Moments before the filing deadline earlier this month, Wiley
Nickel threw his hat into the 12th District Senate race and will be
challenging incumbent senator Jeff Denham.
Hollister – Moments before the filing deadline earlier this month, Wiley Nickel threw his hat into the 12th District Senate race and will be challenging incumbent senator Jeff Denham.
While the incumbent may have the advantage when it comes to cash and endorsements, Nickel has a much larger base of support to draw from in the solidly Democratic district. Although both candidates are from Merced County, local political insiders expect San Benito County to be an important stop on the campaign trail.
Nickel, a 30-year-old rancher and attorney with the Merced County District Attorney’s office, decided to run for the seat on the Democratic ticket after local Assemblyman Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, chose not to enter the race.
Nickel could not be reached for comment on Friday, but his campaign manager, Alan Jathoo, said the candidate was in the process of raising money and putting together a campaign committee.
Nickel, a Dos Palos resident, is a quintessential dark-horse candidate. The Pepperdine Law School graduate was admitted to the California State Bar Association four months ago in December. Nickel plans to focus on education, health care, neighborhood safety and improving the local economy, according to a statement.
Denham, R-Merced, wasn’t surprised by Nickel’s decision to join the race and said he had always expected competition.
“I knew that there was going to be someone running against me and I was going to be prepared,” Denham said Friday outside the San Benito County Courthouse. “I’ve worked really hard and already raised more than $2 million. I also have a lot of support from both Democrats and Republicans.”
Denham said his campaign wouldn’t change with Nickel’s decision to enter the race. The fourth-year senator plans to focus on agriculture and education issues, the same platform that got him elected in 2002.
Denham appears to have an early advantage in the race with more than 15 times as much cash-on-hand than Nickel. Denham has about $1.48 million ready in his war chest compared to Nickel’s meager $100,673. Denham has also nabbed dozens of key endorsements, in San Benito County and elsewhere, from both Democrats and Republicans alike.
Although Denham has the cash and incumbent advantage, he may be fighting an uphill battle in the heavily-democratic district. More than 46 percent of district voters are registered democrat compared to 37 percent republican. In 2002, Denham defeated Democrat Rusty Areias by 1,843 votes, or 1.3 percent of the vote.
The 12th District includes five counties, Stanislaus, Merced, Monterey, San Benito and Madera. San Benito ranks fourth in terms of registered voters, with 24,679.
Although smaller than other counties, Denham said San Benito County is an important part of the district.
“I spend a lot of time here now and I’ll continue to do so,” Denham said. “I have a very strong grass roots campaign.”
Ignacio Velazquez, who is running for Salinas’s assembly seat on the Republican ticket, knows that San Benito County can’t be neglected by any 12th District senate hopeful.
“I don’t think you can ignore San Benito County,” he said. “And I don’t think you should either.”
Valezquez said politicians who focus exclusively on one part of the district are bound to lose heavily in the counties they neglected.
Political analyst Robert Rivas knows that San Benito County voters can definitely sway the election.
“San Benito County voters can make a difference,” he said. “We’re on the outskirts of district and we don’t really stand up to the numbers in Merced or Modesto, but we can’t be forgotten.”
Brett Rowland covers state politics and public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
