutes well over 50%, it’s a little off-balance. But don’t worry, there is one woman hanging out with her fellow white male Republicans in a city where the majority of registered voters are Democrats. Seems like something is amiss!
I’m assuming that this mal-adjusted representation has trapped the largest section of CA23 with bad air, endemic poverty, an abusive extraction economy (oil) that owns the Supervisors and City Council, and the distinction of always being at the top of the ‘bad lists’ and the bottom of the ‘good lists’ when it comes to quality if life. Kevin just blows it off because he’s too busy muscling his political power in D.C.
I believe an important function I have is to build the infrastructure so the local governments in CA23 actually look like the people they represent. I have been visiting voters at their doors since last spring. They are smart, engaged, and excited to have Kevin’s opponent visiting them in the flesh since they have never seen Kevin’s flesh. They deserve someone in Congress that will actually take an interest in improving the quality of their lives. It will be my first priority. I’m also going to say that removing Kevin from Congress might be the only way to maintain our nation’s quality of life. Do you really want to take the chance of “My Kevin” becoming Speaker?
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