National pundits peg the race as leaning Republican, but they also think an upset is quite possible. Voter turnout will be key.

Our decision was an easy one to make.

Dr. Kermit Jones is a family doctor and a Navy veteran — having served as a flight surgeon during two tours in Iraq. After the war, he was a White House Fellow assigned to Health and Human Services. Given that background, it is no surprise that Dr. Jones is focusing his campaign on improving access to quality health care, controlling costs, and using the government’s power to leverage down the price of prescription prices.

Meanwhile, Kiley is aiming to solidify his base among the most extreme elements of the Republican Party — the hardline Trumpsters. For example, Kiley still refuses to acknowledge that Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 election; Kiley was also involved in the effort to waste $276 million of taxpayer money on the doomed-from-the-start recall election of Gavin Newsom last year. Difficult as it might be to imagine, Kiley will be further to the right than Tom McClintock — and therefore even less representative of the needs and aspirations of the people in the district.

Rebecca’s fights have been ones often fought behind closed doors. Or in courtrooms. They don’t tend to get the attention they deserve. They are important fights, and tough ones. Protecting kids from abuse. Aiding survivors of domestic violence. Working to combat sexual assault and human trafficking. Topics that aren’t easy to talk about, let alone do something about.

They are the fights that have defined Rebecca Chenoweth’s career. And they will be some of the issues she’ll be pursuing in the State Assembly.

Along with:

• Access to affordable and quality health care
• Excellence in education
• Safety in our schools — for all children
• Jobs for those who seek one
• Air we can breathe
• Water we can drink
• Homes and insurance we can afford
• Fundamental rights that cannot be taken away

Meanwhile her opponent is playing with a dangerous kind of politics. He has been a leader in the movement denying the lethal impact of the Covid pandemic. He seems to think his personal “liberty” should prevail over his community’s health and well-being.

What kind of a leader is that?

Sierra Forward is working to find and support candidates for office—local, state, and federal—who are reasonable, responsible, accessible. People who do not put partisan advantage at the top of their campaign wish list. We are sort of biased in favor of the quiet, effective ones. The listeners, not the shouters. That’s why we like Rebecca Chenoweth in the Fifth Assembly District this November.

Join us in supporting Rebecca Chenoweth by contributing to her campaign—and to Sierra Forward. And volunteer. Each and every one of us can make a difference.

Brooke Laine is our preferred candidate in El Dorado County’s 5th supervisorial district, which includes Lake Tahoe down the western slope to Pollock Pines. Brooke has been a city council member and mayor of South Lake Tahoe. Her campaign for the Board is focused on health care, fire and public safety, insurance cancellations, infrastructure improvements, climate change, housing (including short term vacation rentals), tourism and snow removal.

Brooke learned her civic values at the family dinner table, as her mom was herself a highly effective and respected civic leader. And, as Brooke likes to remind voters, “Compromise is challenging…. I work conscientiously with all sides [to arrive] at fair and meaningful solutions.”

We are urging voters in the eastern reaches of Madera County, up as far as parts of Yosemite, to vote for 5th district supervisor contender, Bobby Macaulay. This became a contentious, ugly race during the primary when Macaulay’s opponent got desperate by trying to link Macaulay to various left-leaning groups — including the imaginary “Democratic Socialists of America Peace and Freedom Party.” But the kicker was when he said Macaulay’s supporters included “witches and warlocks.” 

Bobby Macaulay has been the chief of staff to longtime and popular Supervisor, Tom Wheeler, and is emphasizing the importance of management of public and private lands, housing and homelessness and public safety.

Placer County Supervisor, 2nd District, candidate, Scott Alvord, receives the Sierra Forward endorsement. Alvord is a Roseville City Council member who is known for his ability to work across ideological and partisan lines in order to get things done. He led the revitalization of downtown Roseville. His opponent promises the same old pattern of supporting real estate developers at the expense of the larger community. 

In Shasta County District 1, the more moderate candidate, Dutch Bros franchise co-owner and current Redding City Councilwoman Erin Resner, has a long history of the kind of public service typically expected from those who choose to take part in local politics. On the other hand, her opponent has a has scant history of public service and is running solely on his pledge to never mandate any precautions against COVID-19. Again, a curious definition of either “leadership” or “representation.” 

In the primary for the Shasta County District 5 Supervisor, the moderate slate candidate, two-term Anderson City Councilman Baron Browning, bested the less-experienced Liberty Committee candidate and State of Jefferson pitchman by eight points, 44 percent to 36 percent, but that was not enough to prevent a run-off. Browning is a solid conservative who would normally be a shoo-in in Shasta County, but these are not normal times

In the race for Nevada County Supervisor, 3rd District (Grass Valley), Sierra Forward is endorsing Lisa Swarthout, Former Grass Valley mayor and Grass Valley City Council member. Lisa is also the Past Chair of both the Grass Valley Downtown Association and the Nevada County Economic Resource Council, and she has been a champion of balanced growth in this historic region. Her opponent is a rigid conservative.