Quan Vuong, Garden Grove Unified School District Area 4 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2026

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Quan Vuong

Age: 39

Current job title: Attorney, CPA, and Educational Coach

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: N/A

City where you reside: Fountain Valley

Campaign website or social media: vote4quan.com

What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

First, we need to bring students, families, educators, and community partners together across elementary, intermediate, and high schools. Strong schools are built when families feel connected, informed, and empowered to participate. As a longtime PTO leader and parent, I have spent years working with families, teachers, staff, administrators, and students. I will continue building partnerships that strengthen communication, increase family engagement, and create a greater sense of community throughout our district.

Second, we must ensure that every student graduates prepared for the future regardless of whether their path leads to college, vocation, trade, entrepreneurship, or a combination of all four. The future is uncertain with new changes and the introduction of AI, so it is important to connect classroom learning to real-world skills and opportunities. Therefore, I will advocate for expanded career exploration, CTE pathways, skilled trades, internships, mentorships, and earning college credits while still in high school. Additionally, I also understand that students in special education also have their own needs, which means that the district should meet them where they are and help them succeed in their own way.

GGUSD prepared me for my future. I am ready to bring our community together and help prepare every student for theirs.

To you, what is the role of a school board in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

I believe the most important role of a school board is to represent the voices of our students, families, and community while working with educators to keep student success at the center of every decision. Board members should listen to the community, establish thoughtful policies, ensure responsible use of resources, and hold the district accountable for providing every student with a quality education and opportunity to succeed.

Most importantly, I believe success looks different for every child. Some students may go directly to university after high school, while others may choose community college, career and technical education, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, assistance into adulthood, or another pathway. Our responsibility is to ensure that every student receives a strong educational foundation and has access to opportunities that prepare them for the future they choose.

As a board member, I would bring the community together around a shared goal of providing an excellent education where every child is supported, challenged, and give the opportunity to succeed in their own way.

How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn’t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Artificial intelligence is the future, and our students need to be prepared to use it effectively and responsibly. AI can be a powerful educational tool, but its use in the classroom must be intentional, age-appropriate, and focused on enhancing and not replacing student learning and critical thinking.

We need to teach students safe and responsible ways to use AI, including protecting their privacy, evaluating information for accuracy and bias, and understanding when AI is an appropriate tool. AI use should be introduced gradually and expanded as students progress through the grade levels. Younger students should have more structure and teacher-guided experiences, while older students can use AI more independently for research, brainstorming, feedback, and examples.

AI should be limited when students need to develop foundational skills, creativity and independent thinking. Our goal should not be to keep AI out of classrooms. Our goal should be to teach students how to use it responsibly so they are prepared for college, careers, and the future.

How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Schools have an important role in teaching students how to respectfully communicate with people who may have different perspectives. Students are entitled to their own opinions, but they must also learn how to voice those opinions in a respectful and tolerant way. Civil discourse means listening to understand, asking thoughtful questions, supporting ideas with evidence, and disagreeing without disrespecting others.

I would like to see our district intentionally create opportunities for students to practice these skills across grade levels. Through classroom discussions, debates, and collaborative projects, students can learn how to express their ideas while considering different viewpoints.

Our goal should not be to teach students what to think, but how to think, communicate and listen respectfully. These are essential skills that will prepare our students to become thoughtful leaders, responsible citizens, and productive members in the future.

Some school districts around California are recruiting teachers by building subsidized housing. How would you suggest your district could better attract — and retain — educators? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

My wife is a teacher in GGUSD, so I see firsthand the dedication our educators bring to their classrooms every day. To attract and retain high-quality educators, we must make sure that they feel valued, supported, and invested in throughout their careers.

First, our district must continue to offer competitive pay and benefits so that talented educators choose GGUSD to start their careers. We should also strengthen mentorship and support pathways for new teachers, pairing them with experienced educators who can provide guidance as they progress in the profession. Strong mentorship and the teacher induction program can play an important role in teacher retention.

Retention also means investing in our current teachers through meaningful, ongoing professional learning, additional release time, and opportunities for career growth.

Ultimately, attracting great teachers is only the beginning; we must create a supportive community where educators feel respected, have opportunities to grow, and want to stay. When we invest in our teachers, we are investing directly in the success of our students.

What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Garden Grove Unified School District is personal to me as a homegrown student who attended and graduated from schools in my trustee area. Today, I am a parent raising my own children in the same schools that helped shape who I am.

As an attorney and CPA, I bring experience analyzing complex issues, managing financial matters responsibly, and making thoughtful decisions focused on accountability and transparency. As a longtime PTO leader and current PTO president, I have learned that effective leadership begins with listening, building relationships, encouraging collaboration, and finding solutions. I also found that leading by example encourages and motivates others to want to help and be involved as well. Most importantly, being a GGUSD parent keeps me connected to what our students and families experience every day.

My priorities for this role are to build on GGUSD’s academic success, strengthen our school communities, and expand college and career opportunities for every student. GGUSD invested in me as a student, and now it is educating my children. I want to give back by helping ensure every GGUSD student has the opportunities and support they need to succeed.

If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

If my campaign had a mascot, it would be a penguin. Penguins are known for their strong sense of community, teamwork, and dedication to their families, which are values that reflect who I am and how I want to serve GGUSD.

Penguins thrive by working together and looking out for one another. That is how I view the district, where teachers, staff, parents, and community members work together with a shared purpose. As a parent, PTO president, and someone homegrown in GGUSD, I believe strong school communities are essential to helping every student succeed.

Penguins are also devoted parents who work together to protect and nurture their young. As a father of children attending GGUSD schools, this resonates with me because I want to approach every decision on whether it would be the best decision for my children and their classmates.

And finally, penguins always look like they are wearing tuxedos, so they are naturally best suited for the job.

A penguin represents my campaign perfectly because they are family-focused, community-minded, resilient, and best suited to serve.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

The best book I’ve read this year is “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt.

What made this so compelling was how closely it connected to what I see every day as both a parent and parent leader. Like many parents, my wife and I are trying to raise our children in a world very different from the one we grew up in. Technology and social media are everywhere, and the book made me think deeply about how important it is to have time to play, build relationships, solve problems, and connect with people face to face.

As a PTO president, I spend a lot of time on campus around students, parents, and educators. I’ve seen how much children benefit when families come together, when students feel connected to their school, and when they have a real sense of belonging. The book reinforced something I deeply believe in, which is that education is more than academics. The district’s responsibility to children goes beyond helping them earn good grades. We also need to help them grow into confident, resilient, kind young people who are prepared not only for school but also for life.

​ Orange County Register 

Jeff Kim, Irvine Unified School District Area 4 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2026

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Jeff Kim

Age: 51

Current job title: Teacher

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: Governing School Board Member/ School Board President

City where you reside: Irvine

Campaign website or social media: votedrjeffkim.com

What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

First, we must continue to support student achievement and the well-being of every student. IUSD remains one of the most respected school districts in the nation, but we need to continue to pay close attention to students who are struggling academically, students with disabilities, English language learners, and the socioemotional health of our students by continuing to engage in data-driven decision-making. We need to continue to steward resources to support programs like IUSD’s Tier 3 Intervention as a level of support within the Multi-Tiered System of Supports. What does Tier 3 look like in IUSD? It provides individualized support for students specifically around students’ identified skill gaps. By looking at the data together with educators, this allows us to steward critical programs with limited resources.

Second, we must continue to invest in our tremendous educators and staff. This includes strong professional learning, supportive working conditions, and opportunities for educators to grow and lead. IUSD provides districtwide and site-level professional learning days that are designed around student achievement data, identified needs, and district priorities. By creating supportive working conditions, educators and staff feel respected, equipped, and valued in helping to lead and shape the future of IUSD.

To you, what is the role of a school board in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

The purpose of the board is to support setting the direction and vision of a district, including the hiring and evaluation of the superintendent who leads our tremendous staff, to provide the highest quality of education we can envision. In addition to setting the district goals along with the superintendent, the board adopts policy, approves the budget, monitors data and outcomes, and approves major programs. We also listen closely to the needs of the community by serving as representatives in the community.

My own roles for this year have included: the City/District Liaison Committee, PTA Council, and as school liaison to Beacon, Cadence, Cypress Village, Early Childhood, Jeffrey Trail, Loma Ridge, Portola HS, Portola Springs, and Solis Park. These experiences allow me to listen, ask questions, and ensure that board decisions remain focused on student needs. I recognize, protect, and support excellence, which range from music to the arts to career technical education, AVID, Distinguished Schools, 21st Century Facilities, award-winning educators, and beyond. Over the past four years, I have advocated aligning resources to our priorities as an advocate for IUSD locally, in Sacramento, and Washington, D.C., and in my current role as board president.

How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn’t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Our goals include preparing students for college, career, and civic life. Last spring, IUSD was invited by Irvine Public Schools Foundation to discuss this very topic at the Google headquarters in Irvine. Rather than asking the question of how to keep AI out of classrooms, we should be thinking about where it makes sense to enhance learning and give our educators the tools and time to continue to provide the highest quality of education we can envision.

IUSD is taking a thoughtful approach to AI by using it to enhance teaching and learning rather than replace the teacher or the student’s thinking. We are already using approved tools such as Snorkl, MagicSchool, and Gemini to enhance — not replace — student thinking. Students learn not only how to use AI, but how to evaluate AI-generated information. Educators are also using AI as a tool to support students in an age-appropriate manner. AI is a tool to help the educator save time and further provide differentiation for students, reducing barriers to learning, and supporting students. Protections are in place for privacy and student data along, with a framework and ethics in responsible AI use.

How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

As an educator, I have supported students with earning Seals of Civic Engagement and sites earning Civic Learning Awards through the California Department of Education and the Judicial Council. Helping students to know what they are passionate about and doing good with that passion is healthy for the well-being of the students, and also our community and country.

Our schools have the role of preparing our students for college, careers, and civic life. Since joining the IUSD Board four years ago, I continue to uplift civic engagement, including the district’s work with Braver Angels and Civil Discourse, and the Dignity Index to value the inherent dignity in each person regardless of differing values and beliefs, and the Sacramento Advocacy Trip where students bring their issues directly to their elected representatives at our State’s Capital. I would also like to see more students earning individual State Seals of Civic Engagement and our schools’ Civic Learning Awards, as I find these awards are aspirational, leading toward greater civic engagement, learning, and civil discourse.

Some school districts around California are recruiting teachers by building subsidized housing. How would you suggest your district could better attract — and retain — educators? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

If you ask teachers what they need more of, many would say time and also reduced class size. I appreciate this as a teacher. It is not easy to connect with 35 students in a class while teaching the content with limited planning time. Funding impacts class size and time, and what is not commonly understood is that IUSD is one of the lowest per-pupil funded school districts in California. That is why I have, and why I will continue to advocate for this funding at the local, state, and federal level to support our students, teachers, and schools.

IUSD has a strong reputation of being a place many educators want to work. In addition to our award-winning schools, amazing students, as well as supportive parents and community, we continue to provide competitive wages, benefits, and working conditions for our educators. I also value strong partnerships with our universities, and I have applauded our district’s work for supporting stipends for student teaching internship opportunities offered by the state. In my last four years on the board, I have also seen the development of an educational pathway by which we can grow our own educators.

What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

I have a saying: “You raise what you praise.”

I am able to do this well in my role and know how to support complex systems, like you will find in our 45 schools, 38,000 students, and over 4,000 employees, because I already have 24 years of experience as a teacher, administrator, author, instructional coach, professor, and civic leader. I have earned a doctorate from USC in Educational Leadership and am a National Board Certified Teacher. Having proudly served on the IUSD Board for the past years and currently serving as the board president, I have had the experience of protecting the excellence our community expects. I have supported the whole child, including academic and mental health supports. I have prepared students for the road ahead of them by increasing access to college, career, and civic life. I have fostered university, school, and community partnerships. I am honored to have the support of the board majority in IUSD, along with many elected officials and groups, to partner with them in further making a difference in our community. I am also a parent of five children who are attending or have graduated from IUSD.

If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

My mascot would be a lit candle on a lampstand, shining brightly.

What is that candle? The candle is our students — and they are meant to shine. The work of our schools is supporting our students to shine. I have always prioritized our students first. I think of each student as precious, full of potential, with an important purpose in life. I have a personal educational philosophy of helping students to find out what they are good at so that they can do good with it. Not only is this important for the student — we as the United States need everyone’s contribution because that is a part of “We the People” and our goal to continue to create a more perfect union.

The work of preparing the next generation can not be done in silos; we must work together. I have the perspective of an educator, the experience of a board leader, and the commitment of an Irvine parent to do my part for the next generation, and I welcome many to join in this very important work toward this worthy cause.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

This past year, I have been reading “Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect” by Will Guidara.

The book emphasizes principles like how hospitality includes how people feel, going beyond expectations, and how small gestures can have a big impact. As a leader, I try to practice this by empathizing with others and intentionally thinking about the experience of our students, parents, and staff. One way I try to demonstrate “unreasonable hospitality” is through appreciation. Sometimes that happens publicly from the dais; other times it may be a note or a VLOG. These gestures give me an opportunity to pause and recognize the tremendous amount of good happening in our schools and community. Whether it is a student doing something inspiring in the classroom, or a parent volunteering their time, a teacher accomplishing something remarkable, or a leader demonstrating great leadership, I want people to know that their contributions are seen and valued. For me, leadership is not only about making good decisions – it is also about recognizing people, encouraging them, and helping them know that the work they do matters.

​ Orange County Register 

Ron Scolesdang, Irvine Unified School District Area 2 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2026

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Ron Scolesdang

Age: 41

Current job title: Business Owner

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: Irvine Public Works and Sustainability Commissioner

City where you reside: Irvine

Campaign website or social media: Ron4schoolboard.com

What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

1. Preparing students for life after graduation. Academic excellence must remain a priority, but students also need practical skills that prepare them for college, careers, and adulthood. I would support stronger career and technical education, financial literacy, technology and AI readiness, and partnerships with local businesses and community organizations that give students exposure to real-world opportunities.

2. Strengthening the partnership between schools and families. Parents, teachers, and students should feel heard when decisions are made that affect their schools. I would prioritize transparent communication, accessible opportunities for community input, and meaningful engagement before major decisions are made. I also want teachers and staff to have the support and resources they need to focus on students.

My approach is simple: listen first, focus on measurable student outcomes, and make decisions based on what best prepares every student for a successful future.

To you, what is the role of a school board in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

The role of a school board is to set the direction, priorities, and policies of the district while holding district leadership accountable for results. Board members should listen to parents, students, teachers, and the broader community and ensure their voices are represented in major decisions.

I do not believe board members should micromanage classrooms or tell teachers how to teach. Curriculum decisions should follow state requirements while involving professional expertise, transparency, and meaningful parent and community input. The board’s responsibility is to ask the right questions, establish clear expectations, oversee the budget, and make sure district resources are being used effectively to benefit students.

Ultimately, a school board should provide oversight and accountability while keeping the focus on student achievement and preparation for the future. My approach would be to listen, evaluate the facts, and make decisions based on one question: Does this improve outcomes for our students?

How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn’t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Artificial intelligence is going to be part of the world our students enter, so schools have a responsibility to teach students how to use it effectively, responsibly, and ethically. I support expanding AI when it strengthens learning, such as personalized tutoring, research assistance, language support, accessibility, and helping students understand emerging technology.

However, AI should be a tool, not a substitute for learning. It should be limited when it allows students to bypass critical thinking, writing, problem-solving, or meaningful interaction with their teachers. Students still need to demonstrate that they understand the material and can perform independently.

We also need strong safeguards around student privacy, age-appropriate use, academic integrity, and the AI platforms schools adopt.

Rather than pretending students will not use AI, we should teach them how to use it responsibly. Our goal should be to prepare students for an AI-driven future while protecting the fundamental skills, relationships, and independent thinking that education is meant to develop.

How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Schools should help students learn not only what to think about, but how to think, communicate, and respectfully disagree. Civil discourse is an important life skill, especially in a time when social media can reward division rather than understanding.

I would like to see our district create more opportunities for age-appropriate discussion, debate, student government, and civic engagement where students learn to listen to different perspectives, support their positions with evidence, and disagree without attacking one another.

Just as importantly, classrooms should remain environments where students feel comfortable expressing different viewpoints without fear of being ridiculed or treated differently because of their beliefs. Teachers should facilitate these conversations fairly and encourage curiosity rather than conformity.

The goal should not be to tell students what political positions to hold. It should be to develop informed, respectful, independent thinkers who can listen to others, evaluate facts, communicate their own ideas, and participate constructively in their communities.

Some school districts around California are recruiting teachers by building subsidized housing. How would you suggest your district could better attract — and retain — educators? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

Attracting educators is important, but we also have to recognize the current reality of declining enrollment and the financial pressures that can create for school districts. Our first priority should be retaining and supporting the excellent teachers and staff we already have.

Compensation matters, particularly in a high-cost community like Irvine, but retention is about more than salary. Educators also need manageable workloads, strong school leadership, professional growth opportunities, safe classrooms, and confidence that district resources are being directed effectively toward students and the people serving them.

I am open to exploring creative solutions to the cost-of-living challenge, including partnerships or housing assistance programs, but any major investment such as district-subsidized housing should be evaluated carefully for cost, effectiveness, and long-term financial impact.

As enrollment and staffing needs change, I want IUSD to remain a district where outstanding educators want to build their careers and where we prioritize retaining great teachers before simply focusing on increasing headcount.

What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

I bring the perspective of a parent, business owner, longtime youth coach, and Irvine commissioner. Each of those roles has taught me something important about leadership: listen before making decisions, build strong teams, be accountable for results, and never lose sight of the people you serve.

Working with young people for more than two decades has shown me that every student has different strengths and that success does not follow one path. As a business owner, I understand budgets, accountability, problem-solving, and making difficult decisions when resources are limited. My service on an Irvine city commission has also taught me the importance of transparency, collaboration, and listening to residents with different perspectives.

As a parent of an IUSD student, these decisions are personal to me. My priorities are keeping students first, ensuring parents have a meaningful voice, supporting excellent educators, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and preparing students for college, careers, and life.

I would bring an independent, practical, and student-focused perspective to the board.

If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)

A wolf.

Wolves are strong and resilient, but what I appreciate most is that they thrive as a team. They protect their pack, work together, and understand that the group is stronger when everyone contributes.

That reflects how I view our schools. Students succeed when parents, teachers, staff, and the community work together. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice; it’s about listening, bringing people together, and being willing to stand up for the people you serve.

And as a lifelong martial artist and coach, I’ll admit I appreciate a little fighting spirit too.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

The best book I’ve read this year is “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek.

What stood out to me is the idea that great leadership starts with understanding why you are doing something before focusing on what you are doing or how you are going to do it. That resonated with me because it applies to business, coaching, public service, and education. When challenges come up, it’s easy to get caught up in processes, politics, or disagreements and lose sight of the purpose behind the work.

For me, the “why” in education is simple: our students. Every policy, budget decision, and discussion should ultimately come back to whether we are giving students the best opportunity to learn, grow, and be prepared for their future. It was a great reminder that effective leadership begins with purpose, and that when people understand the why, it becomes much easier to work together on the how.

​ Orange County Register 

Catherine Blakespear, Senate District 38 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2026

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Catherine Blakespear

Age: 50

Current job title: California State Senator, 38th District

Political party affiliation: Democratic

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: Mayor of Encinitas (2016-2022); Encinitas City Council (2014-2016); Chair, SANDAG Board of Directors; Board Member, North County Transit District

City where you reside: Encinitas

Campaign website or social media: catherineblakespear.com

Fuel costs for Californians are higher than anywhere else in the country. What specific policy would you support to ease the burden drivers feel at the pump? And how would you measure whether that policy was actually successful? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

California drivers pay more than a dollar a gallon above the national average. Some of that is global, like this year’s oil shock. Some of it is ours.

The most direct pressure on price right now is supply. Two refineries closed in the past year, taking roughly 17% of in-state refining capacity with them, and California’s unique fuel blend makes it hard to replace that gasoline from out of state. The Energy Commission needs better tools to keep supply steady through outages and closures, and the state needs real advance notice before a refinery shuts down so we are planning ahead instead of reacting. I held a hearing on exactly that this year and authored legislation to require it, because taxpayers should not be surprised by either a supply gap or a cleanup bill.

I also passed a law protecting homeowners with rooftop solar from higher property taxes, and I chair the subcommittee working to make our coastal rail line a real alternative to driving.

Measure it by the gap between our price and the national average. If it narrows while our air stays clean, it is working. If it widens, change course.

How can state lawmakers ease barriers for those wishing to become homeowners and unburden renters with high rental costs, or is this an issue beyond the scope of Sacramento? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Yes, this is Sacramento’s job, and I have been doing it. But the answer is not one bill. It is building more homes, cutting red tape, and being honest about what actually lowers costs.

I authored SB 1077 so coastal homeowners can build an ADU without a second round of permits, which adds unnecessary cost to much-needed housing that can help a family cover the mortgage. I authored SB 482 so housing for people with the greatest needs can actually get financed and built. And I closed a loophole developers were using to build oversized commercial projects under the density bonus law (SB 92), because more housing should not mean a blank check.

I also voted against SB 79, which lets the state override local zoning to allow six- and seven-story buildings near transit stops. I support building more housing. I do not think Sacramento should decide the shape of every neighborhood. Cities need to plan for growth and the state should hold them to it, but how they meet those goals should be decided locally.

For renters, the fastest relief is supply. Every home we add takes pressure off rents.

Elected officials often talk about the need to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place as part of combating homelessness, but California has more people living on the street than any other state. How would you work with colleagues in Sacramento to get people off the streets and into stable housing situations? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Start with accountability. California has spent more than $24 billion on homelessness over five years and still has more people on the street than any state. I want to know what worked and what did not, and move money away from programs that are not producing results.

It is not compassionate to leave people with severe mental illness and addiction to deteriorate on our sidewalks. We need shelter beds, interim housing, treatment, and enforcement working together, not permanent housing alone.

My record reflects that. I authored SB 1361 so homeless shelters cannot be tied up in CEQA lawsuits. My legislation pushing Caltrans to work with cities on freeway encampments prompted a model agreement between Caltrans and the city of San Diego that other cities have since used. This year, my bill SB 989 passed unanimously to let first responders connect people in psychiatric crisis to CARE Court. I secured $5 million for a navigation center in Vista, hosted three Ending Homelessness Summits, and pushed my own party to fund Proposition 36 so the treatment voters approved actually happens.

That is how I work with colleagues: bring data, bring cities to the table, and set goals we can be held to.

California has the highest grocery prices of any mainland state in the U.S. What’s one specific policy Sacramento could support to bring down food prices for individuals and families struggling to make ends meet? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Retail theft. When stores are hit repeatedly, they lock up shelves, cut hours, raise prices, or close. Every family pays for that at the register. Voters in all 58 counties passed Proposition 36 to hold repeat offenders accountable and get people into treatment. When the governor’s budget left it unfunded, I joined Sens. Rubio and Umberg in calling for $400 million to implement it. Fully funding Prop. 36 is the most direct thing Sacramento can do to stop theft from being passed on to shoppers.

There is also money families are owed and cannot collect. Californians pay a CRV deposit on every bottle and can, but many neighborhoods have nowhere to redeem it. My bill SB 955 requires more redemption locations so people can actually get their money back.

Beyond that, the state should be careful about adding costs to the food supply chain that have nothing to do with safety, and keep investing in the freight and rail infrastructure that moves goods cheaply. And I will not support new taxes on groceries or on the families buying them.

California’s budget approved by officials this summer included $300 million to offset healthcare costs expected with the expiration of federal subsidies. Do you support this effort by state lawmakers? Also, what would you do to protect Californians’ access to healthcare in light of federal changes that have restricted benefits to various groups? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Yes. When the enhanced federal premium subsidies expired at the end of last year, premiums jumped for the nearly 1.8 million Californians who buy coverage through Covered California. The $300 million keeps zero-dollar plans available for lower-income families and softens the increase for middle-class households. That is a reasonable use of state dollars.

Protecting access more broadly means three things. First, make sure people do not lose Medi-Cal because of paperwork. New federal work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks will push eligible people off coverage if counties are not staffed to handle them, and this budget funds that work. Second, hold large corporations accountable when they keep workers part-time to avoid offering insurance and push them onto taxpayer-funded Medi-Cal. The budget directs the state to develop options for that by next year, and I support it. Third, keep improving how care is delivered locally. I authored SB 1257 to modernize San Diego County’s Medi-Cal advisory board to improve outcomes and reduce costs.

We cannot replace every federal dollar. We can make sure Californians who play by the rules do not lose their coverage.

California’s high-speed rail project has been beset by delays, ballooning costs and federal funding cuts. Should the state continue with this project? Why or why not? If you support moving forward with the project, how do you propose the state pay for it? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I want high-speed rail to succeed, and I have been one of its sharper critics in the legislature. When the Authority proposed moving stations and revising costs this spring without a transparent process, I said in committee that it looked like a disaster and that we were proceeding on a wing and a prayer. I stand by that.

Voters approved this project, and the state has spent billions. Walking away would waste that investment. But writing more checks without accountability is not an option either. Before the state commits additional money, the Authority needs a credible plan with real cost estimates, firm milestones for the Central Valley segment, and a transparent process for any changes.

With federal funding gone, California has to be honest that the gap is large and that cap-and-trade proceeds alone will not close it. I will not support new taxes on families to fill it.

I chair the Senate subcommittee on the coastal rail corridor between San Diego and Los Angeles. There we set clear goals, commissioned independent research, passed bipartisan legislation, and secured more than $500 million tied to specific projects. High-speed rail should be held to the same standard.

Increasingly, we’re seeing communities push back on data centers opening in or near their neighborhoods. Environmentalists complain about the amount of water and energy that data centers need to operate. Residents complain about relentless noise pollution. And others worry about losing agricultural land to these centers. On the other hand, the tech industry emphasizes the role of data centers in supporting cloud computing and artificial intelligence. As a policymaker, how would you balance the concerns of critics with desires to ensure that California remains a leader in innovation? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Data centers are coming, and California should want the jobs and investment. But no community should have to absorb the water use, energy demand, and noise without a say, and ratepayers should not subsidize a data center’s electric bill.

As chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, my approach is standards and transparency, not bans. Large data centers should disclose projected water and energy use before permits are issued, meet efficiency benchmarks, and pay their own way on grid upgrades so residential customers do not pick up the cost. Cities and counties should keep authority over siting, including setbacks from homes and farmland. And environmental review should happen before construction, not after.

This year I authored SB 954 to add safeguards to the state’s recent CEQA reforms so that fast-tracked manufacturing projects still protect habitat, workers, and neighboring communities. That is the balance: speed up approvals where standards are met, not waive the standards.

The industry can do this. Closed-loop cooling and on-site renewable power already exist. If a company wants to build here, it should be willing to be a good neighbor.

Do you support Proposition 40, the proposed billionaire’s tax that would impose a one-time, 5% tax on individuals and trusts with a net worth of more than $1 billion? Revenues from the tax would primarily go to fund healthcare-related programs, including Medi-Cal, though a small portion would also be used to fund food assistance and education-related programs. Explain why you do or do not support this measure. If you don’t, what alternative solution do you propose so that the state has money to pay for the types of services this tax is intended to fund? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

No. We need a federal billionaire wealth tax, not a state one. If California taxes net worth and no other state does, we disproportionately disadvantage ourselves. Our highest net worth individuals move out of state and pay no taxes here at all, and we lose revenue we are already collecting rather than gaining any.

I understand what drives the measure. Wealth here is deeply concentrated, and the programs it would fund, including Medi-Cal and food assistance, matter enormously to the people who rely on them. But a one-time tax is also a poor foundation for permanent healthcare programs. The money runs out, and the obligations do not.

What I support instead: the $300 million the state committed this year to offset the expired federal subsidies, which keeps zero-dollar plans available for lower-income families. Requiring large corporations that keep workers part-time to avoid offering insurance to help cover the Medi-Cal costs they push onto taxpayers, which this year’s budget directs the state to develop by 2027. And setting annual performance goals so we stop funding what does not work.

I sit on the Budget Committee. New taxes on working families and small businesses are off the table for me.

The state has ambitious goals to transition away from heavy reliance on fossil fuel. Meanwhile, oil refineries in California that shut down in the past year said they did so in part because of the state’s costly regulatory requirements and decreasing consumer demand for traditional gasoline. But the closure of these refineries have drivers concerned about the price of gas going up – especially at a time when affordability remains the No. 1 concern for many Californians. How would you balance the state’s clean energy goals with desires to prevent Californians from further pain at the pump? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The clean energy transition is not only necessary, but underway. We must manage this transition to avoid adding a cost burden to prices that are determined by factors outside the state’s control.

Gas prices are the result of global market conditions, including Trump’s war with Iran and supply constraints exacerbated by uncertainty at the Strait of Hormuz. The fact that prices went up all across the country, not just in California, when the Iran war was started is evidence of this. As refineries inevitably close due to market conditions, we need to be prepared. I authored SB 1259 to require advance notice and a cleanup plan before a refinery shuts down.

We need to pursue clean energy options to give people real alternatives so they need the pump less. I passed a law protecting homeowners with rooftop solar from higher property taxes. I chair the subcommittee working to make the coastal rail line reliable. We need more charging, especially for renters and apartment dwellers, and we need to make sure fuel supply does not fall faster than demand.

Clean air and affordable driving are not opposites. Getting both takes planning.

Similarly, the Trump administration is aggressively pushing to expand offshore oil drilling and production in California. Explain why you do or do not support this move. If not, do you believe California state leaders have the legal authority to stop or restrict it? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I oppose it. When we drill, we spill. I represent 60 miles of coastline in San Diego and Orange counties. Our beaches drive tourism, property values, and quality of life, and a single spill can wreck all three for years. Drilling off our coast will not lower gas prices. Oil is priced globally, and a few offshore platforms will not change what Californians pay at the pump.

The federal government’s current push goes beyond new leases. It is using emergency powers to force the restart of a pipeline shut since the 2015 Refugio spill, and it is reviewing whether to strip California’s authority under the Coastal Zone Management Act. If that authority is weakened, the public’s health and our coastline are at risk.

California does have tools. State law bars new oil and gas infrastructure in state waters that would serve new federal leases, which makes it very hard to bring offshore oil ashore. The Coastal Commission has jurisdiction over coastal projects. The state has already sued to block the pipeline restart, and I support that. This is a fight worth having, and one Californians of both parties have agreed on for decades.

A law signed in 2024 establishes statewide standards for new, large warehouses in California, including distance buffers separating warehouses from schools, homes and other so-called “sensitive receptors.” Do you support Sacramento having a role in local land-use decisions when it comes to logistics? Why or why not? Is there anything else state government should do when it comes to regulating warehouses? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Yes, the state has a role, and I support the 2024 law setting buffers between new large warehouses and homes and schools. Local land-use authority is important, but when diesel trucks, noise, and air pollution from one facility affect families across city lines, a statewide floor is appropriate. We already set state standards for air and water quality, and warehouses should not be treated differently.

That floor should not become a ceiling. Cities should be able to adopt stronger protections if their residents want them. And warehouse operators should pay for the costs they create, including road repair, traffic mitigation, and air filtration for nearby schools, rather than passing those costs to local taxpayers.

The distinction I draw is simple. Density and zoning are local decisions, and I have voted that way. Pollution that crosses city lines is a state responsibility, because the family breathing it did not get a vote on where the warehouse went.

As chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, that is the standard I apply.

Tell us about a time you’ve changed your mind on a political position. What was it, and what changed your mind? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Homelessness. Earlier in my career, I believed the answer was mostly housing: build enough permanent supportive housing, connect people to services, and the problem would shrink over time.

Eight years in local government and three annual Ending Homelessness Summits changed that. What I saw is that for people with severe mental illness and addiction, waiting years for a permanent unit while they deteriorate on the street is not compassion. It is neglect. Housing alone was never going to reach them.

I now believe we need a much wider toolkit: interim housing like modular units and tiny homes that bring people inside now, CARE Court and conservatorships for people who cannot make decisions for themselves, enforcement against encampments in public spaces, and permanent housing as the long-term goal, not the only tool. My CARE Court legislation and my push to fund Proposition 36 came out of that shift.

The change was not ideological. It came from listening to the police officers, outreach workers, and families doing this work every day, and from being honest about what the data showed.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

“Empire of AI” by Karen Hao. It’s important to understand the personalities behind the AI arms race, which is having such a societally transformative effect.

​ Orange County Register 

Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak is the largest in decades in the US

• October 5, 2026

By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, state health officials said Monday, making it the largest state outbreak in more than three decades.

The U.S. is enduring its worst year for measles since 1991, with nearly 3,900 reported cases, according to the CDC. The nation has seen eight reported measles-associated deaths in the past two years — more than the combined total of reported deaths over the previous three decades.

Since the beginning of last year, large outbreaks have been reported in several states, including Texas and Utah, as well as South Carolina, which had the largest with 997 cases reported.

Health officials say Pennsylvania’s current outbreak started in April, west of Philadelphia. There have been 1,004 cases, including 198 hospitalizations and five deaths, state officials said.

Health experts attribute such outbreaks to low vaccination rates.

It’s been decades since a U.S. state has seen an outbreak surpass 1,000 cases, stretching back to a multiyear outbreak in New York City in the early 1990s that infected more than 4,500 people.

The nation eliminated the domestic spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, but those rates have fallen in recent years to below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.

In November, international health officials will meet to determine if the U.S. and Mexico have lost their measles-free status.

Measles is highly contagious. It spreads when people who have it breathe, cough or sneeze, and through contaminated surfaces. It also can linger in the air for two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

U.S. measles infections have been surging in recent years, as fewer kids get routine vaccines due to parental waivers, healthcare access issues and rampant disinformation.

Pennsylvania is not the only state with a growing problem. Neighboring Ohio has reported more than 200 cases this year. Like in Pennsylvania, some of the hardest-hit Ohio counties have significant Amish populations, which tend to have lower vaccination rates.

Meanwhile, CDC officials have quietly begun to acknowledge measles-associated deaths in Pennsylvania.

State officials in August announced that two unvaccinated residents died after being infected with measles.

The announcement quickly came under fire as a clash erupted between vaccine-promoting Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Trump administration appointee with a history of raising alarms about established vaccines.

Since then, Pennsylvania has reported three additional deaths.

But for weeks, the CDC — which Kennedy oversees — did not count any deaths on its measles data dashboard, instead saying it was seeking more information. That changed two weeks ago, when one death was finally counted, and again last week when a second was added to the agency’s tally.

The Associated Press’ health and science coverage receives financial support from the AP Fund for Journalism and private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

​ Orange County Register 

Laura Bassett, Senate District 38 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire

• October 5, 2026

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Laura Bassett

Age: 59

Current job title: Small Business Owner

Political party affiliation: Republican

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: San Diego County Civil Service Commissioner; San Diego Republican Central Committee

City where you reside: Oceanside

Campaign website or social media: bassettforca.com

Fuel costs for Californians are higher than anywhere else in the country. What specific policy would you support to ease the burden drivers feel at the pump? And how would you measure whether that policy was actually successful? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

California drivers pay the highest fuel prices in the country, and a large share of that comes from state taxes, fees, and regulatory mandates that other states do not impose. I would stop any further increases to the gas tax and push to reassess the regulations and hidden costs built into every gallon, including the low carbon fuel standard adjustments that quietly raise prices at the pump. Families should not be squeezed further just to get to work and take their kids to school.

I would measure success in plain terms. First, the gap between California’s average gas price and the national average. If our policies are working, that gap should shrink rather than grow. Second, whether prices hold steady instead of spiking after refinery and supply decisions. Third, whether real household transportation costs come down for working families in our district.

Relief at the pump is not complicated. It takes the honesty to admit that Sacramento’s own choices are a major driver of what Californians pay, and the discipline to stop adding to that burden.

How can state lawmakers ease barriers for those wishing to become homeowners and unburden renters with high rental costs, or is this an issue beyond the scope of Sacramento? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

For years, the state has made the problem worse. The core issue is supply. We do not have enough homes for the people who already live here, and that shortage drives up prices for buyers and rents for everyone else.

The fastest way to ease the burden is to make it easier and cheaper to build. That means streamlining permitting, cutting the fees layered onto every new unit, and reducing the regulatory delays that stretch projects out for years and add tens of thousands of dollars to the final cost. Those costs get passed straight to homebuyers and renters.

I trust local governments over top-down state mandates. Cities and counties understand their own infrastructure, traffic, and growth capacity far better than Sacramento does. The state’s role is to remove obstacles and reward communities that build, not to dictate one-size-fits-all rules from the Capitol.

When supply rises to meet demand, prices stabilize. That is how we make homeownership reachable again and give renters relief instead of another program that never reaches them.

Elected officials often talk about the need to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place as part of combating homelessness, but California has more people living on the street than any other state. How would you work with colleagues in Sacramento to get people off the streets and into stable housing situations? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Prevention matters, and the surest prevention is more housing, but people already living on the street need a different response. I would work with colleagues to pair accountability with real pathways into treatment and stable housing.

Proposition 36 is central to this. Voters approved it overwhelmingly, and it gives people struggling with addiction a path toward treatment instead of a revolving door on the sidewalk. Sacramento has failed to fund the behavioral health and substance abuse treatment that make the measure work. I would fight to fund it properly and tie that money to clear results, not just spending.

Housing has to come with services for those who need them, including mental health and addiction care. A shelter bed alone does not solve chronic homelessness. I would also insist on accountability for the billions California has already spent with little to show for it, so dollars actually reach people on the street rather than programs that never deliver.

Getting people into stable situations takes both compassion and honesty. We help people recover and rebuild, and we stop accepting street encampments as normal.

California has the highest grocery prices of any mainland state in the U.S. What’s one specific policy Sacramento could support to bring down food prices for individuals and families struggling to make ends meet? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Food gets more expensive at every step when the state piles costs onto the people who grow, move, and sell it. The one policy I would push is to bring down the energy and fuel costs that run through the entire food supply chain, starting with stopping further gas tax increases and reassessing the fuel regulations that make diesel and electricity more expensive here than anywhere else.

Every truck that hauls produce, every refrigerated warehouse, and every farm runs on fuel and power. When California drives those costs up, the price shows up on the grocery shelf. Lowering them is direct relief that reaches families through the checkout line.

I would also protect farmers and food producers from new fees and regulatory burdens that get passed straight to consumers, and I would reform the water policies that raise costs for California agriculture. We grow an enormous share of the nation’s food. There is no reason Californians should pay the highest grocery prices on the mainland for food grown in our own state. Lower the input costs, and prices at the store follow.

California’s budget approved by officials this summer included $300 million to offset healthcare costs expected with the expiration of federal subsidies. Do you support this effort by state lawmakers? Also, what would you do to protect Californians’ access to healthcare in light of federal changes that have restricted benefits to various groups? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I have serious concerns about committing new money like this while California faces a large and growing budget shortfall. Before the state backfills expiring federal subsidies, we need an honest look at whether existing healthcare dollars are being spent efficiently and whether this commitment is sustainable next year and the year after. Too often Sacramento starts a program without a plan to pay for it, then asks taxpayers to cover the gap.

Protecting access does not have to mean endless new spending. I would push for real pricing transparency so patients know what they are being charged before they receive care, protect patients’ ability to keep their own doctor rather than being forced into narrow networks, and support the community clinics so many families rely on.

Where federal changes leave people without coverage, the answer is to make care more affordable and more competitive, not simply to grow state programs the budget cannot sustain. A patient-centered system built on transparency and choice does more to protect access over the long run than a one-time appropriation that may not be there when the next shortfall hits.

California’s high-speed rail project has been beset by delays, ballooning costs and federal funding cuts. Should the state continue with this project? Why or why not? If you support moving forward with the project, how do you propose the state pay for it? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

No. California should stop pouring money into high-speed rail. The project has become the clearest example of everything wrong with how Sacramento spends. It is years behind schedule, tens of billions over its original budget, and still nowhere near delivering the statewide system voters were promised in 2008. Now federal funding has been pulled, leaving state taxpayers to shoulder even more.

Continuing to fund a project this far off course is not a commitment to progress. It is a refusal to admit failure. The honest step is to stop the bleeding and redirect those dollars to infrastructure Californians actually need and would use, including water storage, road and highway repair, and local transportation projects that deliver results in years rather than decades.

I came into this race saying the state has to reform or end projects that are over budget, delayed, and failing to deliver. High-speed rail fails on all three. Every dollar we keep sending to it is a dollar not spent on the water, roads, and public safety our communities need now.

Increasingly, we’re seeing communities push back on data centers opening in or near their neighborhoods. Environmentalists complain about the amount of water and energy that data centers need to operate. Residents complain about relentless noise pollution. And others worry about losing agricultural land to these centers. On the other hand, the tech industry emphasizes the role of data centers in supporting cloud computing and artificial intelligence. As a policymaker, how would you balance the concerns of critics with desires to ensure that California remains a leader in innovation? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

California should stay a leader in technology. But the communities who live next to these data centers deserve a real say, and right now they often feel steamrolled. I do not believe Sacramento should hand the tech industry a blank check or override local communities to force these projects through.

Land use decisions like these belong primarily to cities and counties, who know their own water supply, power capacity, and neighborhoods. The state’s role is to set clear standards, not to dictate outcomes. Where a data center wants to locate, it should have to account honestly for its water and energy use, address noise for nearby homes, and avoid taking productive agricultural land off the map. The right balance requires developers to bring real solutions on water, energy, and noise, and it requires the state to respect the communities that have to live with what gets built.

Do you support Proposition 40, the proposed billionaire’s tax that would impose a one-time, 5% tax on individuals and trusts with a net worth of more than $1 billion? Revenues from the tax would primarily go to fund healthcare-related programs, including Medi-Cal, though a small portion would also be used to fund food assistance and education-related programs. Explain why you do or do not support this measure. If you don’t, what alternative solution do you propose so that the state has money to pay for the types of services this tax is intended to fund? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I do not support Proposition 40. California does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem, and a new tax aimed at a small group today has a way of expanding to everyone tomorrow. Wealthy residents and the businesses they run are already leaving the state, taking jobs and future revenue with them. Chasing more of them out to fund ongoing programs is not a plan; it is a temporary patch on a structural problem.

The services this tax is meant to fund, including Medi-Cal, food assistance, and education, matter. That is exactly why they deserve a stable funding source, not revenue from a one-time levy that could vanish the moment a billionaire changes their address.

The alternative is the harder work Sacramento keeps avoiding. Audit and reform the programs that are over budget or failing to deliver, end projects like high-speed rail that waste billions, and grow the economy so revenue rises naturally as more people work and more businesses succeed. A larger, healthier economy funds Medi-Cal and schools far more reliably than punishing the people we are counting on to invest here.

The state has ambitious goals to transition away from heavy reliance on fossil fuel. Meanwhile, oil refineries in California that shut down in the past year said they did so in part because of the state’s costly regulatory requirements and decreasing consumer demand for traditional gasoline. But the closure of these refineries have drivers concerned about the price of gas going up – especially at a time when affordability remains the No. 1 concern for many Californians. How would you balance the state’s clean energy goals with desires to prevent Californians from further pain at the pump? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The refinery closures should be a wake-up call. When facilities that supply a large share of California’s fuel decide it is no longer worth operating here, that is a direct warning that our own regulations and uncertainty are driving supply down and prices up. Blaming the producers, as Sacramento tends to do, will not put a single gallon back on the market.

I support a cleaner energy future, but it cannot be built on the backs of working families who still have to fill their tanks today. The transition has to be honest about timing. As long as Californians depend on gasoline, we need enough in-state refining capacity to keep supply stable and prices from spiking.

That means reassessing the mandates and costs pushing refiners out, giving energy producers enough stability to keep operating, and being truthful about how state policy affects the price at the pump. We can pursue environmental goals and protect affordability at the same time, but only if we stop pretending the two are unrelated. Reliable supply is what protects consumers. Losing it is what leaves them stranded.

Similarly, the Trump administration is aggressively pushing to expand offshore oil drilling and production in California. Explain why you do or do not support this move. If not, do you believe California state leaders have the legal authority to stop or restrict it? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I support producing more energy here in California, and not just oil. Technology has advanced to the point where we have more options than ever, from oil to solar and wind, and we should be pursuing all of them. The goal is an abundant, reliable, and affordable supply, and right now California is falling short. Costs are up, families are stretched, and much of that comes from a state that restricts production instead of encouraging it.

We should produce energy where it makes sense and hold it to the highest standards. California is one of the safest places in the world to produce energy, both environmentally and technologically. When we push production out of our state, it does not disappear. It moves somewhere with weaker protections, and Californians end up paying more while the environment gains nothing.

I would rather we lead. That means using our workforce, our standards, and new technology to produce more of our own energy, bring costs down for working families, and keep the strong environmental protections that come with doing it right here at home.

A law signed in 2024 establishes statewide standards for new, large warehouses in California, including distance buffers separating warehouses from schools, homes and other so-called “sensitive receptors.” Do you support Sacramento having a role in local land-use decisions when it comes to logistics? Why or why not? Is there anything else state government should do when it comes to regulating warehouses? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I am cautious about Sacramento inserting itself into local land use decisions, and logistics is no exception. Cities and counties understand their own roads, neighborhoods, and where warehouses do and do not belong far better than the Capitol does. My instinct is to keep those decisions local and accountable to the people who actually live with the results.

That said, protecting children at school and families at home from concentrated truck traffic and pollution is a legitimate concern, and I understand why the 2024 buffer standards were written. The problem with statewide rules is that they rarely fit every community. A buffer that makes sense in a dense urban corridor may make no sense in a rural area, and one-size-fits-all mandates can block responsible projects a community actually wants.

I would rather the state set broad guardrails on genuine health and safety, then trust local governments to apply them in ways that fit their communities. Where the state does act on warehouses, the focus should be on real impacts like air quality and truck routing near homes and schools, not micromanaging local zoning from Sacramento.

Tell us about a time you’ve changed your mind on a political position. What was it, and what changed your mind? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Not necessarily one particular issue, but an overall shift in what good governance looks like. I used to be pretty dogmatic on most issues, but have learned to stop and listen to both sides and appreciate common-sense input before making a decision.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

“How To Listen So People Will Talk” by Becky Harling. This book is compelling because it causes one to take an honest look at their relationships through the lens of listening. It emphasizes the need for us to listen more and try to understand the needs of others versus feeling the need to always explain our motivations despite what serves others.

​ Orange County Register 

Endorsement: Giovanni Chavez for Santa Ana’s Ward 6

• October 5, 2026

In Santa Ana’s Ward 6 open seat, two left–of-center candidates with local government involvement have emerged. Of the races for council, this was our hardest call to make.

Giovanni Chavez, a lawyer who serves on the city’s Rental Housing Board, rightly scorches city hall for repeating a pattern of failing to resolve structural budget deficits while continuously extending temporary tax measures. On Measure N, which would permanently lock in the city’s 1.5% sales tax increase, Chavez notes he “will respect the voters’ decision … but I will personally be voting no out of principle.”

On economic policy, Chavez understands that sustainable growth—not endless taxation—is the key to funding public services. He points out that neighborhood small businesses are struggling under red tape. He favors streamlined permitting and targeted support over expanded bureaucracy, explicitly rejecting the return of redevelopment agencies as corruption-prone tools of the past.

His opponent, Planning Commissioner Isuri S. Ramos, cited housing affordability, environmental justice and community investment as her top priorities. On Measure N, she takes a cautious line, stating that residents “deserve a clear, honest accounting before being asked to make a temporary tax permanent.” Yet her broader platform leans heavily on traditional tax-and-spend mechanisms, including support for reviving redevelopment agencies (with guardrails) to fulfill housing mandates and find “new streams of revenue.”

On housing, there are indeed many similarities in their approaches, with their differences on redevelopment agencies being their biggest point of distinction.

Ramos advocates for strict inclusionary housing mandates, rent controls, and an emphasis specifically on “affordable housing,” which is just government-ese for subsidized housing. To get out of the housing crisis, the answer must be “all-of-the-above,” with market-rate housing key to getting more housing built and a more stable housing market.

To be sure, Chavez, who sits on the city’s Rental Housing Board, recognizes the limits of these mandates, and isn’t totally opposed to government intervention in housing. He, too, calls for more “affordable housing,” backs ”renter protections,” and thinks the city should “provide rental assistance for our residents.”

Public safety highlights another split in perspective. Chavez focuses on police resources, noting that Santa Ana’s department needs modern technology to combat evolving crimes, while arguing that “blaming the police union for failures at city hall is how council members escape their own responsibility.” Ramos approaches public safety through an oversight lens, demanding transparent reporting on response times and raising valid warnings about privacy violations surrounding the city’s FLOCK license-plate surveillance system. Here, we favor the inclinations of Ramos.

Their thoughts on how the city can attract and retain employment opportunities illuminate some more of their thinking.

“Santa Ana has made inroads in building new businesses and economic activity, particularly on Bristol St. and Downtown Santa Ana,” explained Chavez. However, when I speak to small businesses, many of them are hurting. We need to help businesses with public relations support, streamline permitting, more help in grants, and providing safer streets. We need to help our residents obtain jobs by hosting more job fairs and building economic development with good-paying jobs.”

“Streamlining permitting and inspection timelines allows business owners to have predictability when they’re trying to open, expand, or improve a space,” explained Ramos. “Economic development has to work for all of us. That means prioritizing local hiring, so the jobs created in Santa Ana go to Santa Ana residents, and it means requiring new development to include the affordable housing that allows workers to live near where they work.”

Both candidates have interventionist inclinations mixed in with some good pro-business instincts.

We also consider their backers to get a sense of the political coalitions they’re drawing from. Ramos’ strong endorsement from the OC Democratic Socialists of America signals that she is the further left candidate in the race. Chavez’s backing from moderate Democrats like Rep. Lou Correa and Councilmembers David Penaloza and Phil Bacerra, along with Buena Park Mayor and Supervisor candidate Connor Traut assuage our concerns about his endorsement from UNITE HERE Local 11.

We endorse Giovanni Chavez for Ward 6. His direct opposition to Measure N, strong opposition to redevelopment agencies and broader political appeal give him the edge.

​ Orange County Register 

Republican Sen. Tillis calls his vote for Hegseth the ‘biggest regret of my career’ in a new book

• October 5, 2026

By MARY CLARE JALONICK

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says in a new book that his deciding vote to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in January 2025 is the “biggest regret of my career” and that he also “should’ve stopped” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from becoming Health and Human Services secretary in the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term.

In “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents,” to be published Tuesday, the North Carolina senator defends his decision at the time to not be “the lone voice in the wilderness” preventing Trump’s nominees from confirmation. But he makes clear he was always skeptical about allegations about Hegseth’s turbulent management style, treatment of women and excessive drinking — all of which Hegseth denied.

“I know for a fact that there are others like me,” Tillis writes, “Republicans who agreed to go along with the early demands of the Trump team no matter how ridiculous they were, believing that failing to do so would mean the end of their political career, and who now see that things have gone way too far.”

He writes that he can count at least 30 of his GOP colleagues who have “expressed reservations (to put it mildly) about many of the president’s actions in private. Then, when the reporters showed up with their cameras and microphones, they’d have nothing but nice things to say.”

Tillis, who announced last year that he would not run for reelection in a “breaking point” with the president on his sweeping tax and spending cuts package, is publishing the book in his final months in office. He joins a long list of Republicans who have ratcheted up their public denunciations of Trump once they had less to lose politically.

Still, Tillis mostly deflects full blame from Trump, saying, “my beef is not with him, but the idiots he’s got working for him.” He calls the president “an amazing political talent.”

At the same time, he warns of a slippery slope toward authoritarianism and urges his colleagues to “wake up” and push back on Trump more often, for their own political good. Executive overreach, he says, doesn’t work and sooner or later, “comes back to bite the majority party in the ass.”

Tillis also predicts a “bloodbath” for Republicans in November’s midterm elections.

“All along, we’ve had multiple chances to get off the path and avoid the giant bronze monster chasing us down,” he writes.

Regrets his votes for Hegseth and Kennedy

The book is filled with cuss words and condemnations. He criticizes Trump’s tariffs, the aggressive immigration raids that Tillis says were an effort to “intentionally sow disorder” and the Iran war, which he initially supported. He said the war can only end with a coalition of willing nations and if Trump gets “Pete Hegseth the hell out of the way.”

Tillis pushed Hegseth’s confirmation vote late into the evening on Jan. 24, 2025, as he weighed his decision, talking to the White House, people who had worked with Hegseth and Hegseth himself. In the end, he said he couldn’t corroborate the worst allegations and would support Hegseth’s confirmation. His vote brought the total to 50-50, and Vice President JD Vance broke the tie.

On his vote for Kennedy, Tillis writes that “I guess it’s easy to say now, but I’m the one who has to live with that vote and all the havoc Kennedy’s tenure has caused the country as a result.”

On both votes, he says he didn’t want to be the deciding factor.

“I had no intention of letting my colleagues outsource their courage to me while they pretended to go along with the questionable nomination President Trump had put forward,” he writes.

If you oppose Trump on everything, “you lose all influence,” Tillis says. “If you oppose him and lose, you are in even worse shape.”

He strongly criticizes several of Trump’s other initial picks for the Cabinet in the book, including former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Tillis describes his ‘breaking point’ over the tax bill

Tillis’s surprise announcement in June 2025 that he wouldn’t be running for reelection came as he escalated criticism against Trump and his “ Big Beautiful Bill ” of tax and spending cuts. Trump attacked Tillis on social media after the senator said he couldn’t support the bill’s cuts to Medicaid. Tillis says he thought to himself, “I’m done.”

“Everyone reaches a breaking point,” he writes.

He texted the president asking him to look for his replacement in the Senate, to which Trump replied “I am! DJT.”

In May 2026, Trump again attacked Tillis, calling him a “QUITTER!” on social media, among other insults.

Tillis ends the book with a profanity-laced text he sent to the president in response.

“I care if you fail and right now we are failing,” Tillis wrote to Trump.

​ Orange County Register