On Thursday, candidate for County Supervisor in District 3, Doug Hardcastle announced he has received the endorsement of John Herrington, a former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Contra Costa County business owner.

“Contra Costa needs Doug Hardcastle’s strong leadership and commitment to solving the problems we face, specifically in the areas of public safety, transportation, local job creation and the county budget,” Herrington said. “He is the only candidate in the race with the combination of experience in business, the military and government we need to make the difficult decisions and be our voice on the Board.”

“Please join me in supporting Doug for County Supervisor,” he added.

John Herrington practiced law privately as an attorney from 1965 to 1981, primarily in San Francisco, and publicly as deputy district attorney of Ventura County.

In the Reagan Administration, Herrington served as Secretary of Energy from 1985 to 1989, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs from 1981 to 1983, and deputy assistant for presidential personnel from 1983 to 1985.

After government service, Herrington was the Chairman of Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, the giant publishing firm, overseeing a $2.8-billion restructuring of the company. Herrington remains active in politics in his home state, having served for a time as Chairman of the California Republican Party.

Herrington currently owns Vic Stewart’s, a nationally recognized steakhouse, with locations in Brentwood and Walnut Creek. He also acts as an adviser to numerous corporations.

His wife, Lois Haight Herrington is a judge with the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, who served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Justice Assistance, Research, and Statistics of the Department of Justice, during the Reagan Administration. She also served as Chairman and Executive Director of the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime.

“I appreciate John Herrington’s service to our nation and state, as a leader in government, business and politics,” Hardcastle said. “He and his wife are two of the impressive leaders Contra Costa has produced over the years. His endorsement and support of my campaign are both welcome and appreciated from someone who has given so much and is well respected.”

Hardcastle was elected to the Oakley City Council in 2012 and recently completed a year as Mayor. From 2000 to 2012 he served as a Director on the Ironhouse Sanitary District Board, for which he served as President in 2010-2011. He currently serves as Chair of Transplan, the East County transportation committee and on the Tri Delta Transit Board of Directors. Doug and his wife Lyn own Hardcastle’s RV in Oakley and have operated it in the county for over 40 years. In 2006, Doug was honored as Oakley Business Person of the Year and he’s a life-long resident of Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.doughardcastle.com.

Supervisor District 3 includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Blackhawk, Diablo, Camino Tassajara, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and a portion of Antioch. The election is on June 7, 2016. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two candidates face off in the General Election in November.

Candidate for District 3 Supervisor, Antioch Mayor Wade Harper, announced Saturday, he has received endorsements from fellow city council members Mary Rocha and Tony Tiscareno.

Rocha is the longest serving member of the current Antioch City Council and first Hispanic mayor of Antioch (1996-2000). Rocha is very knowledgeable of the nonprofit world and has dedicated her life to supporting Contra Costa County families. She has been a community liaison for Brighter Beginnings, with the Mary Rocha Child Development Center named in her honor. She serves on the board of directors for Tri-Delta Transit and Delta Diablo Sanitation District with Harper.

“I am supporting my mayor because he has done a great job bringing our city together to address many of the problems that we face,” Rocha said. “Wade is the most experienced candidate in the race. As a directly elected mayor and 24-year veteran police officer, he is the strongest candidate to tackle the challenges that persist in the county.”

Tiscareno was appointed to the city council in 2012 to fill Harper’s unexpired term when Harper won the race for Mayor. Tiscareno is a 33-year retired steelworker, and a former Political Director for the Contra Costa Labor Council. In the 1990’s, Tiscareno owned a small business trading sports cards. The 46-year resident of Antioch is now a real estate agent.

“What stands out about Wade is he cares about people,” he said. “I share Wade’s commitment to stand up for hard-working people when we returned city employees back to a full-time work week after five-and-a-half years of work furloughs. I am honored to stand with Wade for Supervisor and support his campaign.  He will make a great supervisor.”

When Harper was elected as mayor he led the city council in team-building and strategic planning. He also led the charge in authorizing violent crime suppression teams, while also spearheading the Measure C campaign to hire more police. Measure C is bringing in more than $5 million per year to hire police officers, code enforcement officers and blight reduction.

Harper is chair of Delta Diablo Sanitation and a member of the board of directors for Tri Delta Transit. In the past, he has served on the Transplan, Highway 4 Bypass, eBART and East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Finance Authority committees.  Harper was also elected to serve as chair of the Contra Costa County Conference of Mayors.

“Today, on my birthday, I am honored to have key support from my fellow council members,” Harper said.  “I look forward to bringing my leadership to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. The community deserves integrity, excellence and hard work from their elected officials.  I will work with the current supervisorsand community to find solutions to problems and add value to the community.”

Harper also added that he is “ready to work on the many issues facing our community such as public safety, jobs, protecting our Delta, healthcare and transportation to name a few.”

Harper is one of seven candidates running for Supervisor in District 3, which includes most of Antioch. The election is June 7. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two candidates will face each other in a run-off during the November General Election.

Congressmen Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-11) and Jerry McNerney (D, CA-09) will host a joint town hall meeting in Antioch on Wednesday, March 9th, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Both Members of Congress represent a part of the City of Antioch.

This unique forum will be an opportunity for residents to receive a Congressional update on key issues of importance to their community and learn more about the broad range of constituent services the Representatives’ offices can provide.

• What: Representatives DeSaulnier and McNerney’s Joint Town Hall Meeting in Antioch
• When: Wednesday, March 9, 2016, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Check-in begins at 6:00 pm
• Where: Antioch Middle School, 1500 D Street, Antioch, CA 94509

For more information or to request ADA accommodations, please email CA11.RSVP@mail.house.gov or call (925) 933-2660.

Today, candidate for County Supervisor in District 3, Doug Hardcastle announced he has received the endorsement of former Congressman and taxpayer advocate William P. “Bill” Baker.

“Doug Hardcastle has protected the taxpayers while he’s been in office. We need that kind of financially responsible leadership in our county,” Baker said. “In addition, his over 40 years of business experience gives him the understanding of how to help grow our economy and create the jobs our residents need. That’s why I’m supporting him for Supervisor.”

Before being elected to Congress, Baker served as a State Budget Analyst and worked as Executive Vice President of the Contra Costa Taxpayers Association, writing a weekly column entitled, The Angry Taxpayer.

He then successfully ran for the State Assembly in 1980 and served six terms in a district that included portions of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. In the Assembly Baker was the chief Republican budget negotiator for seven years as Vice Chair of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, and on the Budget Conference Committee.

In 1992, Baker was elected to Congress, where he was active in addressing California’s economic, transportation, and science research policies. He served on both the science and transportation committees and played an influential role as an Assistant Majority Whip and an advocate for Contra Costa County His instrumental work on transportation projects include authoring the building of the Benicia Bridge and BART-San Francisco Airport extension that led to his winning of the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s “Legislator of the Year” award. Baker also played an important role in championing the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and helped secure needed funding for science and defense programs including the groundbreaking National Ignition Facility (NIF).

He is now a partner in the investment firm of Baker, Brose & Mitsutome in Walnut Creek.

“Bill Baker has been a champion for the taxpayer in our county and I will do the same on the Board of Supervisors,” Hardcastle stated. “His work on transportation issues is an example I will follow. I appreciate his endorsement and support in my campaign.”

Hardcastle was elected to the Oakley City Council in 2012 and recently completed a year as Mayor. From 2000 to 2012 he served as a Director on the Ironhouse Sanitary District Board, for which he served as President in 2010-2011. He currently serves on both the Transplan Committee and the Tri Delta Transit Board of Directors. Doug and his wife Lyn own Hardcastle’s RV in Oakley and have for over 40 years. Doug was selected Oakley Business Person of the Year in 2006. He’s a life-long resident of Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.doughardcastle.com.

Supervisor District 3 includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Blackhawk, Diablo, Camino Tassajara, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and a portion of Antioch. The election is on June 7, 2016.

Antioch City Councilmember Monica Wilson announced on Wednesday she has earned the backing of Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma, in her supervisorial campaign.

According to a news release from Wilson’s campaign, Ma currently serves over 9.5 million Californians on the Board of Equalization for District 2, which stretches from Santa Barbara County to the Oregon border and overlaps all of the third supervisorial district in Contra Costa. The Board of Equalization is the only publicly elected state tax commission and collects more than $50 billion in state taxes every year while holding meetings to hear business, income and property tax appeals.

“When I heard Monica was running for Supervisor, I knew Contra Costa had a great opportunity to elect a leader on transportation and the economy,” said Ma.

Wilson is Antioch’s alternate on two transportation boards, the East Contra Costa Regional Fee & Finance Authority and the State Route 4 By-Pass Authority, according to Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen. She has attended one meeting of those boards.

Ma won her election to the Board of Equalization with over 68% of the vote in November 2014.

Prior to serving on the Board of Equalization, Ma served in the California State Assembly from 2006 until 2012 for the 12th District and was the first Asian woman to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore and as Assembly Majority Whip for three years. She first got her start as a small business owner and Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and was an elected delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business under President Clinton aimed at advocating policies to Congress that help small businesses grow in the modern age.

“Fiona is trailblazer, and I’m honored to have her support and mentorship in my campaign,” said Wilson.

Wilson is one of six candidates running in the District 3 Supervisor race. The election will be held June 7th. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the two candidates to receive the most votes will face off in the General Election in November.

Endorsement shows growing strength for Nance Campaign in Contra Costa portion of 9th Congressional District

Police officer and 9th District Congressional Candidate Kathryn Nance announced that her campaign for Congress has been endorsed by the Republican Party of Contra Costa County. This latest endorsement, coupled with endorsements from the Contra Costa Deputy Sheriffs Association and the Antioch Police Officers Association, shows growing strength for Nance in the Contra Costa County portion of the 9th Congressional District, and area that incumbent Jerry McNerney has always counted on in past elections.

“Kathryn Nance is exactly the kind of candidate we need to take back the 9th Congressional District of California. Her 19 years as a Police Officer for the City of Stockton shows that she not only has the toughness to get things done in Congress, but a commitment to our community that has been lacking from our current representative”, said Rohit Joy, Chairman of the Republican Party of Contra Costa County. “Unlike Jerry McNerney, Kathryn Nance will give us a Representative who will protect our borders and work towards a sensible immigration policy that puts American workers first, will not shrink from the fight against Radical Islamic Terror, and won’t vote to spend our hard earned tax dollars on a disastrous train to nowhere. The Republican Party of Contra Costa County gives its enthusiastic endorsement to Kathryn Nance for the 9th Congressional District.”

“I’m honored that the Republican Party of Contra Costa County have placed their faith and trust in my campaign”, said Nance. “Every day our campaign continues to gain more and more momentum. The people of the 9th Congressional District know it’s time for a member of Congress they can count on.”

The 9th Congressional District encompasses the majority of San Joaquin County, as well as parts of Contra Costa and the City of Galt in Sacramento County.

Born and raised in the Stockton area, Kathryn Nance is a 19-year veteran of the Stockton Police Department, currently serving as a Sergeant with the Department’s AB109 Task Force and as President of the Stockton Police Officers Association.  She has previously served as a Field Training Officer and as a member of the Department’s Gang and Homicide units.  She is married to her husband of 10 years, James Nance, who also serves as an officer with the Stockton Police Department.  Together, they have a blended family of four children, ranging in ages of 16 to 24.  Kathryn is an avid outdoors enthusiast and enjoys activities such as hiking, cycling, kayaking and CrossFit.  Kathryn also serves as the Chairwoman of Stockton’s annual “Strides Against Cancer” relay.

To learn more about Kathryn Nance for Congress, visit us online at www.Nance2016.com, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KathrynNanceForCongress and follow us on Twitter @Nance2016.

Today, candidate for County Supervisor in District 3, Doug Hardcastle announced he has received the endorsement of former State Senator and Contra Costa County Sheriff Richard Rainey and his wife Sue Rainey, former Mayor of both Walnut Creek and Moraga.

Richard served in the California State Assembly from 1992 until 1996 and then served in the State Senate from 1996 until 2000. In 1995, Mr. Rainey was named Legislator of the Year by the California Probation & Parole Correctional Association. Also, during the 1995-96 legislative session, Mr. Rainey served as Chairman of the Assembly Local Government Committee.

“We need a leader on the Board of Supervisors who knows that public safety must be the county’s top priority and is committed to being responsible with the use of our tax dollars. Doug Hardcastle has demonstrated that in his elected positions on the Oakley City Council and sanitary board. That’s why we support him for County Supervisor and encourage you to do the same,” the Raineys said.

Sue Rainey is a former Walnut Creek City Council Member and Mayor. Before moving to Walnut Creek. Rainey worked on the effort to incorporate the Town of Moraga and was on that town’s first council and served as Mayor. She was also a former elected director of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, is founder and president of the Contra Costa Sewer and Water Agency, and was a member of the Contra Costa County Local Agency Formation Commission.

Richard Rainey was hired by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s department in 1964 and he was promoted through the ranks as a deputy sheriff, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain before he was elected County Sheriff in 1978. Mr. Rainey was appointed by Governor George Deukmejian during the 1980’s to the State Board of Corrections and the Board of Trustees of the Robert Presley Institute of Corrections. He served until 1992 when he was elected to the Assembly.

Following his service in the state legislature, Richard served as Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for Region 9 for both the Bush and Obama Admininstrations. Region 9 covers California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, the Territory of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.

“Having Dick and Sue Rainey’s endorsements means a lot,” Hardcastle said. “Their service to our county provided the strong leadership we needed in Contra Costa. I appreciate their support in my campaign for Supervisor.”

Doug Hardcastle was elected to the Oakley City Council in 2012 and recently completed a year as Mayor. From 2000 to 2012 he served as a Director on the Ironhouse Sanitary District Board, for which he served as President in 2010-2011. He currently serves on both the Transplan Committee and the Tri Delta Transit Board of Directors. Doug and his wife Lyn own Hardcastle’s RV in Oakley and have for over 40 years. Doug was selected Oakley Business Person of the Year in 2006. He’s a life-long resident of Contra Costa County. For more information visit www.doughardcastle.com.

Supervisor District 3 includes Oakley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Blackhawk, Diablo, Camino Tassajara, Bethel Island, Byron, Knightsen and a portion of Antioch. The election is on June 7, 2016.

The nomination period for those interested in running for office began, Tuesday, February 16th. They have until March 11th to file or March 16th for those offices in which the incumbent is not seeking reelection.

The first step on the road to the June 7th Presidential Primary Election begins this week, as Contra Costa residents are invited to start filling out nomination papers if they plan to run for certain elected offices.

OFFICES NOMINATED UNDER THE “TOP TWO” PRIMARY SYSTEM – In these races, the top two vote getters advance to the November election.

UNITED STATES SENATOR

UNITED STATES CONGRESS

5^th District

9^th District

11^th District

15^th District

STATE SENATE

3^rd District

7^th District

9^th District

STATE ASSEMBLY

11^th District

14^th District

15^th District

16^th District

COUNTY OFFICES (4 Year Term) – Candidates win in June if they receive 50% plus one of the vote. If no candidate receives 50%+1, the top two will have a run off in November.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

2^nd Supervisorial District

3^rd Supervisorial District

5^th Supervisorial District

The nomination period closes 5:00 pm, Friday, March 11, 2016.

Our office will provide updates throughout the nomination period via Twitter and Facebook about who has pulled papers to run for office and when candidates signatures have been verified.

The Contra Costa Elections Division staff recommends that interested candidates read through the 2016 Candidate Guide for more information about the process, including the necessary number of signatures for nomination, candidate statements, ordering campaign resources, maps and filing fees.

A Contra Costa Board of Supervisor candidate, for example, must pay a $1,044 filing fee and collect 20 signatures to be on the ballot.

The Candidate Guide can be found online at: www.cocovote.us/wp-content/uploads/2016_CandidateGuide_Combined_Updated-12-30-15.pdf.

For those interested in seeking local political offices in November, the nomination period for the November 8^th General Election starts in mid-July.

For more information, call 925-335-7874 or visit our website at www.cocovote.us.