SN&R endorses …

City of Sacramento

Mayor
Heather Fargo

In his endorsement interview with SN&R, mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson almost made us forget the issues of character that have dogged him throughout this campaign. Arriving the day after SN&R’s “K.J. vs. K.J.” cover story, with adrenaline pumping, Johnson surprised us by exuding intelligence, a charismatic vision and passion for the city he so clearly loves. (Too bad these seem to have been somewhat in hiding during much of this mayoral campaign with its one televised debate.) But the character issues cannot go away. Though not a sure thing at the outset of this campaign, SN&R once again has decided to endorse Heather Fargo for mayor.

Like others, we’ve often found Fargo lacking in the qualities that make for a strong leader. But we also recognize her commendable track record of accomplishment, her dedication to the city, her ability to fix problems and forge solutions for our region. Her achievements in the sustainability area, in particular, are commendable. Often Fargo seems too friendly with developers and willing to put their needs first. But we have no reason to believe any other viable mayoral candidate would do any better on this score. Our vote is for Fargo.

County of Sacramento

Board of Supervisors
Warren Harding

Susan Peters, while energetic, appears to be more easily swayed by developers and business interests than by those who urge preservation of farmland and green space. Warren Harding, with a lengthy background in public service, specifically on the board of Arden-Arcade Parks and Recreation, will bring more balance to the Board of Supervisors. He will be a voice for those citizens who hope the county will move toward sustainable and “sprawl-less” development. His track record of community organization and devotion to the environment is unquestioned. Therefore, we wholeheartedly urge a vote for Warren Harding for District 3 Sacramento County Supervisor.

Congress

District 1

Democratic candidate
Mike Thompson

Incumbent Congressman Mike Thompson has served the sprawling 1st District (stretching from Davis up to Del Norte County) since 1999 and has shown himself to be about as progressive as they come in Washington, D.C., on issues from climate change to immigration to the war in Iraq. We see no reason why he shouldn’t be re-elected.

District 4

Democratic candidate
Charlie Brown

We strongly urge a primary vote for Charlie Brown. Brown is an outstanding candidate for public office by any measure and came within just a few percentage points of upsetting incumbent (and now retiring) Rep. John Doolittle in the 2004 election. In a district where a growing number of voters are registered as independent or “decline to state,” Brown has the general appeal—and the credentials—to offer a true choice in the general election.

Republican candidate
Doug Ose

In a race that has been dogged by claims of “carpetbagging” and arguments over who is more liberal, it’s hard to pick a candidate who can lead the 4th District beyond “politics as usual.” While we can’t help but admire Tom McClintock for so doggedly standing by his principles, his affection for ideological purity will almost certainly guarantee his ineffectiveness in a House of Representatives that is likely to remain in Democratic hands. The remaining Republican candidates for Congress, Suzanne Jones and Theodore Terbolizard, undoubtedly offer much in the way of public service, but simply do not have the experience to adequately represent the district. Doug Ose has a demonstrated ability to work within coalitions and is far more likely to represent the district effectively. We recommend him to Republican voters in the district.

State Assembly

District 3

Republican candidate
Dan Logue

Nevada County Supervisor Sue Horne has the endorsements of the Republican establishment, but she doesn’t differ much from Dan Logue on most issues. The exception, of course, is that she uses much stronger language on social issues, going so far as to describe the recent California Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality “an abomination.” If Logue is as devoted to individual rights as he seems to be, he’d have to be our choice here.

District 5

Republican candidate
Roger Niello

Although we’d love to see an innovative candidate for the Republican Party in Assembly District 5, neither challenger Doug Husen, a Folsom pastor, nor Donald Thompson, a Carmichael real-estate agent, offers ideas that differ from incumbent Roger Niello. We see no reason to deny Niello a second Republican nomination.

District 8

Democratic candidate
Christopher Cabaldon

SN&R’s editorial board was torn in considering who to endorse to succeed Lois Wolk in representing the state’s 8th Assembly District. Of two very capable candidates—Mariko Yamada and Christopher Cabaldon—we wound up believing the later will make a more effective legislator. Yamada, a Yolo County supervisor, takes principled stands on the issues and is a capable politician. However, we fear that her uncompromising style might hurt her effectiveness in the Legislature. Cabaldon, who has served as West Sacramento’s mayor since the late 1990s, is the better choice here, though he is slightly less progressive on some issues of concern to SN&R. His energy, intelligence and passion to solve civic problems are contagious. His ability to build coalitions in order to accomplish goals is evidenced by his successes in revitalizing portions of West Sacramento in a manner once thought impossible.

District 10

Democratic candidate
Jim Cook

While both Democratic candidates for the Assembly from the Elk Grove area offer a lot of promise, it’s Jim Cook’s experience that leads us to endorse him in this primary. Cook is a veteran dedicated to improving the lot of his fellow service members, a parole officer with an insider’s viewpoint on crime and its co-occurring problems, and a former prison guard. We endorse Jim Cook.

Republican candidate
Paul Hegyi

David Sander is the anointed candidate of the Republican establishment in District 10, and Jack Sieglock is an old-fashioned fiscal conservative, but we find Paul Hegyi’s populism refreshing. While we may disagree on other issues, his attitude toward big business makes him our choice for the Republican nomination in District 10.

*SN&R has not given endorsements in uncontested races.