A Race for a New Assembly Member: Who’s Leading and What’s Next?
In a big race to find a new leader for Assembly District 36, it looks like Republican Jeff Gonzalez is in the lead. The primary election results, posted on Tuesday night, show that Gonzalez is ahead with 9,034 votes. But there are still lots of votes to count, and several Democratic candidates are fighting for the chance to make it to the general election in November.
The district they’re all competing for covers the eastern Coachella Valley, and it’s a hot spot for politics right now. So far, Gonzalez is leading with 32.7% of the votes, but there are two other Democrats, Jose “Joey” Acuña Jr. and Edgard Garcia, who are also doing well.
Acuña is in second place with 5,143 votes, and Garcia is right behind him with 4,584 votes. In total, the Democrats have 57% of the votes, while the two Republicans have 43%.
This crowded race started when the current Assemblymember, Eduardo Garcia, decided not to run again. He’s been serving since 2014, but he wants to spend more time with his family. With Garcia stepping back, it opened the door for a bunch of new faces to try for the job.
This district is big, covering places like Coachella, Indio, and parts of Riverside and Imperial Counties. It’s a mix of urban and rural areas, with lots of different communities.
Seven people, five Democrats, and two Republicans, jumped into the race. But only the top two vote-getters, no matter which party they’re from, will move forward to the November election.
Let’s take a look at some of the key players:
- Jose “Joey” Acuña Jr.: He’s a Democrat, and he’s got the support of the current Assemblymember, Eduardo Garcia. Acuña has been serving on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education for a while.
- Waymond Fermon: Another Democrat, Fermon is a member of the Indio City Council and also works as a correctional officer. He’s been getting some votes too.
- Jeff Gonzalez: He’s one of the Republicans in the race, a business owner and a former Marine. He’s gained the support of some big names in conservative circles.
- Tomas Oliva: Oliva is a Democrat from Imperial County, and he’s got experience working with Congressman Raul Ruiz. He’s hoping to bring his knowledge to the Assembly.
- Kalin Morse: The other Republican in the race, Morse works in the nonprofit sector. He’s also vying for a spot in the general election.
- Edgard Garcia: This Democrat is an attorney and a member of the El Centro City Council. He’s been working hard to get votes too.
- Eric Rodriguez: Rodriguez is a Democrat and serves on the Central Union High School District Board of Trustees. He’s also a former police officer.
The district leans more towards the Democrats, but there’s still a significant number of Republican voters and quite a few people who aren’t registered with any party.
The final election is set for November 5th, so there’s still plenty of time for things to change. It’s an exciting race, and we’ll have to wait and see who comes out on top!
