TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Retiring Kern County Supervisor Jon McQuiston has decided to look for more work in government, not less — by running for the state Assembly.

McQuiston announced Tuesday he will run to represent the newly created 32nd Assembly District, which locally looks like the current 30th District represented by David Valadao, R-Hanford, who is running for Congress.

McQuiston is a Republican. The other announced candidates for the seat are former Delano Councilman Pedro Rios, a Republican, and current Bakersfield City Councilman Rudy Salas Rudy Salas , a Democrat.

In September when he announced he would not seek re-election to the Board of Supervisors, McQuiston said he wanted to step down to enjoy the next few years of his life.

On Tuesday, he said he changed his mind after pondering the challenges county government is facing.

They include the mushrooming financial impact of state prisoner realignment and the trigger cuts that have hit Kern County as the California budget under-performed.
He’s also concerned about federal discussion of $500 billion in defense cuts and two more rounds of military base closures proposed by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

McQuiston said his experience as a supervisor and advocate for Kern County’s military installations at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Edwards Air Force Base might have some value in Sacramento.

“After doing this for 15 years, I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn’t work,” he said.

McQuiston said he is meeting people to talk about his campaign and developing the infrastructure needed to run.

He said he isn’t running against any other announced candidate.

“I’m running based on my vision of where California oughta be going,” he said, including critical priorities like the “budget, jobs, water (and) protecting our military.”

McQuiston will have to confront some tough numbers in launching his campaign.

Among registered voters in the new 32nd District, 46.6 percent were Democrats and 32.5 percent Republicans as of Jan. 3, according to the most recent California Secretary of State numbers.

Some 17 percent were registered as “no party preference,” the new term for “decline to state” now that California has switched to an open primary system.

But it’s swing territory.

In the last 10 years, the current 30th District has been represented by Democrats for six years (Nicole Parra 2002-2008) and Republicans (Danny Gilmore (2008-2010) and Valadao (2010-2012)) for going on four.

“I’m looking forward to a spirited race,” Salas said Tuesday in response to McQuiston’s announcement.

Salas represents Ward 1 on the Bakersfield City Council and has just finished his first full year in that seat.McQuiston, on the other hand, is serving his fourth four-year term on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

“I do think I’m well-prepared. I know the district. I know the issues, and I’m familiar with the system,” Salas said. “It’s not up to me if I move up. It’s up to the voters.

“My campaign’s focus is going to be on people and getting things done,” he added. “I don’t see that changing regardless of who the opponent is.”

Although there are more registered Democrats than Republicans in the new 32nd District, Salas said political parties won’t be a focus of his campaign and in that respect, it will be like his campaign for city council.

“We’re not looking so much at the (party registration), (but instead at) just getting something done for valley residents,” he said.

Rios didn’t return calls Tuesday seeking comment on McQuiston’s announcement.

McQuiston currently doesn’t live in the newly drawn 32nd District but said he has “secured a residence” there and is preparing to move.

The California Constitution requires candidates to have lived in the district they are hoping to represent for at least one year. However, the California Secretary of State’s office said it believes that requirement violates the U.S. Constitution. Instead, the Secretary of State outlines a requirement that candidates be registered to vote in the district when they file nomination papers.

McQuiston said he hasn’t taken that step yet and hasn’t decided whether he will gather the requisite number of signatures to get on the ballot or pay a fee to become a named candidate.

McQuiston said he will start gathering signatures from supporters this weekend.