Former Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan launches positive campaign for State Senate
Campaign will reject all negative campaign tactics
On Thursday, December 11, 2014, Democrat former Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan officially launched her “Positively for Us” campaign in her bid for California’s 7th Senate District (SD7). Buchanan and her campaign have taken the unusual step of committing to run a strictly positive race, and have promised to reject all negative tactics.
The Governor will call a special election for the SD7 seat when Senator Mark DeSaulnier resigns to be sworn into Congress in January. That election is expected to be held in March, 2015.
Buchanan said “I firmly believe that our democracy is harmed by the level of negativity that has become the standard in political campaigns. This was amplified last November when we were overwhelmed with endless negative TV, radio ads and mailers that did little more than anger voters of all political persuasions. I’ve heard from our community time and time again, that they are tired of these tactics and are reluctant to participate in such a destructive process.
My ‘Positively for Us’ campaign will focus on my record of accomplishments and my goals for the State Senate, and will address voters’ concerns by making real progress on issues that matter to us all. No attacks or ‘comparisons’ – which are merely attacks in disguise – will be made by me or my campaign. With such a short window to communicate with voters, it is important that we focus on the issues, and not waste valuable time with attacks and negativity that do nothing more than keep voters from the polls.
I am not asking my opponents to take any kind of pledge, or to follow my lead, and I cannot control or direct independent expenditure committees. I am simply making a promise to voters so they know what they can expect from me and my campaign. My hope is that this type of campaign will foster a positive and constructive dialogue about what’s best for our future as a region.”
Nearly 60 local leaders are already backing Buchanan’s candidacy, and are encouraged by her positive approach. Livermore Mayor John Marchand, Former Antioch Mayor and current Councilmember Mary Rocha, Walnut Creek Mayor Bob Simmons, Danville Mayor Mike Doyle, Orinda Vice Mayor Victoria Smith and Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor are just a few who have already joined the groundswell of grassroots support for Buchanan.
Buchanan was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2008 and just completed a successful six year term, serving California’s 16th Assembly District (formerly 15th) which includes the cities of Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, and Livermore. Prior to her service in the State Assembly, Buchanan served on the San Ramon Valley School board for 18 years, including four terms as president.
Prior to her years of public service, Joan was an analyst with Delta Dental and quickly became one of the fastest rising women in the company and was promoted to Director of Commercial Operations before the age of 30. She left the private sector to raise her five children and in the process became one of the San Ramon Valley’s most effective community activists and education advocates.
Joan is a 36-year resident of Alamo and a native Californian. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The 7th State Senate District contains 100% of Buchanan’s former seat of AD 16, and portions of three other Assembly Districts and 56.4% of the Senate District’s registered voters reside in AD 16 and have been represented by Buchanan. Of the remaining voters, 21.2% reside in AD 11 (represented by Jim Frazier), 22.1% reside in AD 14 (Susan Bonilla), and 0.3% reside in AD 20 (represented by Bill Quirk).
To learn more about the campaign, please visit www.JoanBuchanan.com. A complete list of current endorsements is below.
ENDORSEMENT LIST (as of December 10, 2014)
Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor, Danville Mayor Mike Doyle, Livermore Mayor John Marchand, Walnut Creek Mayor Bob Simmons, Former Dublin Mayor Janet Lockhart, Antioch Councilmember and former Mayor Mary Rocha, Dublin City Councilmembers Don Biddle and Kevin Hart, Danville Town Councilmember Renee Morgan and Former Councilmember Susanna Schlendorf, Lafayette City Councilmember Mike Anderson, Livermore City Vice-Mayor Laureen Turner and Councilmembers Stewart Gary, Doug Horner and Bob Woerner, and Former Mayor Marshall Kamena, Orinda Vice Mayor Victoria Smith and Councilmember Amy Worth, San Ramon City Councilmember Philip O’Loane, Former Pleasanton City Councilmember Cheryl Cook-Kallio, Former Walnut Creek City Councilmembers Charlie Abrams and Gwen Regalia, Acalanes Union High School District President Kathy Coppersmith, Antioch Unified School District Board Vice President Diane Gibson-Gray, Byron Unified School District Member Jill Sprenkel, Chabot Las Positas Community College District Board Members Isobel Dvorsky and Carol Vecchiarelli, Contra Costa Community College District Board Member Vicki Gordon, Dublin Unified School District Vice President Amy Miller and Board Member Dan Cunningham, Dublin Unified School District Board Members Megan Rouse and Greg Tomlinson, Lafayette School District President Teresa Gerringer, Liberty Union High School District Board Members Pauline Allred and Joanne Byer, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District Board Members Craig Bueno and Kate Runyon, Orinda Union School District Board Members Carol Brown and Sarah Butler, Pleasanton Unified School District President Valerie Arkin, Members Chris Grant, Jim Ott, Jamie Yee Hintzke and Joan Laursen, and Former Member Jeff Bowser, Former Lafayette School District Board Member Shayne Silva, Walnut Creek School District Board Members Aimee Moss, Katie Pena and Barbara Pennington, San Ramon Valley Unified School District President Rachel Hurd and Vice President Denise Jennison, Former San Ramon Valley Education Association Presidents Darren Day and Mary Jane Keogh, Former San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board Members Marianne Gagen, Stuart Goldware, Chris Kenber, Allen Leck, Linda Wurzbach, Former Walnut Creek School District Board Member Arthur Clark, and East Bay Regional Parks District Board Members Bev Lane, Diane Burgis and Ayn Wieskamp.
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