San Benito County Supervisor Robert Rivas has officially announced that he is entering the contest for the 30th District seat in the California Assembly, which includes the Salinas Valley and Big Sur, San Benito County, Watsonville, Gilroy and Morgan Hill.
His campaign will focus on education, roads and protecting the environment, and he will continue his work to bring affordable housing and good-paying jobs to the district. He also pledged to be a strong advocate for local farmers.
“I am a lifelong resident of this region, and I will work tirelessly to make sure the 30th Assembly District has a strong advocate in Sacramento,” said Rivas, who pledged to be a strong advocate for every district resident. “We have been fortunate to have a strong leader in Anna Caballero fighting for us. I will continue to work on the issues Anna has championed to improve the quality of life of everyone in our region.”
Rivas is a native of San Benito County. His grandfather was a migrant farmworker, and Rivas was raised in farmworker housing near Hollister. He graduated from San Benito High School, and returned to the area after college to serve his community. Rivas has worked as a lecturer at Gavilan College, a paid call firefighter in Hollister, and in staff positions for Assemblymembers Simon Salinas and Anna Caballero. Since 2010, Rivas has served on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.
The current county supervisor will make improving roads and the regional transportation system a priority.
“Traffic congestion diminishes our quality of life and pollutes our environment,” Rivas said. “We need urgent fixes for this issue.”
Rivas will also focus on education.
“As an educator at Gavilan College, I see firsthand the challenges our students face,” he said. “We must make sure that every student has the skills to succeed in a changing economy.”
Protecting the environment will be another key focus of Rivas’ campaign. He led the successful effort to ban fracking in San Benito County.
“Robert Rivas served as a paid-call firefighter for over six years in San Benito County,” said Vince Grewohl, president of the Hollister Firefighters Association. “He was on the front lines, keeping our community safe. We trust him to be a strong advocate for public safety. He is the best candidate for the job.”
Rivas has won support from various leaders across the district, including former Santa Clara County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado.
“I strongly urge all Santa Clara County residents to support Robert Rivas for State Assembly,” Alvarado said. “He’ll fight for increased funding for roads and transportation, more affordable housing, and better schools for our children. He’s a principled leader who we can trust to deliver results.”
“I am proud to support Robert Rivas for Assembly,” said Joe Zanger, lifelong family farmer. “Supervisor Rivas has been a strong advocate for family farmers in San Benito County. He possesses the temperament, values, and honesty to be an effective leader in Sacramento.”
More information about Rivas’ campaign for Assembly can be found at https://www.rivasforassembly.com.
