Election season is in full swing in Benicia, and the candidates are already picking up endorsements from local groups.
Throughout much of last week, the Solano County Democratic Central Committee interviewed almost 40 candidates throughout the county seeking office at city council and school board levels. In Benicia races, the group interviewed District 2 Board of Supervisors candidates Monica Brown and Mike Ioakimedes, mayoral candidate Elizabeth Patterson, and City Council candidates Tom Campbell, Christina Strawbridge and Steve Young. On Thursday night, the committee voted to endorse Solano Community College Board trustee Brown over former Councilmember Ioakimedes, incumbent Mayor Patterson over Vice Mayor Mark Hughes, and Planning Commissioner Young over either of the incumbent councilmembers.
The Solano County Republican Central Committee has not publicly endorsed any of the candidates in Benicia races and could not be reached for comment Friday.
The Napa/Solano Central Labor Council, a political action group representing more than 40,000 working people in Solano and Napa counties, also went through a rigorous interview process with more than 70 candidates vying for office in Solano County. The goal, as was noted in an Aug. 24 Facebook post announcing its endorsements, was to find candidates who had the best interest of the working class. Ultimately, the Council endorsed Hughes for mayor and Strawbridge and Economic Development Board Vice Chair Lionel Largaespada. Likewise, the Benicia Police Officers’ Association also endorsed Hughes, Strawbridge and Largaespada via an Aug. 26 letter to the Benicia Herald, and Largaespada announced through a press release that he had received an endorsement from the International Area Fire Fighters Local 1186, a union which represents Benicia firefighters.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
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Very interesting. Being Steve Young is a District Two Democratic Central Committee. member. I guess you endorse yourself. This group endorsed three people that are questionable candidates. We shall see.
It’s not mentioned above, but The Napa/Solano Central Labor Council also endorsed Mike Ioakimedes for Solano County District 2 Supervisor.
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That is very true Nikki.
. The District 2 Democratic Central Committee also has Steve Young as a member and he supports Mayor Patterson. Look at the last Mayor election and you will know why this very biased group supported who they supported in non- partisan elections. There may also be another member of District 2 from the Planning Commission. Very easy to figure out their endorsements. Very biased and self serving.
As some of you might know Monica Brown {candidate for District 2 Supervisor} is a member of District 2 Democrat Central Committee along with Steve Young {Benicia Planning Commission member and Benicia council candidate} and possible Kari Birdseye. {Benicia Planning Commission member and on Steve Young endorcem3ent list{ Now is there any doubt they would not endorse one of their own in Monica Brown and Steve Young. No chance. So as you see these endorsements are meaningless.. Even the Mayor Patterson endorsement. She was the only mayor candidate o9n their list. The others had at least two. The mayors has history going back to 2011 re-election. Could be why Mike was not endorsed. Just a thought . Go back and look at the articles and you will understand.
Can any of you believe that Steve Young was interviewing his competition as was Monica Brown.. Is corrupt a proper word to describe this process. If I am wrong then explain that you did not interview the competition and recused yourselves. That anyone would except. But the voters must hear from you Steve and Monica.