Check out our 2020 California candidates for office. We’ve asked each of them to provide a short candidate statement for fellow Libertarians to learn more about what they want to accomplish if elected. Statements are provided for those candidates who submitted them before the deadline of January 25, 2020.
An “*” denotes a partisan election.
An “L” denotes endorsement by the LPC.
Joe Dehn, US Rep. Congressional District 17* L
https://dehn.votelibertarian.us
408-774-1570
https://www.facebook.com/dehn4congress
Twitter: @dehn4congress
Joe Dehn was born in New York, graduated from MIT, and lived in Connecticut, Oregon, and Colorado before moving to California in 1993.
He has been a member of the LP for 35 years and has run for office several times previously. He served as a member of the LNC for many years, including two terms as National Secretary. He created the LP’s original web site, the first of any political party, in 1994.
He believes the LP’s core function is to offer a principled, consistent, and clearly-labeled alternative to the failed policies of the Republicans and Democrats.
It’s time to take Washington back from the special interests of the Left and the Right that are burdening us with ever-growing regulation of our personal lives and businesses, and that are hobbling our economy with taxes and debt.
It’s time to stop getting involved in other countries’ civil wars, stop supporting monarchs and dictators, stop trying to be the world’s policeman, and bring our troops home.
It’s time to end the wars at home, too – the wasteful and counter-productive war on drugs, the unconstitutional war on guns, and the ugly war on immigrants.
It’s time to Vote Libertarian!
Jamie Dluzak, Senate District 9
As the Libertarian representative for the people of the Ninth Senate District in California, I pledge to reinvigorate civic participation in the electoral process.
Six Flags Marine World serves as an example for what I intend for. At Six Flags the ownership serves their customers by creating a smooth process of parking, entrance, and the facilitation of activities. The government is to serve all her citizens by shaping itself into a form that encourages civic participation. Citizens cannot regulate the state if they know not what it does. Nor can citizens gauge government expenditures if they know not the monetary price being paid for any singular objectives or entities. Nor should they vote on what they do not understand. Thus, for the sake of citizen understanding and evaluation, I will pull back the curtain on the State of California’s $200 billion dollar budget.
Without understanding what we spend our money on already, how can Californians pledge to spend more dollars? Thus, on principle, I will vote “nay” on all new expenditures, less temporary and concentrated disaster relief. Budget transparency will be achieved through a voluntary levy. Vote Dluzak for Senate!
Ricky Estrada, Mayor of Menifee
estrada4menifee@gmail.com
(626)201–1567
“Less Taxes, More Prayers”
The country is changing and new blood is needed in order to run a responsible government, with fresh ideas. The country needs to uphold its foundation, with emphasis on smaller government and protection of constitutional values. I want to bring an empowering voice to every citizen, the silent majority, from the youth to seniors. I am running a campaign which focuses on listening door to door, and personal outreach, as politicians have lost touch. The city of Menifee has the potential to be that shining city on top of the hill, and an example for the rest of the country.
We will always push for:
1) Less Taxes, and more non-taxpayer revenues.
(Leasing advertisement space, street names, park names)
2) More hiking trails, and protecting Menifee’s landscape
3) Reducing traffic congestion, and creating a “Menifee Trolley system”
4)Smaller government, and protection of constitutional liberties
5)Listening to the everyday citizen
We all deserve a government which puts the power back in every citizens hands. As Mayor of Menifee , I hold an oath to always bring forth policies which empower every individual’s self destiny, love thy neighbor, and uphold the constitution. In God We Trust.
Eduardo Flores, State Assembly District 21* L
e.flores.lps@gmail.com
209-652-5442
facebook.com/Eduardo-Flores-for-Assembly-District-21-102507637976966/
I was raised in the Central Valley by a single mother who worked hard to provide me with a good home and Catholic school education. That foundation led to working in the fields and orchards of a successful farm, followed by experience in the Bay area during the initial cyber boom as well as spending time in Los Angeles. Traveling the state pursuing opportunities in education, as an entertainer, and pursuing my passion for the outdoors.
I have seen our region develop and thrive despite the necessity of overcoming drought, higher tax burdens, and intrusive regulatory handicaps. I’m ready to put that perspective and understanding to work for you.
Bob Goodwyn, US Rep. Congressional District 18*
Bobflight03@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bob-Goodwyn-for-Congress-180508889388992/
I’m Bob Goodwyn, your Libertarian candidate for the 18th congressional district.
I don’t like seeing people go homeless
I don’t like seeing people go to prison
I don’t like seeing people get bombed
It seems to take fewer words each year. Vote Libertarian.
Matyas Homer, Senate District 3* L
matyas@matyashomer.com
http://www.Twitter.com/HomerForSD3
I come from a family of immigrants. The Russian Communists shut down my grandmother’s pilot classes, and my grandfather’s publisher because they would not join the Communist Party. After the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956, my grandparents escaped the country and moved to America.
I am running as a write in candidate in an uncontested race. If I win in the March 3rd primary, I advance to the top two in the November general election. Voters will have a choice between a Democrat—who switched from Republican for political gain—and a Libertarian.
I believe government should be as big as needed to protect persons’ rights: from criminals, and to settle disputes against fraud and honest conflict—and no bigger!
Despite climate change fears, California has done everything it can to scare away the innovation in the private sector the State is known for that can fix it. We should become a leader in nuclear energy. Restrictions on the cultivation of industrial hemp should be lifted.
Instead of spending money on go nowhere projects, the State should free up resources for wildfire prevention—such as the maintenance of overgrown forests and cropping trees from overhead power lines.
Voters deserve options.
James Just, State Assembly District 7
We live with a government that has become complicated to the point of oppression. One where the average person is held accountable to an uncountable number of laws and regulations. We are told that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but how can we be anything but ignorant? The rich and powerful can hide in the complexities but the average citizen can’t. Most of us must rely on the basics of human civilization – don’t steal, don’t fraud and don’t hurt your fellow human beings. Sadly, our government and the political parties that control it, do not seem to live by those same principles.
The political class has lost touch with the realities of the people they are supposed to serve. They serve their own interests and the desires of the politically connected. If we want change, we must be brave enough to stand against the rising tide of centralized control and social engineering and stand with the disaffected and disenfranchised, among us. We must find new ways to progress towards our goals, it begins by listening and a willingness to think outside our ideological bubble and compromise towards our shared goals. This is why I am running for Assembly district 7
James Just
Sacramento
Bob Karwin, Menifee District 1 City Council L
bob@karwin2020.com
I am a Menifee homeowner, businessman, public official, community volunteer, and parent of a Menifee public school student. It is not an overstatement to say that he is involved in virtually every aspect of life that Menifee has to offer.
We are in a critical time for Menifee. Our ‘sleepy little foothill town’ is on the verge of massive growth. I want to join the City Council to serve as a gatekeeper, to make sure that future development moves Menifee into the future while maintaining all of the things we love about our community.”
I have been a member of the Menifee Planning Commission for five years, serving as Chairman for the past three. By day, I am a civil trial attorney with 22 years of experience. This experience gives me the skills to guide public policy to best benefit the residents of Menifee.
I will work with our brand new police department to continue to improve public safety. I also have a goal to improve circulation by improving public transportation and eliminating bad roads that are flooded out during rainstorms and cut off public services from our most vulnerable citizens.
Vote Bob Karwin for Menifee City Council – District 1
Tyler Kuskie, El Dorado Co. Supervisor
OCCUPATION: Technical Marketing Engineer
I have lived in El Dorado County for 20 years and am a graduate of Ponderosa High School. I am running to be your County Supervisor to keep taxes low and government small. I will focus on economic development and make it easier to start local businesses by reducing the tax and regulatory burden facing our local businesses. I will also be an advocate for improving our road infrastructure through proper investment, without cutting corners.
Kalish Morrow, Hanford City Council District B L
kalishdrake@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/kalishmorrowhanford/
Ph: 909-234-0776
I am Kalish Morrow and I am running for Hanford City Council District B. I am a former business owner who is now a full time Interior Designer working out of my home while raising my two young homeschooled sons.
I began serving in my community shortly after opening my boutique in Downtown Hanford, when I was elected to serve on the Board of Directors with Main Street Hanford (2015-2018), I co-founded a 501(c)3 called Heart of Hanford with the purpose of helping to protect and preserve Hanford’s historic downtown. During that time Heart of Hanford began the monthly Art Hop and organized protests of the destruction of the Old Historic Fire Station on Lacey – now just a vacant lot with no plan moving forward. My leadership experience includes serving as Chair of the LP of Kings County where I have organized different events to include 2019’s Yosemite Park Cleanup during the Government shutdown. As a business owner I began advocating for small businesses in my town which steered me to run for Hanford City Council in 2016.
My platform is deeply rooted in reducing regulations on businesses, promoting volunteerism, and developing creative solutions for California’s complex issues.
Mimi Robson, State Assembly District 33* L
No statement was provided by the candidate by the deadline of January 25th.
Kennita Watson, State Assembly, District 24* L
No statement was provided by the candidate by the deadline of January 25th.
Azadeh Weber, Saratoga Union School District Board of Trustees L
drazadehweber@gmail.com
(650) 722-4900
My name is Azadeh Weber. I am a mother, psychologist and hobbyist of do it yourself projects. During my clinical training, I served as a mental health counselor for 3 years in various school districts in the San Francisco Bay Area. I believe character development is a fundamental purpose of education. As a candidate for Saratoga Union School Board, one of my goals is to incorporate more classical literature in the school curriculum, so as to expose children to complex pieces of literature that have morals to the story. I also would like to develop a culture of mental health awareness coupled with physical education necessary for healthy proprioceptive development. The proprioceptive system develops when children get ample unstructured time to develop their kinesthetic ability and helps mitigate challenges to focusing that underlie attentional disorders and hyperarousal of the autonomic nervous system. I support charter schools, community gardens, local community engagements and not raising taxes.
John H. Webster for State Senate District 13*
http://www.webster4CA13Senate.com
650-969-2017
Foremost I wish to share with the voters that I realize that Socialism, currently promoted by the Democratic candidates and legislators, destroys communities by financially punishing success and entrepreneurship through taxes and regulations, and in turn by rewarding failure/dependence through “free” handouts. In effect our Government now has too much democracy/majority-rule and not enough preserving of the Right to be Different.
This idea that the rich and successful can be taxed to pay for all the “needs” of the many (freeloaders?) doesn’t work because those people that normally work to produce and succeed, give up fighting the system and just switch to taking the “free” handouts to survive. In effect the source of that “extra” free money disappears until everyone is equally poor.
I am quite aware that we are critically close to losing all of our precious freedoms. Our country’s freedom is already little more than a facade covering a Dictatorship elected by the politically correct majority. I know what needs to be done to restore our Government to being the Servant of the people not their Master.
Nickolas Wildstar, Mayor of Fresno L
818.538.4878
During my run for governor, my wife Crystal and I fell in love with the city and people of Fresno. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to move there to start our family. I believe that I can help make our new home a better place for all children to grow up in by having more neighborhood parks, better educational programs, and a safer environment which is why I’m running for mayor.
If elected, I will focus my efforts on developing more jobs and reforming our criminal justice system. I plan to eliminate licensing and permit fees while I’m in office along with the tax burdens that chase away businesses and keep people living in poverty. Improving our police department through better training for officers, building personal relationships with members of the community, and turning officer’s attention towards peacekeeping rather than policing for profit is also a top priority.
I also would like to alleviate homelessness in Fresno by implementing policies that allow more affordable homes to be built, providing housing to those most in need using 3D printing technology, and creating a mental health response team. Vote Wildstar to make Fresno a better place for everyone!