Carlos Garcia to Seek Palm Desert Council Seat

Carlos has been a leading voice for Drive4Five

PALM DESERT — Carlos Garcia, CEO of Garcia Research, which he founded in 1990, has formally announced he is running for the at-large Palm Desert District 2 a seat on the City Council. Garcia Research is a marketing research firm specializing in the US Hispanic market.

He is looking to unseat either Jan Harnik, who is currently serving as mayor, or Councilmember Sabby Jonathan. Harnik has been a member of the City Council since 2010. Jonathan has been a member since 2014.

The City Council comprises five members elected to four-year terms. Council members are elected from two districts formed in 2020. One Council member is elected from a downtown district and four others from a larger surrounding district.

Garcia’s campaign theme is “Another Step Forward” for the city. He resides in the north part of town near Monterey and I-10.

At 70, Garcia is a leading voice promoting moving Palm Desert to five districts. He is part of the Drive4Five group, a local organization pushing for five districts in the city. A lack of representation is prompting the push, organizers say.

The city moved to a two-district system with the 2020 election as part of a settlement agreement with two Palm Desert residents who sued the city in 2019.

Mayor Harnik, who is seeking re-election, opposes the move to five districts.

An educator, Garcia taught qualitative marketing research at Cal Poly Pomona last year and will again this fall.

“Carlos is running out of loyalty to the modern, diverse Palm Desert,” John Siegel, his campaign manager told Uken Report. “With a stellar background as an entrepreneur, marketing professional and college educator, Carlos is devoted to expanding opportunities for all local families and voters. Carlos has been a leading voice for Drive4Five promoting democracy, so that all of Palm Desert can have districts with local council members who understand the values and concerns of their neighborhoods.”