Hey Focus fans!
Imagine a local candidates forum where “the community speaks first and candidates listen.”
Those words come straight out of promo material for an Oct. 3 Latino Community Listening Forum featuring all city council and school board candidates throughout Stanislaus County who want to participate.
People can share their “lived experiences, concerns, and priorities” with these candidates, a notice says.
Listed sponsors are El Concilio, the League of Women Voters of Stanislaus County, Valley Improvement Projects, El Rematito, the Latino Community Roundtable, the ACLU of Northern California, NAACP Modesto/Stanislaus, South Modesto Businesses United and the West Modesto Community Collaborative.
The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3 at El Rematito, the giant flea market at 3113 Crows Landing Rd., Modesto.
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Latino voters could make all the difference in key races for the House of Representatives across several states, including California, according to our friends with the nonprofit news agency NOTUS (News of the United States).
The report singles out a nasty Valley race that’s getting a ton of media attention – between Republican incumbent David Valadao and progressive Democrat Randy Villegas – in California’s 22nd District just south of Fresno.
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One wonders whether Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, and Republican challenger Kevin Lincoln, a former Stockton mayor, are a bit jealous. Their District 13 battleground, running through the west half of Stanislaus County, became a media darling two years ago when Gray ousted former Rep. John Duarte by a hair-thin 187 votes, the closest race in the nation.
By the way, about 57% of households in District 13 mostly speak a language other than English at home.
But Prop. 50 last November made District 13 a bit more blue, and the Cook Political Report considers it a left-leaning district as opposed to its “toss up” forecast for District 22.
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I usually don’t mention fundraisers that aren’t open to the general public. This one definitely is.
The Modesto Roadsters are letting Michael Masuda – a Democratic candidate hoping to represent the other (east) half of Stanislaus County in District 5 – host a fundraiser at this Friday’s (Aug. 28) baseball game.
His fans can show support by purchasing $75 tickets including entrance, pulled pork, hot dogs and other refreshments.
Other fans, presumably including supporters of incumbent Republican Tom McClintock, can root on the Roadsters with nonfood tickets ranging from $11 to $16, according to the team’s website.
It may help to know that Dave Heller, who owns the Roadsters, is a “top political media consultant and campaign strategist in the Democratic Party,” according to his website.
On an apolitical note, it’s exciting to note that the Roadsters are all alone at the top of the Pioneer League’s second-half standings, with an impressive .784 record of 28 wins against seven losses. That puts Modesto 4 ½ games back in the season’s overall standings – behind the leading Billings (Montana) Mustangs, owned by – it’s true – Heller.
Feel free to share notes, tips and insights for Stanislaus-centric campaign coverage at garth@themodestofocus.org.