Rubio's rival in upcoming state Senate a political newcomer
By THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN
The Democrats' pick to run in November's 16th Senate District race was clear Tuesday night but the Republicans' as close as they come.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting in the GOP primary, political newcomer Tim Thiesen squeaked by veteran lawmaker Phil Wyman who had 50.5 percent of the vote to Wyman's 49.5 percent.. Just 182 votes separated the two out of 20,000 votes cast.
Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio was uncontested in the Democratic primary. He and the Republican winner will seek to replace the terming out state Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, the Senate majority leader.
District demographics and the size of campaign war chests make Rubio the front-runner in November's contest.
Rubio had $571,739 cash in the bank as of May 22, the end of the last reporting period. Thiesen had $28,010 (though he had $53,196 debt) and Wyman had $4,364 (with $10,700 debt).
The 16th Senate District also leans way left, with 50.8 percent of registered voters being Democrats and 31.6 percent being Republicans as of late May.
The district includes Kings County plus parts of Kern, Tulare and Fresno counties. Its Kern communities include Arvin, Delano, McFarland, Shafter, Wasco and pieces of Bakersfield.
Rubio has been a Kern County supervisor, representing the 5th District, since 2005. Before that he was a Florez aide.
Wyman is a one-time veteran Kern County state legislator who has won and lost a whole slew of races.
He was a state assemblyman from 1979 to 1992 and 2000 to 2002 and a state senator from 1993 to 1994.
Since 2002, Wyman has twice run, unsuccessfully, for Assembly. This year he moved from his family's ranch in Tehachapi to Hanford to run in the 16th.
He has touted his experience and endorsements of former California Gov. George Deukmejian and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Thiesen was born in Reedley and grew up on a family farm between Dinuba and Reedley.
He started his own farm as a young man, diversifying into the trucking and fertilizer business before a 2002 accident. After the accident he earned his real estate license.
Thiesen has run as a non-politician with no ties to special interest groups.
For updates on this race, go to Bakersfield.com.
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