Challenger leads by 20 Points Among Independent Voters

STOCKTON, CA, October 10, 2012 – Congressional candidate Ricky Gill (R-Lodi) holds a 46-45 lead over incumbent Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), according to a poll of likely voters conducted from September 30 to October 2.

The poll, conducted by the Tarrance Group and summarized here, finds that Gill has overtaken McNerney with only one month remaining until the election. Nine percent of likely voters remain undecided.

Gill leads McNerney by 20 points among Decline to State and independent voters, according to the poll.

Also significantly, the poll finds the proportion of voters who view McNerney unfavorably is equal to those who view him favorably. McNerney is viewed particularly unfavorably by voters in San Joaquin County, by seniors, and by Latino voters.

The poll was completed prior to the first presidential debate on October 3.

About Ricky Gill

Ricky Gill is a native of San Joaquin County who was born and raised in Lodi, California. For more information visit www.RickyGill.com

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce will host a fun way of the candidates and public getting to know each other, called Political Speed Dating, this Thursday October 11^th, from 6 PM-8 PM at Humphrey’s on the Delta.

Members of the public will be broken up into small groups and each group will have the opportunity to sit down with each candidate for five minutes to get to know the candidates and ask their individual questions. After five minutes the groups will rotate giving each group the opportunity to get to know every candidate.

Appetizers will be served in a fun friendly atmosphere with an opportunity for candidates and voters to personalize the engagement.

The event is free to the public.

Humphrey’s is located at 1 Marina Plaza, foot of L Street, Antioch. For reservations following the event, call 778-5800 or visit them online at www.HumphreysontheDelta.com.

For more information contact the Chamber offices at 757-1800 or visit www.AntiochChamber.com.

On November 6th, the voters of Antioch will be asked to fill three open seats on the Antioch School Board. I highly recommend Barbara Cowan as one of those selected for a board seat.

Mrs. Cowan is a newly retired teacher/administrator. Her 39 years of experience in this noble profession has given her the many experiences necessary to bring valuable knowledge to the Antioch School Board. She will be open and honest in her communications and continue a climate of trust and openness. Her understanding of education and willingness to hear new ideas and suggestions on how to continue improving the system will be a benchmark in her contributions.

Barbara Cowan has taught at all levels and has been a principal of middle schools and high schools. She has also been a special education coordinator. Mrs. Cowan is fluent in Spanish and has had many years of experience in predominately Hispanic schools.

Excellence in the classroom begins with excellence in the boardroom. I urge you to vote for Barbara Cowan.

Richard Asadoorian, Antioch

Trustee, Contra Costa County Board of Education

(the views expressed here are mine as a private citizen and do not reflect the opinion of the other board members)

Stockton, Calif. – Congressman Jerry McNerney has received the endorsement of Shabbir Khan, Treasurer-Tax Collector of San Joaquin County, who is a Republican.

Khan

“I couldn’t be more proud to endorse Jerry McNerney in his re-election efforts. He has brought thousands of jobs home right here to San Joaquin County, and more than that, he really cares about the people he represents. He takes the time to listen to everyone he encounters so that he can really get good work done here in San Joaquin County,” said Khan.

When asked why, as a Republican, he would endorse the Democrat in the race over Republican Ricky Gill, Shabbir stated, “I go by individual, not on the party.”

“I have known Jerry McNerney ever since he got elected. In my opinion I think he’s an honest man. He listens. He’s present in his district more than I would say Pombo was in his 14 years. He has done a lot for our veterans,” Kahn added. “I don’t see any problem with Congressman McNerney. He’s an independent thinker. You can talk with him and discuss things with him and I think he’s done a good job as a congressman.”

“It is an honor to have the support of Shabbir Khan. We are both dedicated to tackling the challenges we face here in San Joaquin County, and I will work hard to help the people in San Joaquin. We have a tremendous amount of potential right here in our community and I want to continue to partner with folks here at home to move forward and get our economy growing again,” said McNerney.

This adds to a growing list of local public figures and elected officials who have endorsed McNerney.

The new 9^th district, which includes most of Antioch, is significantly Democratic, with a voter registration that is D+11.  The new 9^th includes the majority of San Joaquin County and portions of Contra Costa County.  The district voted decidedly in favor of President Obama in 2008.

McNerney (D-Stockton) was first elected to Congress in 2006. He is the Ranking Member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, a post he has used to champion veterans’ issues, bringing back a brand new veterans’ medical facility that is creating 900 local jobs.  He authored the bill to help veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries and has fought tirelessly to create local jobs, prevent American jobs from being sent overseas, and to restore fiscal responsibility to our government while protecting Medicare and Social Security. He’s running for reelection against Republican Ricky Gill of Lodi.

Publisher Allen Payton contributed to this report.

WHAT: President Bill Clinton will endorse four Northern California Democrat Congressional candidates at a UC Davis rally hosted by the Davis College Democrats on Tuesday. The candidates, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Congressman John Garamendi (CA-03), Ami Bera (CA-07), and Jose Hernandez (CA-10), are all in races identified by both the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) as competitive. Millions of dollars in Super PAC advertising have flooded the Sacramento media market to defeat the four candidates.

“Middle class Americans need champions in Congress who will fight for good American jobs, and who will put people before politics. I’m proud to endorse four people who will do just that: John Garamendi, Jerry McNerney, Ami Bera, and Jose Hernandez. They’ve got fresh ideas to help restore the economy for middle class families, and they know Congress is a place for service, not personal gain,” said President Clinton.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 9

Doors open at 10 am

Program starts at 10:30 am

WHERE: Southwest Corner of UC Davis Quad

West Quad Ave. and Peter J. Shields Ave.

University of California – Davis

WHO: President Bill Clinton

Congressman Jerry McNerney, DCCC Frontline Member

ABOUT: Congressman Jerry McNerney was first inspired to run for office by his son, Michael, who volunteered for the armed services after 9/11.  As the the Ranking Member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, he has championed veterans’ issues, bringing back a brand new veterans’ medical facility that is creating 900 local jobs.  He authored the bill to help veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries and has fought tirelessly to create local jobs, prevent American jobs from being sent overseas, and to restore fiscal responsibility to our government while protecting Medicare and Social Security.

The Davis College Democrats are a student organization at UC Davis dedicated to promoting the values of the Democratic Party, providing information to the UC Davis community regarding local, state and national political events, and encouraging political participation within the student body.

TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PUBLIC:

Please plan to arrive on foot or by bike or public transportation.  More information on public transit options (Unitrans, Yolobus, Capitol Corridor) is available at http://unitrans.ucdavis.edu/.

For attendees who drive, carpooling is encouraged and parking ($7) is likely to be available at the following facilities: South Entry Parking Structure, Lot 1, West Entry Parking Structure, and Lot 25. See http://taps.ucdavis.edu/parking/info/maps.cfm  for specific locations and directions to these lots.

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to visit the Sacramento area tomorrow to show support for Jerry McNerney and several other Democratic Congressional candidates.

President Clinton might be interested to learn that McNerney staunchly opposes, and even ridicules, one of his signature issues: trade agreements that create American jobs.

In his recent book, Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy, Clinton argued that Congress should “[p]ass the pending trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama” in order to boost the U.S. economy. As Clinton noted, “We don’t have a trade deficit in goods and services with the countries with which we have trade agreements” — a central argument for their passage.

But McNerney voted “no” on each of those trade agreements, despite the significant benefits they promised for local farmers and port workers. In fact, he’s voted against every trade agreement that Congress has considered since his election.

President Clinton might also be interested to learn that McNerney in 2006 signed a pledge, known as the “New American Compact,” in which he vowed to oppose “the roguery of Free Trade.” That’s right: McNerney signed a pledge to oppose the “roguery” of trade agreements supported by local farmers, ranchers and port workers.

President Clinton surely would be interested to learn that the text of McNerney’s radical pledge alleges that free trade is “breeding terrorism.”

These are the same trade agreements that the Obama administration estimated would create up to 280,000 American jobs and generate $12 billion in new exports. The same agreements that eliminated foreign tariffs on local products including dairy, cherries, asparagus and wine. The same agreements that, like Ricky himself, have earned the unequivocal support of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

The 9th District simply cannot afford a Congressman who has pledged to vote against its farmers, ranchers and port workers.

Dave Roberts who served as the first Editor of the Herald has written an analysis on Proposition 30 on the November ballot. To read his column on the Cal Watchdog website, click here.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

D’Juan “De’shawn” Woolridge from his campaign’s Facebook page.

A success story on the Los Medanos College (LMC) website about current candidate for the Contra Costa Community College Board of Trustees, D’Juan “De’shawn” Woolridge has been removed.

The discovery of the story, made by this writer on Saturday, October 6, 2012, while doing an online research about the candidates for Ward V, which includes most of Antioch, resulted in the removal of it by new LMC President Bob Kratochvil, today.

An email to Kratochvil, college district Chancellor Helen Benjamin and all five trustees asking them if they were aware of the story that showed a photo of Woolridge with another person, and mentioned he “ is currently running for public office,” and what they planned to do about it, received two responses. The first was from Trustee John Marquez, who represents Ward I, covering West County.

Marquez stated in an email, “I don’t see any implied endorsement or promotion of De’shawn Woolridge by LMC over the other candidates for Ward V. I just see this as an expression of pride by LMC of the successes of its alumni. I was not aware of this write-up. And, I’m not concerned about it since the other candidates have not raised any concern. If they do, I might personally ‘consider’ removal until after the election.”

He also wrote in the same email, “I read the biography of De’shawn referenced by you, and concluded that the story did not

D’Juan “De’shawn” Woolridge that appeared with his Alumni Success Story on the LMC website, until its removal on Monday, October 8, 2012.

mention anything about his current candidacy for College Board Ward V. While I have not endorsed De’shawn, I have known him for many years and knew he has always had  political aspirations. As I read the biography, I noticed all the excellent steps taken by De’shawn and staff at LMC to see his goals achieved. By the way, his hair is not as long as shown on the photo, which implies the biography was written sometime ago. LMC should be proud of the ‘success stories’ of all its Alumni. Further reading of the LMC website reveals the successes of other alumni such as Dave Tollefson, football player during the Super Bowl XLVI, and Wade Harper, candidate for Mayor of Antioch, among others.”

“Just to be fair about the political process, I will ask for consideration of a policy change by the Board at our meeting in November,” Marquez added.

New LMC President Bob Kratochvil had a different response.

“The story about Mr. Woolridge that is on our website is among several ‘stories of success’ regarding students and programs at Los Medanos College, a series that has been in place for quite some time.  It is my understanding that the article about Mr. Woolridge has been on the web page for more than a year, apparently written initially upon his graduation from LMC (approximately Spring/Summer 2011) and coinciding his candidacy for a council seat in the City of Pittsburg.  Subsequently, information in the article was updated after he graduated from University of the Pacific,” Kratochvil wrote in an email.

“I acknowledge that, since Mr. Woolridge is a candidate for a seat on the Contra Costa Community College Governing Board, such a story should be pulled from our website until after the November election so there is no inadvertent perception of endorsement.  We will do so immediately at the start of business on Monday morning. Thank you very much for bringing this matter to our attention,” he added.

When asked about the website story, Woolridge stated “The article has been up there for awhile. It was up there before the election and written two years ago.”

However, the story has been updated in the past few months, because it included two new facts about Woolridge: “De’shawn has completed his bachelor’s degree in political science at the University of the Pacific…and is currently running for public office.” He graduated in May, 2012 and filed for office by August 16.

Woolridge spoke with LMC Marketing Director Barbara Cella regarding the website story. “She contacted me and asked me if I had graduated and I said ‘Yes’,” he stated.

Cella was unavailable for comment when contacted Monday morning.

“The fact that it doesn’t even say ‘the governing board,’ I don’t have a problem with it being on the website, since it was written two years ago. It’s not really highlighted for a campaign,” Woolridge added.

Regarding removal of the article, he said “I don’t really have a problem with it being removed. I’m not going to sit there and have a heart attack. I would hope it goes back up after all the work I’ve done at LMC. It’s an honor to have the article.”

In a review of the list of Alumni Success Stories on Monday morning, October 8, 2012, the articles on both Woolridge and Harper, who is currently running for Mayor of Antioch, had been removed from the LMC website.