As the race for the 28th District Assembly seat nears the finish
line, Republican candidate Bob Perkins wants to have a little fun –
at his own expense.
Hollister – As the race for the 28th District Assembly seat nears the finish line, Republican candidate Bob Perkins wants to have a little fun – at his own expense.
Signs with Perkins’ cartoon likeness along with a witty comment – deemed a “Perk-Olation” by Perkins and his campaign staff – are posted around the district Perkins is vying to represent.
Perkins is running against Democratic incumbent Simón Salinas, who is seeking his third term. The district encompasses all of San Benito County and parts of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
In the background of the signs, next to Perkins’ head, is a comic drawing of Sacramento’s capitol building dome. In a dialogue bubble coming from Perkins’ mouth are the words, “It’s time the 28th District had an assemblyman with some ideas under the old dome.”
“It’s a way to portray me as the candidate with new ideas, and also a way to play off one of my more obvious visual features,” Perkins said, referring to his bald head. “I want to approach this election with a new perspective, and this was a way for me to personalize the campaign and add a light touch.”
Perkins said the new ads also are intended to rouse voter interest during an election season that might be getting on some voters’ nerves.
“I think many people are turned off by politics on the national level right now, and they’re getting tired of hearing the same old things,” Perkins said.
By Nov. 2, a total of 50 signs will be put up around the district, Perkins said. His campaign also has mailed out 10,000 color postcards with other Perk-Olations and broadcast several 60-second radio commercials, he said.
The new ideas Perkins says he will work for if elected include bringing back businesses and jobs to California by reducing taxes, fees and other regulations, as well as giving the 28th District more of a voice in state legislative issues.
“I think voters in the 28th District deserve to be heard, and they’re not being heard right now,” he said. “They deserve better.”
Perkins managed the Riverside County Farm Bureau for more than 20 years before taking his current job as executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau. This is his first time seeking an elected office.
Salinas became the first Mexican-American to be elected to the Salinas City Council in 1989. He served on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in 1993 – the first Mexican-American to serve on the board in more than 100 years – and became chair of the board in 1997. Salinas’ primary objectives are to balance the state budget through long-term solutions, to get more minorities into California’s higher education system by making sure outreach efforts are not hurt by budget cuts, and continuing to work on affordable housing issues, especially for farm workers. He also wants to preserve health care programs, especially for children, working families and people who use prescription drugs.
Over the course of his past two terms, Salinas said he has gotten 14 out of 16 bills signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, including a “violent sexual predator” bill, which helps set up criteria for where to place sexual predators after they are released, and a package of five affordable housing bills.
“We’ve really been rolling our sleeves up and working hard,” Salinas said. “Right now we’re just concentrating on the election next week, but after that I’ll be continuing to work on ways to improve education, and affordable housing will continue to be a priority for me.”
Salinas has written a number of bills addressing issues such as public safety and transportation. He currently serves on several legislative committees including Housing and Community Development, Agriculture and Veterans’ Affairs. He also chairs the Local Government Committee and the Select Committee on Rural Economic Development.
Earlier this year, the League of Cities, the American Planning Association and the California Transit Association each named Salinas as Legislator of the Year.
Salinas said he thought the assembly race was going well so far and he is optimistic for election day.
“By looking at my supporters – the business councils, firefighters, nurses, agricultural industry – I would say that I have a strong cross-section of supporters. I bring a practical, no nonsense kind of leadership, and I hope the voters can appreciate that,” he said.
