Challengers target incumbents in Assembly race

Citing the desire to continue working to improve the quality of life for residents of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, incumbents built a case for re-election while the challengers claimed a fresh perspective is necessary.

District 22

Pointing to his long history of successfully advocating in Sacramento for San Mateo County, Mullin said he is positioned to leverage his influence to advance a bold set of initiatives.

“I’m focused on a legislative package that tries to reflect some of the challenges we have,” he said, citing the need for improved affordable housing, transportation and climate change policies.

First elected in 2012, Mullin has ascended through the state Capitol to serve as speaker pro tempore, ranking behind only Assemblyman Anthony Rendon, D-Los Angeles.

Such progression granted him an opportunity to ably represent the region in a fashion deserving of one home to a potent engine driving one of the world’s largest economies, he said.

“San Mateo County needs to get its share of resources back to our county,” he said. “And I’ve tried to make the case and we’ve been successful in bringing resources directly to the district.”

Looking ahead to the chance at another term, Mullin said he’d like to continue that work in hopes of continuing his leadership on issues such as climate change and sea level rise infrastructure, which he considers essential to protect the future of the Peninsula.

“I want to make sure that we are really tackling the truly difficult issues that seem intractable,” he said, expressing optimism that the time is right to take on big challenges as the state enjoys a booming economy and a new, ambitious governor.

But his challengers claimed a change of leadership is necessary, with hopes they can advocate for a perspective they consider underrepresented along the Peninsula.

“Just because someone is an incumbent and has been one for a long time doesn’t mean there isn’t room for different ideas to come forward and I believe I could be a voice for conservatives in this district that may not be happy with the work that is being done,” said Mahoney.

A public affairs specialist and Peninsula native, Mahoney said she was compelled to join the race with hopes of promoting the values shared among the younger generation of Republicans.

Pushing for lower taxes, fighting against big government and protecting local control are among the priorities identified in Mahoney’s campaign.

“I really am just wanting to bring common sense back to Sacramento,” she said.

To that end, she suggested better budget management could help lawmakers solve some of the state’s affordability and infrastructure issues, rather than considering divisive proposals such as Senate Bill 50, which aimed to facilitate housing development through loosened zoning mandates.

Gilham, who has repeatedly run unsuccessful campaigns against Mullin, also said he opposes perceived government overreach and is running a campaign promoting conservative ideals.

Furthermore, Gilham said he was invigorated to run again following the election of President Donald Trump.

“He is doing what he said he is doing which is bring change to our country,” said Gilham, who supports tax and immigration bills signed by Trump.

For the Peninsula, Gilham said he especially concerned about the rise in homelessness. To stem the problem, he suggested using vacant school campuses as temporary shelters where social support and job training programs can be held.

“It’s going to take the community in this whole county and basically all the communities in all the counties to figure this out,” he said.

Mullin though offered more specific solutions, suggesting establishment of redevelopment agencies could be a valuable state maneuver to again offer local cities a financing mechanism for affordable housing.

Noting the challenges workers in the services industry and many others are having affording the cost of living locally, Mullin said a variety of efforts will be required to improve the quality of life for all.

And looking ahead to an opportunity for another term, Mullin said he is ready to leverage his years in the Assembly to take a big swing at solving the state’s big problems.

“Going forward, my advice to myself is go big or go home,” he said.

District 24

Berman, meanwhile, said he favored a more deliberate approach to continuing the work he started since first being elected in 2016 to the district spanning the southern portion of San Mateo County and most of Santa Clara County.

After arriving in Sacramento, Berman said he has witnessed the power of the status quo and found incremental change can often be the most effective mechanism for gaining progress.

“Changing these policies needs to be done slowly and by bringing everyone to the table,” he said.

Berman said he has spent the last four years building the trust and confidence of his colleagues in the Legislature and is now prepared to take on initiatives such as education, technology and voting law.

But Ohtaki claimed lawmakers have not sufficiently addressed areas of concern along the Peninsula, and that more fiscal responsibility is required in Sacramento.

“I think these are issues that at the local level, residents understand need solutions,” he said, regarding inadequate transportation and housing infrastructure as well as other issues.

Noting the state is enjoying a budget surplus, Ohtaki said spending more from the excess revenue could be a source for financing improvements without passing the obligation onto taxpayers.

A former member of the Menlo Park City Council, Ohtaki said he could draw from his experience as an elected official to help Sacramento run more efficiently and sensibly.

“We have to take that surplus and allocate it among infrastructure needs, which I think are a high priority and long overdue,” he said, noting the state’s unfunded liabilities should be a target for spending down as well.

Meanwhile, Watson said she is running on a platform to limit government overreach into private industry. Retired from the software industry, Watson said she is looking mostly to offer local voters another option on the ballot.

“I offer a Libertarian alternative in the race,” she said, noting she favors limited interference into the free market, cutting taxes and promoting personal liberty.

To address housing affordability, Watson said she supports more residential development and would look to build on the Uber or Lyft model to ease traffic congestion, with a system similar to on-demand shuttles.

For his part, Berman wanted more diplomatic approaches to identifying potential improvements and said he is seeking another term to refine those methods.

“I love my job. I’m not trying to immediately run for the next job and that happiness and satisfaction with where I am allows me to think more long term,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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