Editorial: Lee is ideal of two weak candidates in District 24 Assembly race
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When Alex Lee was elected to the condition Assembly at age 25 in 2020, we anxious about his deficiency of expertise. But we hoped that as the youngest member of the Legislature he would carry a youthful perspective to Sacramento and could speedily grow into what is a challenging job.
Unfortunately, our worries have been borne out. Lee is properly-versed on only a slender band of challenges, and his prior inexperience leaves him unaware or dismissive of complications community governments facial area. What he did attain during his to start with two-calendar year phrase was to grow to be nonetheless one more uncritical and reliable vote for labor, which the Legislature currently has in abundance.
Lee’s effectiveness remaining him vulnerable to staying unseated by a robust, highly regarded challenger. But the June principal candidate subject was weak, leaving District 24 voters with a decision in the Nov. 8 standard election involving Lee and perennial Republican applicant Bob Brunton, whose values are not in sync with district voters.
As a result, as in the common election two several years ago, we once again recommend Lee but with even far more reluctance than before. We hope that he will experienced into a more efficient consultant of his re-drawn district, which now incorporates Milpitas, Fremont, Newark and element of San Jose. And we hope he will come to figure out that his quick political rise has still left him with huge awareness gaps.
A evident example of Lee’s failure to grasp the essentials of excellent governing administration was his introduction of AB 1944. The monthly bill would have substantially weakened the Brown Act, the state’s open up-assembly regulation for community federal government, by offering authorized justification for elected officers to conceal at dwelling away from constituents and journalists.
Luckily, it unsuccessful to make it out of a Senate committee. California requirements extra transparency in government and public accessibility to elected officials, not less.
Lee would also gain by using additional time to listen to and establish assist with his constituents. Two many years back, he snuck into the basic election with just 15% of the main vote because eight Democrats in the race split the party’s vote. This calendar year he did far better in the most important but fell much quick of the finish anticipated of an incumbent.
Without a doubt, the other three Democratic candidates in the race garnered much more votes blended than Lee. It is an sign of Lee’s failure to make broad-dependent grassroots support.
The Democratic vote-splitting in the most important permitted Brunton to the moment yet again make the runoff. But he has minimal opportunity in the typical election. Brunton ran for Assembly in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 and has however to garner a third of the vote.
Brunton, 64, is an amiable, aged-type Republican, a rapidly vanishing species. His perform encounter is made up of digital profits, producing and monetary administration. His only general public workplace knowledge is 12 several years as a trustee on the Ohlone Local community College or university Board.
He normally takes the regular GOP placement of opposing new taxes and cutting present types. He phone calls himself a frequent feeling Republican who would like to “rebuild and remake this location the way I observed it when I first arrived in this article.” As if that were doable.
The race boils down to a alternative involving an incumbent Democrat whose very first two years had been weak, at most effective, and a Republican who would be largely ineffective if elected. District 24 voters have earned superior. But one particular of the two will be elected in November.
We toss our unenthusiastic aid to Lee and carry on to hope that he will inevitably increase into the position.
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