California Sen. Jeff Stone, R-La Quinta, County, pummeled his Democratic challenger in what Stone characterized as the “nastiest and most negative” race of his political career.

Stone pummeled Joy Silver who pulled in 46.29 percent of the vote, or 64,741 votes, falling far short of Stone’s 53.71 percent, or 75,106 votes.

For Stone, a veteran local and state politician, it marked his 11th race and characterized it as the “worst ever” in terms of the barrage of negative attacks, lies, and fliers his opponent issued. Silver pummeled voters with bombastic messages in both fliers, social media ads and television ads — right through Election Day.

At one point, Stone referred to it as “hate mail.”

“People know me and they weren’t going to be swayed by her lies and embellishments,” Stone told Uken Report. “She thought you just raised money and that was it.”

Stone said he saw Silver out on the campaign trail one time and that was on Oct. 27 in Palm Springs when Temple Isaiah & Jewish Community Center held a vigil for those who were killed and injured during the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

Stone Pummeled Silver in 28th Senate District“She huddled up in Palm Springs,” Stone said of Silver. “She had no foundation for herself.”

Even her Democratic critics said that for months she had no key theme or message and refused to get out of her comfort zone in Palm Springs. Her campaign consisted primarily of attacks on Stone rather than what she could do for her constituents.

Stone said he applauds Silver for getting in the arena, adding that it’s not easy.

“But,” he added. “She needs to define herself and needs to get out and mingle.”

Stone credited a “strong base of support from people who know his integrity” for giving him a second, four-year term in the state Senate.

He has name recognition money cannot buy and a long record of public service.

Stone served on the Temecula City Council until being elected to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in 2004. Stone successfully ousted an incumbent and was re-elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2008 and 2012. Prior to being elected and sworn into the State Senate, he served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

He was first elected to the state Senate in 2014.

The expansive 28th District, which is entirely in Riverside County, stretches from the vineyards of the Temecula Valley to the Colorado River and includes the cities of Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Wildomar.

 

 

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  • Jeff Stone: Jeff Stone