David Wessel
Robert Reich says to be relevant to the future, the Democratic party must organize and mobilize Americans in opposition to Donald Trump’s Republican party turning millions of people into an activist army to peacefully resist what is about to happen. We must create a multi-racial, multi-ethnic coalition of working-class, middle-class, and poor white and black Americans and Latinos determined to wrest control of the economy back from an oligarchy of Wall Street moguls, corporate titans and billionaires who have used it for their own gain starting with the president-elect. I protested George Wallace in Appleton when I was 14, and have been involved ever since. I am the past president of the Sunnyvale Democratic Club and am on that Club’s Board. I am a member of the Santa Clara County Democratic Club, and intend to join the Board of that Club. I was a Peace Corps volunteer and attended the University of Wisconsin School of Law. I was a volunteer with and an employee of Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, now Clean Wisconsin, the most influential environmental organization in Wisconsin. I represent real people against the powerful and those who take advantage of them.
Ashley Hall
There are so many challenges before us. However, if there is one that I would call out in our time, it would be the need to address the root causes of the 2016 election outcome and disturbing sociopolitical developments in our country. If we do not do this it will be very difficult or impossible to make progress on some of the other pressing issues of our time. One of the essential elements in a vibrant and well functioning democracy is the existence of a financially prosperous, well educated and informed middle class. As a country, we have allowed this part of our society to languish for several decades. The ability for a demagogue like Donald Trump and his minders to attain power is a direct result of these failings. It is clear that the single most important thing we need to do now is focus on restoring our middle class to a healthy critical mass so it can make good voting decisions and provide it’s function as an antidote and stabilzing force for progress in our country. I belive that the Democratic Party is best suited to lead the way because of the humanistic and forward thinking principles it is driven by. Our openmindedness and ability to evolve are our core strengths and they will help us find the right solutions for healing our nation and improving the lives of all of our citizens. I am not highly experienced in political activism and organizations but I do consider myself to have a strong sense of social justice, high emotional intelligence and to be a creative thinker. As a proud Californian and an American who strongly values truth and justice, I would like to make a contribution to our party and help meet the challenges of our time.
Vincent Jorgensen
I have been a registered Democrat in California since 2000, and registered to vote since I was eligible (1995). I have never missed voting in an election, no matter how small. I am a political junkie and follow federal elections like a hawk. In the past few years, I’ve gotten more and more interested in state politics, following John Meyers on KQED and reading state blogs like Calitics. This past election, I ran through each and every proposition on the ballot and posted my analysis to FaceBook. At first, I thought I was just whistling in the wind, but I had several acquaintances–old and new–admonish me for delaying my updates. I even had old friends renew our friendships in FB just so they could read my ramblings. I loved the discussion it spurred and enjoyed even more that people were participating actively in our democracy in a thoughtful and educated way. I am a married father of two elementary-aged children. I want to continue the progress that CA DEMS have made in the golden state so my children will have a beautiful world to live in. In my capacity as an ADEM, I hope to promote and support the present and future progressive leaders of our great state. On election night, I stayed up to watch the returns with my children. While I was sorely disappointed with the national results, I believe it’s important that we instill in our children a sense of civic duty. And my anger can fuel my action. Thus, for the good of myself, my children, my state, my country, and my party, I humbly submit my application to be an ADEM for California’s 24th Assembly District.
Lane Pianta
The next four years will require tremendous effort on behalf of all California Democrats. We must lead the way in presenting positive alternatives to the backwards-looking policies of today’s Republican Party. We must find innovative ways to bring the fight to them through hard-nosed progressive legislation. We should press every advantage, whenever possible, to advance the agenda of the Democratic Party nationwide, or else we will find ourselves playing an increasingly marginalized role. To stand down now, at this extraordinary juncture in American history, is unacceptable for a party that won the popular national vote for President in 2016! As a member of the ADEM Board, I will make it my top priority to explore all viable options for reforming the Electoral College, to protect the lives of minorities, POC, and the working poor in our District, and to work towards a more prosperous future for all Californians.
Brent Turner
Born and raised in Redwood City I am a native from the Bay Area, currently residing in Half Moon Bay, CA I am a civil rights activist and an election system analyst / reformist. I am a graduate of Lincoln Law School in San Francisco and have a degree granted by University of San Diego in international legal studies. My community efforts have included volunteer work for the homeless, children’s health / education, and environmental issues. I was instrumental in the creation of the San Francisco County Voting Systems Task Force . I am recognized as a ground breaking activist for sustainability, and dedicate myself to local, state and federal election issues. Currently we are implementing secure – publicly owned – voting systems in the United States. I have worked for many years as a volunteer for the Democratic Party and been involved in many campaigns. I volunteered and hosted for the Jerry Brown Presidential campaign .. through the Obama and Hillary campaigns. I am a tireless advocate for the party and take pride in my town, county, state, and country. i have strong reputation as a hard working activist with local and national standing. If chosen to serve, I promise to live up to, and hopefully surpass, your expectations. Thank you for your vote !!
David Maigret
I received a request via email to serve as a delegate and given the recent election and the current President elect I found it important to step in and help give a voice to those who are not able to speak for themselves. I am a military brat – born at Hamilton Air Force base in Novato. I am a Roman Catholic. I attended Cardinal Newman High School and received my BA from The Univerity of San Diego. I am a Democrat and I choose to vote not for my pocket book but to vote for those unable to defend themselves.
Mehdi Alhassani
My name is Mehdi Alhassani, and I am running for delegate in the 24th Assembly District. My wife, daughter and I live in Palo Alto, and we love calling it home. We have a tradition of taking long walks to the Farmer’s market on Cal Ave. on Sundays, and relish the opportunities to take our daughter to the Magical Bridge Playground. Most of all, we are grateful for our community. Specifically, we admire how active local parents are in their school system because we share the belief that education is a pillar of our society. We respect our neighbors who put up solar panels and advocate sustainable policies that protect the environment including our beautiful parks. We love that many of our neighbors volunteer locally at non-profits to help serve the homeless or travel far distances to aid refugees facing devastation and crisis. Our community is great because its people are good. 9 years ago, I was fortunate to get a job working for then Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. I started by spending several months in Iowa knocking on doors, visiting farmers, meeting with Veterans, listening to what they cared about. After our victory in the Iowa caucus, I went on to organize for President Obama in places like Minnesota, Ohio and North Carolina. Watching the President’s victory speech in 2008 was one of the greatest days of my life. I couldn’t be more proud of all the progress President Obama and Democrats have made over the past 8 years. When the President took office, the global financial system was on the brink of collapse. Today, unemployment is below 5% and wages for the middle class have had their highest increase in decades. 20 million Americans secured access to quality healthcare. As a staffer for the President’s National Security Council at the White House, I watched him end two wars while decimating Al-Qaida’s network. I witnessed incredible moments of American leadership in global climate change negotiations and in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. We have achieved so much these past 8 years. But after the most recent election, we most also recognize that maintaining this progress will be an enormous challenge. I believe Democrats must get back to our core principles and advocate for policies that are rooted in people’s experiences. We must reinvigorate organizing our communities and recruit leaders to build on the success of our
Kenneth Carpenter
Hello, my name is Kenneth “Kacey” Carpenter, running for Assembly District Delegate (AD-24) to bring progressive grass roots passion, energy, and commitment to our Democratic Party. It was an honor to serve as a delegate at the 2016 Democratic National Convention and prior to Philly as an active volunteer helping to get out the vote in California and 10 other states including co-leading 300 people from 30 states to Iowa. The convention was a life changing experience and I was proud to vote, support the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic party, and advocate for grassroots priorities including #NoTPP, #NoFracking, and #NoMoreWar. I met many Democratic delegates and elected officials and strongly articulated the need for California to lead not only with a progressive agenda but also with committed leadership and action to bring about the changes necessary for our community, our state and our country. My journey with Bernie inspired me to continue to fight for the people and run as a candidate for Mountain View City Council where I continued to advocate for people over profits, was endorsed by the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, and helped pass Measure V. My fight for progressive priorities and principles will continue representing our community in AD24 in strong partnership with grass roots progressive volunteers and leaders to help ensure a future for all of us to believe in. To achieve this: help the California Democratic Party lead the country to deliver single payer healthcare for all, make affordable world-class education available from a very early age to adulthood; ensure a comfortable living minimum wage; and a very aggressive transformation of our economy and priorities away from prisons and toward education, and away from fossil fuels to sustainable green energy and green jobs. Bringing back the middle class is vital for America’s economy. We need immigration reform so that all are treated with dignity and have a path toward citizenship. And we need to recognize that Black Lives Matter, and implement local policies so that we are all safe and secure in our neighborhoods. California must lead the to ensure the progressive ideals we all strive to achieve. It would be an honor to represent and help drive our most progressive Democratic Party platform vision to action. To learn more contact kaceycarpenter@gmail.com. Thank
John Cordes
I have been involved in politics for the last 15 years. I served 10 years as the political committee co-chair of the local chapter of the Sierra Club; interviewing candidates and making endorsement in close to 100 races so I have a broad experience judging candidates and working with elected officials. I have worked with both city and Ca elected officials, promoting Sierra Club positions and helping them get elected. I recently retired and ran for Sunnyvale City Council in 2016 and won 34% of the vote in Seat 4. I was endorsed by both the Sunnyvale Democratic Club and the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Club . I am an avid environmentalist who believe promoting a healthy environment and healthy lives goes hand in hand. There are great challenges ahead in AD 24 as our cities struggle with the affordable housing crisis, crushing traffic, homelessness and protecting the quality of life for residents. I think the Democratic party and process is our best hope to address these challenges. We need to continue to work together to make California a bastion of progressive ideas, policies, and actions. I am a firm believer our platform. I believe increasing the minimum wage is the most important action we can take to improve the quality of life and increase business in AD24. We must continue to demand more affordable housing be built and more transportation options. We must push aggressively for actions to reduce climate change and mitigate its impacts. Here is more information about me. I have a masters degrees in Engineering Management from Santa Clara University and worked ~30 years in the semiconductor industry. The focus for the last 10 years of my semiconductor career focused on developing integrated circuits on schedule and cost effectively. In addition to my work in the semiconductor industry, I worked 2 years as the chapter director for the local Sierra Club. I have been involved with ‘Sunnyvale Cool’, a Sunnyvale based environmental advocacy group for over a decade. I am serving on the Sunnyvale Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission since 2014. I am married to a high school math teacher. I am active in my church, currently serving on its stewardship and finance committees. I have decades of experience in various leadership roles for the Sierra Club as well. I was elected and served on local chapter executive committee. I lead cross countr
Paul Crider
The election of Donald Trump accompanied by Republican control of Congress and the Supreme Court brings Democratic priorities into sharp focus. We must devote ourselves most of all to the protection of those individuals targeted by Trump’s threatening rhetoric: Muslims and Arab-Americans, immigrants, people of color, and women. With strong Democratic majorities in our state legislatures, California can act as a sanctuary state and as an example of an open, inclusive society to the rest of the nation. This means we should even be prepared for the state government of California to financially protect our sanctuary cities if the Trump Administration acts on its threats to withhold federal funding. Californian Democrats must work closely with our counterparts in other states. Our state party is healthy, but nationally the Democratic Party is in tatters. To survive the Trump Administration and stage a comeback in 2018, we must broaden our coalition. Some Never Trump Republicans and liberal independents disgusted and scared by Trump’s takeover of the GOP are ripe for engagement with Democrats. If we are open-minded, we can use this moment to expand our ranks. Closer to home, one of the central problems facing Bay Area residents is the housing crisis. The Bay Area offers all of the opportunities of a dynamic economy, but housing is artificially limited by benighted zoning laws, height and density restrictions, and rent control. Reform in these areas along with greater investment in our public transportation infrastructure can make life affordable for working families. I’m 33 and live with my wife and toddler in a Mountain View apartment, and I work as a process engineer in the semiconductor industry. Minus a gap year in Germany, I’ve lived in the Bay Area since 2005 when I came to Berkeley for graduate work in chemistry. As someone committed to civil liberties, I’m an ACLU member and served on the San Mateo chapter’s board before moving to Mountain View. I also phonebanked for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic Volunteer Center. I had always been a proud political independent, but I joined the Democratic Party earlier this year when I realized the existential danger our democracy faces. The political divide has shifted from left vs right to open vs closed, and I believe we must defend the open society. As a new but committed Democrat, I believe I can offer a fre
Mark Cyfka
If you select me as one of your California Democratic Party Assembly Delegates, I will strive to reach out to you, hear your ideas and concerns with an open mind, and faithfully represent those ideas and concerns to our party leaders in Sacramento. In listening to my District 24 neighbors, a handful of core issues have emerged as the most urgent in the context of the 2016 election results. I will listen to & represent your concerns that the incoming presidential administration and incoming GOP-led Congress has normalized hostility towards immigrants, Muslims, women, and people of color, and has proposed actions which would violate the rights of these and other minority groups. I will listen to & represent your concerns regarding an economy where the rich are getting richer and the poor and middle class are increasingly being left behind. I will listen to & represent your concerns that health insurance for all and Planned Parenthood facilities must be protected and funded at the state level if the federal government takes action to defund them. I will listen to & represent your concerns about conserving open spaces, protecting our local and state environment from pollution, and promoting the local and statewide adoption of clean energy sources to mitigate global warming. I will listen to & represent your concerns about our local housing shortage, traffic congestion, public safety, protected bicycle paths, and increased access to public transit. There are so many issues facing our District and our State. I thank you for considering me to represent your concerns and interests regarding these issues as an Assembly Delegate for District 24 for the 2017-2019 term.
Claude Ezran
OBJECTIVES
– Mobilize democrats to protest and resist the unprecedented assault on social justice, civil rights, women rights, immigrants, and other democratic values that is sure to come from the Trump/Pence administration.
– Get Democrats elected throughout California in 2018.
– Change California’s red counties to blue through grass roots actions.
– Push for critical reforms that are long overdue:
o Establish single payer healthcare in California.
o Reform Prop 13 with “split roll” taxation.
o End the death penalty in California.
POLITICAL ACTION
– Lifelong Democrat.
– Delegate of the CA Democratic Party (2009-2010). Member of the Platform Committee.
– Former Board member of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition (PDC). Vice President for Programs.
– Volunteered in many elections: voter registration, precinct walking, phone banking, etc.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
– Former member of the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission (2008-2014).
– Founder and Executive Director of Palo Alto World Music Day (2009-P
Present), a free music festival with 50 musical groups and 20,000 attendees.
– As a member of the Steering Committee for the 2005 Measure A (school parcel tax), led 400 phone bank volunteers to success.
– Held several PTA positions, including Director of Education and Treasurer of the Palo Alto Council of PTAs, as well as School Board Observer.
BIO
– High-tech marketing executive, 30 years of experience in Silicon Valley companies such as Intel, Adobe and start-ups, mostly at the Director and VP level.
– Strong financial expertise: former Financial Analyst.
– BS, MSEE. MBA from Harvard Business School.
– 26-year resident of Palo Alto.
– Married to a pediatrician, three children.
Andre Marion
I can no longer assume that all Americans understand the origins of their rights and the importance of liberal democracy. We need a new era of civic engagement, I want to do whatever I can to unify our nation and world and to preserve and improve social justice for all humans beings.
Raymond Mueller Male
I have been very grateful to serve as a party delegate for the past four years. I believe in the current national environment our state party must serve as beacon of hope to the rest of the Country, that we will not compromise our ideals, that we will protect minorities, the we will defend our civil rights, that we will be stewards of the environment, and that we will remain committed to serving the middle class and the underserved. I would be honored to continue to serve as a delegate.
Alejandro Nunez
I am running to be an Assembly Delegate to promote a Democratic Party agenda that will improve conditions for California’s lower and middle class families and protect our rich ecosystem. I believe that the most important issues we must fight for are: 1. The fair distribution of economic gains 2. Guaranteeing equal rights for all races and religions under the law 3. Publicly financing our political campaigns to prevent individual persons or firms to place private interests ahead of the public good 4. Developing technologies and laws that will move us towards a 100% renewable energy use future and adapt our environment to mitigate the effects of climate change. If elected, I will faithfully serve as your representative and fight for these causes by drawing on my personal attributes and lived experiences to guide our decisions. These include: -Serving as Political Director for the Peninsula Young Democrats. In this role, I have engage and organize young democrats across the 24th district to take action on issues such as our housing availability, increasing our minimum wage, and minority rights -Organizing inter-state political campaigns in 2015 has taught me how to deploy and organize resources on a consistent and large scale -Growing up in my hometown of Bell, CA. With a Latino population percentage of over 95%, Bell residents, including myself experienced undue hardships for many years until 2010, when the largest case of municipal corruption in California history was exposed This event taught me the power that politics has to worsen conditions for working class citizens, and makes it clear that we must turn that power around for the benefit of citizens who have been harmed -Finally, working in the business sector has taught me how to clearly articulate issues, as well as how to negotiate and achieve the highest value outcomes I humbly ask for your vote to represent our 24th District. My experience as a young, latino democrat will serve to diversify our Party Platform and contribute to positive outcomes for all.
Lucas Ramirez
I am honored and grateful to have served as an elected delegate representing the 24th Assembly District since 2013. As a lifelong Democrat and young activist, I have worked hard to advance our shared goals. Since 2012, I have volunteered for over 30 local, regional, state, and national campaigns to elect Democrats and support progressive causes. With the help of activists throughout the state, I drafted a resolution that was adopted at the 2013 CDP Convention and an amendment to the CDP platform that was adopted during the 2014 Convention. I am active in many clubs, including the Peninsula Democratic Coalition, the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, the Sunnyvale Democratic Club, and the Peninsula Young Democrats. I respectfully ask for your continued support and vote.
Stephen Rosenblum
The Presidential election in 2016 showed that the American people want change in Washington. They elected an “outsider” as President with no public service experience on a platform of “draining the swamp” in Washington in spite of the fact that he was opposed by a very qualified Democratic candidate. The reason for this loss is that Democrats ran as anti-Trump and not pro-middle class. The party needs to embrace the ideology of the Bernie Sanders campaign: raising funds only from small donors and taking back control of the country from the billionaire class. As a delegate I pledge to make Bernie’s ideas the heart and soul of the party.
Zachery Ross
I am running for delegate to continue my effort to be more involved in the Democratic Party process. I have long been involved and on the boards of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition and the Peninsula Young Democrats. I will work to fight for good Democratic and Progressive candidates for the state of California. I ask for your vote.
Michael Serrone Male
California continues to lead the nation in many areas, but we still have a lot of work to do locally, particularly with respect to income inequality, affordable housing and sustainability. I am a lifelong Democrat and President of the Sunnyvale Democratic Club. Over the past two years, the primary focus of our Club has been affordable housing, jobs/housing imbalance and sustainable transportation solutions. We have organized multiple forums and presentations at our monthly meetings. Our Affordable Housing Committee has formed a Coalition with several Bay Area political organizations to provide a powerful, unified voice advocating for more affordable and sustainable growth in Sunnyvale. We have organized members to show up for City Council meetings, Planning Commission meetings and various outreach events to advocate for affordable, sustainable solutions at key decision points. Our Club has also endorsed and supported local Democratic candidates and ballot measures. The Democratic Party needs to build a community of activists who support each other and advocate for our values every day, not just in election years. We need to be pushing a progressive agenda addressing income inequality, speaking out for more affordable housing and transportation alternatives and opposing wage theft in all of its forms. Democrats should be on the front lines of all of these battles every week, supporting our communities. This is the vision I will promote as an Assembly District Delegate.
Leonard Siegel
I am a professional environmental advocate, long-time peace activist, and since January 2015 a member of the Mountain View City Council. (I expect to be elected Vice-Mayor in January, 2017.) As a council member, I have spearheaded Mountain View’s efforts to address the jobs-housing imbalance, prevent displacement of low-income residents, and improve mass transit. I voted successfully to increase the minimum wage to $15 on January 1, 2018 and switch to 100% renewable energy. The California Democratic Party seems unified on the need to protect the human and civil rights of all people, regardless of race or ethnic background, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Those include the rights to clean air and water, to right to quality health care, the right to choose, the right to love, the right to a public education, the right to child care, and the right to organize. In the wake of the national election, our state must take the lead in defending those rights nationally. While I have always considered myself a progressive, I recognize that the one-dimensional political spectrum poorly describes the American electorate. The Democratic Party must show that we represent the people, not the political and economic establishment, both to wrest power from the “one percent” and to win back average Americans attracted by Donald Trump’s pseudo-populism.
Cory Wolbach Male
The Democratic Party must be a strong opposition party, fighting Trump’s extreme agenda and appointees; setting the stage to take back state governments, Congress, and the White House; and doing everything within our power to protect marginalized communities and the environment. As a Democratic activist and Palo Alto City Council member, I fight for affordable housing, transportation options, raising the minimum wage, social justice, privacy, climate action, and campaign finance reform. I currently serve on the board of the Peninsula Democratic Coalition. I have also served on the Santa Clara County Democratic Party Platform Committee, as President of Peninsula Young Democrats, and as Political Director of College Democrats at UCSD. I respectfully ask for your vote for ADEM Delegate in Assembly District 24.
Steve Chessin
I am running for re-election to the DSCC and to the Executive Board. I would be honored to have your support. I’ve been a DSCC member since 1986 and on the E-Board since 1993, Secretary of the Santa Clara County Democratic Party for 8 years, and producer of its public access cable television show for 14 years. I was a founder of the CDP Children’s Caucus. I’ve attended every Convention and actively participated in every E-Board meeting during my terms. I’ve also served on the Voter Services committee, helped elect Democrats to office at all levels, and worked on electoral reform. I mentor new people and help them come up to speed on the intricate workings of the California Democratic Party, including navigating the Resolutions, Rules, and Caucus processes. I was the Convener for the CD18 Bernie Sanders Delegate Selection Caucus and have encouraged Sanders supporters to stay active with the Democratic Party. I’ve been endorsed by both newly-elected Assemblymember Marc Berman and retiring Assemblymember Rich Gordon. You will find a more complete statement, including my complete political resume and (at some point) a more complete list of endorsers, at https://chessin24-2017.blogspot.com/2016/12/my-campaign-statement.html
Johannes Muenzel
I volunteered for President Obama in 2012 and for Bernie Sanders in 2016, but I’ve never felt the sense of urgency I do now. I’m not alone: every organizing event I’ve gone to since November has been packed. I’ve called myself a democratic socialist since Bernie’s inspirational campaign, so I’m proud to say one of those meetings was organized by the Democratic Socialists of America. In dire circumstances, people of all stripes are coming together and asking: “How can I help?” Pundits say we Democrats should abandon our values to appeal to Republicans. Nonsense! I can’t think of a better way to advance the Republican agenda than to flatter it with imitation. Instead, let’s look at all those crowded meetings, and all the beautiful, angry protests, and open the doors of the Democratic Party to that energy, to a revolution of participation. Let’s come up with an agenda that reflects our values, not the interests of the billionaire class or a compromise with white supremacy. We don’t need to choose between principles and a path to electoral victory. Our principles ARE the path to victory. We must: FIGHT racism. The kind that comes from the barrel of a gun, and every other kind. Black lives matter. FIGHT sexism. The kind that let a rapist walk away with a three-month sentence right here in our district, and every other kind. FIGHT homophobia. I saw the tears of a woman afraid of being separated from her wife. Not last decade, but last month. FIGHT transphobia. My heart breaks when I think about the victims of the Oakland fire who were called by the wrong names even in death. FIGHT xenophobia. California must protect the vulnerable, even if they’re undocumented, and even from the federal government. FIGHT poverty. Because I’ve seen poverty here in Silicon Valley, and so have you. A woman curled up in a sleeping bag. An old man in a wheelchair asking for change. FIGHT for civil liberties. Even the right to vote is under attack, with tactics reminiscent of the anti-abortion movement. FIGHT for a liveable environment. I’ll quote Bernie: “To hell with the fossil fuel industry!” FIGHT for policies that benefit all of us. Not just affluent white folks, and not just the “one percent!” Let’s push for a $15+ minimum wage, single-payer health care, fair housing and free college. Let’s get creative and push for free public transit and a universal basic income!
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