When local voters head to the polls for the California General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, they will not only be electing the nation’s next president, but also choosing from among various candidates to represent them on the State Assembly, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the United States House of Representatives.
The Signal Tribune has asked all the qualified candidates for those three governmental bodies to share information about themselves and their platforms by responding to the following prompts. This week, we are focusing on the State Assembly and the House.
Californians have until Tuesday, Nov. 1 to request a vote-by-mail ballot. Returned ballots must be postmarked on or before Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open on Election Day from 7am to 8pm. Those interested may find their polling place by calling (800) 345-VOTE (8683) or visiting sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place.
U.S. House of Representatives 47th District
Age 75
Years residing in district you are seeking to represent 47
Occupation U.S. Representative, 47th District
Previous offices held
Community Psychology Professor, California State University Long Beach, 1969-1998;
Long Beach City Councilmember, 1992-1998;
California State Assemblymember, 1998-2004;
California State Senator, 2004-2012;
U.S. Representative, 2012-present.
Education
B.A. Psychology ’62, Hobart College, Geneva, NY;
M.A. Psychology ’65, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH;
Ph.D. Psychology ’67, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH;
Post Doctoral Fellowship ’67-’69, Reiss-Davis Child Studies Center, Los Angeles, CA.
Nonprofit/professional affiliations (limit to 10)
Long Beach Area Citizens Involved (LBACI), 1975-1992
Head Start Board, East Long Beach Neighborhood Center, 1975-1980
Co-Chair, Cambodian Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives
Co-Chair, Safe Climate Caucus, U.S. House of Representatives
Goals if elected/platform
My name is Alan Lowenthal, and I am honored to be your congressman. When you first elected me to office, I pledged to fight to make our neighborhoods and country a better place.
Education: As a former college professor, we must invest in our future by increasing access and funding to our local schools, colleges, and universities, and by reducing the cost of college and student debt.
Jobs and Family: I support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and will strengthen our social safety net, including Social Security and Medicare, to ensure we help those who need it most.
Human Rights: As a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, I will continue to demand free and fair elections in Cambodia and that the Vietnamese government protect and guarantee the human rights of all its citizens. I will work tirelessly to ensure America remains a shining beacon of liberty.
Environment: I fought to crack down on polluters and force Congress to confront and take action on climate change.
National Security: I support defeating ISIS without U.S. ground troops. I will work to pass responsible gun safety legislation, including universal background checks and No Fly, No Buy.
Veterans: I am committed to ensuring our veterans and active military receive the support and help they need and our nation’s promise and gratitude for their sacrifice is fulfilled.
It has been an honor serving you. I humbly ask for your vote.
Endorsements (limit to 10)
Long Beach Press-Telegram
Orange County Register
Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster (Ret.)
Long Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill (Ret.)
Signal Hill Vice Mayor Tina Hansen
Signal Hill Councilmember Larry Forester
Signal Hill Councilmember Michael Noll
Signal Hill Councilmember Edward Wilson
Campaign website www.alanlowenthal.com
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Age 55
Years residing in district you are seeking to represent 30
Occupation Entrepreneur/Engineer
Previous offices held None
Education B.S. Aeropsace Engineering 1983, University of Michigan
Nonprofit/professional affiliations (limit to 10)
Rotary Club of Signal Hill, Toastmasters, Apartment Association California Southern Cities
Goals if elected/platform
As your Congressman, my priorities will be to:
Represent the people of this district, and not the special interests. We need change. We need a representative who works for the people and not the PACs. We cannot get fair representation on airport issues, rail yard pollution, and abuses by big banks, when our current Congressman takes contributions from JetBlue, BNSF, Union Pacific, and Wells Fargo. I’ve never taken a dime from any PAC.
Stop the bailouts and special tax breaks for corporate fat cats who use PAC contributions to buy career politicians — all at the taxpayer’s expense.
Stop the saddling our children and grandchildren with crushing federal debt which is now over $160,000 per worker.
Start reforming the VA and giving our wounded warriors the treatment that they deserve.
Restore prosperity by stopping the explosion in regulations, which now cost our economy more than the income tax.
Endorsements (limit to 10)
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
Congressman John Campbell Ret.
Orange County Assessor, Claude Parrish
State Assemblyman Travis Allen
Campaign website andywhallon.com
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CA State Assembly 70th District
Age 61
Years residing in district you are seeking to represent 54
Occupation Teacher/Business woman
Previous offices held Community leader
Education MSW in social work, Ed.D in education leadership and change
Nonprofit/professional affiliations (limit to 10)
Throughout her career, Martha has been involved in countless nonprofit and non-governmental organizations for the public good. Martha was a member of ALBEM LBUSD in 1997 [and] the Long Beach Pupil Personnel Association in 1997, and president of the American Women Business Association (AWBA) in 2010. She is a former committee member for Kids’ Connection and currently serves as chair on the board of directors for the New Image Shelter. Martha is also a member of the Compton Initiative [and] Rebuilding Together Long Beach and sits on the board of directors of the Long Beach Kiwanis Club.
Goals if elected/platform
Public safety: One of the key areas in Martha Flores-Gibson’s policy proposal is ensuring the safety of the community. She wants to bring the power of fighting to the members of the community so that they can protect themselves on their own terms. Her public safety policy revolves around ensuring the security of local homes and businesses.
When it comes to better security, her plan is not just fancy rhetoric to gain more votes. She proposes concrete practical steps for a safer community. The key steps in the plan include the expansion of a district Public Safety Association & Establishment and a district surge of the Neighborhood Watch Program.
Business security: Another reason to vote for Flores is that she has put the development of local businesses on the top of her agenda. She knows that the key to a rejuvenated economy is through economic planning and forecasting, which would be done through creating “active focus groups.” These groups will look at the existing data of the current trends to make predictions for the future.
Environment: The key to addressing environmental issues is to strengthen communication channels between members of the community. And that proactive approach would come through participatory decision-making.
Education: Education has always been one of those areas where Martha Flores-Gibson has invested her heart and soul. She has decades of experience of serving as a public servant in the field of education. And she brings that experience to the table as the representative of District 70th in the California State Assembly.: She wants to make education accessible, exceptional and affordable for the members of the community. The first step in that struggle, for Martha, would be to abolish state-based mandates and grant the power of decision-making to the members of the community. She also wants to work to create safety protocols for preventing violence on campus.
Endorsements (limit to 10)
The people of the 70th District of the California State Assembly
Grow Elect
Republican Party Los Angeles
Mimi Walters. US Congress
Diane Harkey Board Member, Fourth District
Michelle Rose
Hispanics 100
Howard Jarvis Tax Assoication
Theresa Hernandez
Lincoln Club Member
Campaign website marthafloresgibson.com
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Age 50
Years residing in district you are seeking to represent 50
Occupation Classroom teacher/Assemblymember, 70th District
Previous offices held Long Beach City Councilmember, District 4
Education B.A., history, California State University, Long Beach
Masters, public administration, California State University, Long Beach
Nonprofit/professional affiliations (limit to 10)
Chair, Assembly Education Committee
Chair, Assembly Select Committee on Ports
Chair, Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace
Member, Assembly Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
Member, Assembly Budget Committee
Member, Assembly Labor and Employment Committee
Member, Select Committee on Career Technical Education and Building a 21st Century Workforce
Gateway Cities Council of Governments
San Gabriel Rivers & Mountains Conservancy
Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority
Goals if elected/platform
As your Assemblymember, my top priorities will continue to be ensuring California students have access to high-quality public education, supporting the goods movement industry and being a leading voice for our ports, fighting for more transportation dollars to fix our aging infrastructure, and increasing the number of good paying jobs in the region.
During my first term, I am proud to have passed legislation that established the California College Promise to take the success of the Long Beach College Promise statewide and helped secure additional funds in the budget for K-12, CSU, UC and community colleges. As Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, I passed bills that will improve visual and performing arts education standards, help prevent student suicide and will give teachers resources to support LGBTQ students.
I want to build upon this progress and continue fighting for our students as well as the hard-working men and women of California.
Endorsements (limit to 10)
California Democratic Party
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster (ret.)
Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino
Congresswoman Janice Hahn
Sierra Club California
California Nurses Association
Teachers Association of Long Beach
Long Beach Police Officers Association
Long Beach Firefighters Association
Campaign website patrickforassembly.com
