50 Candidates Vying For 14 Elk Grove, 9th Assembly District Democratic Delegation Positions This Saturday

January 5, 2017 |  

Even though the general election concluded two months ago, a big contest is taking shape this Saturday morning in Elk Grove that could determine the direction of the Democratic Party's agenda in California and the Sacramento region. 

This Saturday morning, a meeting will convene at an Elk Grove bowling alley where delegates will be selected for the California Democratic Party's representing California's 9th Assembly District. Word among some party activist that in the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump's surprise victory in the general election, there is an increased interest in organizing efforts and participation in the electoral process.

At stake at the meeting will be the election of 14 delegates - seven men and seven women, to the Assembly District's delegation. The total number of delegates will be around 30 with the balance being appointed by California Assemblymember Jim Cooper, State Senator Dr. Richard Pan, and Congressman Dr. Ami Bera. 

While the caucus' have generally been relatively low-profile party affairs, this year there are over 50 individuals vying for the 14 delegate positions. Several of the delegate candidates are running on slates, with two notable groups organized by the Sacramento Central Labor Council (SCL) and Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly. 

On the SCLC's slate of 14 candidates are several Elk Grove residents including Maureen Craft, Rick Guerrero, Tracie Stafford, and Amar Singh Shergill. Readers will recall that Craft and Stafford ran for the Elk Grove City Council District 3 and the Mayoral seats respectively in the November election.    

Ly's slate of candidates includes Cosumnes Community Services District Director Rod Brewer, his wife Cua Lo-Ly, his full time assistant, Teresa Rodriguez, and his City Hall intern, John Thao.  

In Ly's statement, he claimed to be the most progressive Mayor in Elk Grove's history and will stand at the fore for a variety of progressive causes. 

"I want to continue my work to ensure that every working person is earning a living wage, getting their medical needs addressed and America continues to be the beacon of freedom for immigrants and refugees," Ly's statement read. Ly made no mention of environmental issues.

One of the SCLC's slate candidates, Rick Guerrero, bemoaned what he called the kowtowing by the "neoliberal establishment" that has failed "working people and our earth" in his candidate statement. An organizer with the SEIU Local 1000, Guerrero also is President of the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS).

Guerrero said in his statement that "I stood up against sprawl development, promoted smart growth including affordable housing, worked to improve air quality, and helped establish a regionally coordinated conservation strategy. I was honored to be awarded Sacramento's 2015 Environmentalist of the Year for my efforts."

Saturday's meeting will be held at Pins n' Strikes located at 3443 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove. Candidate speeches will start at 9:30 a.m with voting between 10 a.m and noon. Registered Democrats residing the 9th Assembly District are eligible to vote.