Supervisor Perez Will Not Seek Senate Seat in District 28

PALM DESERT – Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez will not seek the vacant state Senate seat in District 28, Uken Report has confirmed.

“Supervisor Perez is blessed and honored to represent Riverside County as the Fourth District Supervisor,” Darin A. Schemmer,  Perez’s communications director said. “He is looking forward to leading the county as Riverside County Board Chairman next year, and continuing the work he is engaged in on many fronts throughout the Fourth District and Riverside County: economic development, housing, homelessness, assisting veterans, health care, behavioral health, public safety, infrastructure, the Salton Sea and binational efforts.

Uken Report has confirmed that Coachella Mayor Steve Hernandez also will not seek the seat as some speculated.

“After much consideration, my family and I have decided to pass on the opportunity,” Hernandez told Uken Report.

The 28th District Senate seat is vacant after Jeff Stone announced last week that was leaving to become the Western Regional Director of the United States Department of Labor in the Trump administration. He began duties Nov. 1.

The Western Region of the Department of Labor includes the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

A number of Democrats’ names have been floated as possible candidates, including Palm Springs City Councilmembers Lisa Middleton and Christy Holstege. They are remaining mum as to whether they are seriously interested until Thursday, Nov. 7. A Senate Democratic representative is reportedly coming to the Coachella Valley to interview the candidates who have expressed an interest in running.

Then, in conjunction with labor and others will select the candidate they believe can win and work to clear the field so the party get behind a single candidate.

The only person to date who has formally announced her intention to run is Joy Silver, who lost when she challenged Stone for the seat in November 2018.  She announced her intention with great fanfare through a news release.

Silver was tapped earlier this year to be chair of the Fundraising Committee for the Riverside County Democratic Party. It is a volunteer position. Some Democrats privately claim she has a conflict of interest. How can she raise money for the party and simultaneously raise money for her own campaign, they wonder.

Stone has endorsed Temecula City Councilman Matt Rahn to fill out his term in the 28th Senate District.

A Special Election is expected to be called in conjunction with the March 2020 Primary.

California’s 28th Senate 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 Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Wildomar.

 

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  • Supervisor V. Manuel Perez: Supervisor V. Manuel Perez