Political Notebook: Another candidate to join 5th District supervisor race; Florez silent on Congress candidacy
By The Bakersfield Californian
A local business manager and community volunteer said he plans to join the race for Kern County's 5th District supervisor's seat.
Ronnie Cruz said he would like to improve the Department of Human Services next to Kern Medical Center, aggressively address air quality concerns in Arvin, help curtail gang violence, and create a fund to bury those killed in gang violence.
"And I will run a clean campaign," Cruz said in an email.
Already expected to compete for the 5th District seat is Karen Goh, who was appointed to the seat last year by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Leticia Perez, a field representative and consultant with state Sen. Michael Rubio.
The district, which covers east and southeast Bakersfield as well as Lamont and Arvin, is largely Democratic and Hispanic.
Perez has been a Kern County deputy public defender and Kern County planning commissioner. Perez said she'll announce her intentions at the beginning of the year.
Goh, who has announced her candidacy, was onetime executive director of the local faith-based nonprofit Garden Pathways, which runs mentoring, training and education programs.
Cruz, who started a community-feeding program, ran for Bakersfield City School District's board in 2010, and lost. He picked up the fewest votes -- 4,250, or about 9 percent of all votes.
Candidates for the 5th District are expected to officially "pull paperwork" to run starting Tuesday, Kern County Elections officials said.
The day after Democratic state Sen. Michael Rubio announced he would not run for U.S. Congress in 2012, the question still remains as to whether former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, will enter the race against Assemblyman David Valadao, R-Hanford.
Florez has not returned calls for comment from The Californian or other news agencies. Florez had said before Rubio's announcement that he was still deciding.
Meanwhile, Valadao supporters online are calling the move a boon to his campaign and Republicans insist the seat is his to lose.
Rubio supporters continue to praise his decision to choose family over politics. He said in a statement Tuesday that he planned to focus his time and energy on his family, which includes a special-needs daughter with Down syndrome, instead of running for Congress.
In a brief interview with The Californian Wednesday night, Rubio said he made his decision not to run after talking to his family over Christmas. "They were all supportive," he said.
He chose not to discuss his family situation because "that's my personal life" other than to say it has given him a "new appreciation" for children with special needs and their families.
"We are very excited and blessed to have a second child," he said.
Rubio did say he plans to remain in his state Senate seat. His current term in Sacramento ends in 2014.
"We're looking forward to fighting the good fight in Sacramento," he said.
His statement on his Facebook page had 140 "likes" and 50 comments Wednesday evening.
"I respect you as a politician; I admire you as a father. God Bless The Rubio Family!!" one supporter wrote.
-- Jorge Barrientos, Californian staff writer and Christine Bedell, government editor
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