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Jess Herrera
Jess Herrera, a five-term commissioner on the Oxnard Harbor District board, today will become the fifth Democrat to declare his candidacy for Ventura County's new 26th Congressional District seat.
Herrera has scheduled formal announcement events in Thousand Oaks, Oxnard and Santa Paula.
"For years now, I've had a passion about the economy and trying to create jobs," he said. "I've seen too many opportunities that we could have capitalized on if we had leadership in high places. I may not change the nation, but I sure want to change the face of Ventura County with economic development."
Herrera, 63, is a longshoreman who works as a marine clerk at the Port of Hueneme, helping coordinate the flow of ships and cargo into and out of the commercial port. He was elected to the port's governing board in 1994, has been re-elected four times and currently serves as board president.
He joins a race that includes four fellow Democrats: Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett of Ventura, Moorpark Councilman David Pollock, retired longshoreman Zeke Ruelas of Oxnard and Westlake Village businessman David Cruz Thayne.
Potential Republican candidates are deferring decisions until incumbent Rep. Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley decides whether to seek re-election in the new district. Although Gallegly lives slightly outside the district, he currently represents most of it and would be widely considered the incumbent if he chooses to run.
The period in which official declarations of candidacy can be filed opens Feb. 13 and runs through March 9.
Herrera, an Oxnard native and Army veteran, said he welcomes the competition among Democrats and believes he can emerge on top.
"We're in it to win it," he said. "I think I am the candidate who can put together a winning coalition."
Pollock and Thayne announced their intent to run in August, and Bennett joined the field in November. All have been fundraising aggressively, and campaign finance reports to be released in less than two weeks are expected to show they have approached or exceeded $100,000 in contributions.
Ruelas, who announced Dec. 20, and now Herrera are relative latecomers to the field.
Herrera said he soon will begin raising money but declined to say how much he hopes to raise to wage a competitive campaign. He said his nearly 20 years of holding elected office in Oxnard, the district's largest city, gives him superior name recognition among district voters.
The new district includes all of Ventura County except for most of Simi Valley and a small coastal slice of Ventura. It also includes Westlake Village in Los Angeles County.
Because of its closely divided political makeup, the district is expected to be targeted by both parties as a critical swing area in which the outcome could help decide whether Republicans retain a majority in the House of Representatives this fall.
Acknowledging the closely divided partisan makeup of the district, Herrera said he hopes to be the kind of candidate who could attract support across party lines.
"For me, there is no left and no right — there's just the right thing to do," he said.
Under the rules of the state's new top-two primary system, all voters in June, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote for candidates from any party. The new process will not select party nominees. Instead, it will serve to narrow the candidate field to the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, who will advance to the November ballot.
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Comments » 30
Bill_Hays_Jr writes:
Yes Jess! We are behind you!
GOPEMT writes:
illegal sympathizer
Hardballer writes:
As you can see Steve Bennett is not the strong candidate he thinks he is. If he was you wouldn't see this many other Democrats in the race. Steve at best is a weak fake liberal. He has little appeal outside the city of Ventura. The east county will decide this race and he has no appeal in the east county. He isn't even a one issue candidate. Don't get me wrong I'm a Democrat, but I can't support someone who has never been there for fellow Democrats. This race needs a good Jobs Democrat that supports and helps other Democrats. A recent poll by a potential candidate shows Bennett has less than 10% by Democrats most likely to vote. He just can't and won't win.
cassandra2 writes:
Bennett has a record to be proud of. He has made difficult decisions that made him some enemies among the stupid so there are always a negative shadow of any good.
Venturans, however know who he is and that he has worked for the benefit of all his constituents.
Bill_Hays_Jr writes:
Steve has micromanaged the Board of Supervisors for years. Two year's ago, he and his friends on the Board voted to spend over $750,000 of the taxpayers money on Boys and Girls Clubs in Oak View, Saticoy, Somis, Camarillo, and Linda's horse ranch in Conejo. $450,000 of the $750,000 was from Bennett's request. Zaragoza second the motions for approval with Foy the only Supervisor voting no. Mind you this was taking place during the budget hearings.
Imagine what would happen if he was in Congress.
GAF73 writes:
Jess Herrera has done an outstanding job as an elected official for the port and would continue to do so in Congress. He is the right person for this district. Good luck and Yes Jess!
joannelinda#771268 writes:
I'm going to support Jess. He belives in creating jobs for working people that provide a decent standard of living.
rlfgon2 writes:
Yes Jess!! FInally someone who cares about and can create jobs and can represent all of his constituents.
Barney writes:
Oh goodie, a union man. We are doomed.
Cyrano writes:
This community could benefit from having a representative in Congress who has experience growing the local economy, knows this county well and has a record of working well across party lines. YES JESS!
Hey_Scapegoat writes:
Oh geez, another fossil. A unionized one at that.
"The Great 2012 Battle of the Dem Fossils"
athomp810 writes:
Jeez, yet another 20 year politician running for the seat. Cruz Thayne is the only guy running who isn't one.
whereyoufromdude writes:
Jess...the problem is that in reality, you are just a clerk.
RussellBurgos (Inactive) writes:
Good. The more, the merrier.
steveb36701 (Inactive) writes:
A number of months ago, Mr. Howry wrote an article regarding the negativity and meanness that was so prevalent in the Comments of many articles. At that time, the comments were shut down on many articles and people were told to keep their comments civil. Why, then, is there so much favoritism shown to certain commenters who seem to be able to insult, demean, and otherwise ridicule at will those who may have a different opinion than they do, namely TomCat Driver and Cassandra2. It is almost guaranteed that their comments will be disparaging toward someone or a group of someones every time. Today's comment on this article is a fine example, she had to get in her dig. I would love to see these commenters banned or at least censured.
CityThatCares writes:
Jess is a person of integrity. He should make a strong contender for the Democratic nomination.
fran05292002#294387 writes:
Yes Jess has had a long history of attempting to run for other offices and then he runs back to Harbor Commission, and why so late in the game when others like Bennett and Cruz-Thayne have started since October/November, so if Jess loses is he going to run back to Harbor or will bow out all together, also if he seen so many opportunity to create jobs why didn't he step up then why has he not advocated about this before why only no that he wants something from us like our vote.People have been losing jobs and their homes since 2008 why only in 2012 do I hear from him now.
Traditional writes:
It is going to be entertaining watching all these Dems try and out-left each other.
oneofmany writes:
How about we get some young people to run instead of all these senior citizens.
Hardballer writes:
I commented earlier about how Steve Bennett can't win this race. He is a weak Supervisor at best. Right now he should out distance his oppisition, but he can't beat Gallegly. Not because Gallegly has done anything but line his pockets but Bennett just isn't a candidate who has done anything either. It's a race of do nothings. Gallegly and Bennett are very similar as 1 issue candidates. Gallegly with immigrants and Bennett with the enviroment. The problem is niether has done anything to speak of with regards to those issues. It would be nice to have a strong candidate who can get something done. Gallegly and Bennett are both just lining their pockets because they couldn't hold a private sector job. If the Dems put a strong blue collar candidate in the race who understands campaigns and how to really get things done in DC then Ventura could be a winner. Instead all we have Bennett. HE JUST CAN'T WIN...........................
ducchun#204641 writes:
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people under the pretence of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson
ducchun#204641 writes:
"Under the rules of the state's new top-two primary system, all voters in June, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote for candidates from any party. The new process will not select party nominees. Instead, it will serve to narrow the candidate field to the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, who will advance to the November ballot."
Unfortunately, despite all the technological advances in our modern democracy, voter fraud still occurs, and yet there is still resistance to one very simple tool that could help eradicate it: voter ID.
nobaloney writes:
Steve Bennett is a no-growth/no progress politician who has caused Ventura to miss many opportunities in the past years. His foolishness began with his strong objection to a state university being placed on the Taylor Ranch property in Ventura and he -- along with Ventura -- went downhill from there. He is absolutely the worse thing that could happen to an electorate.
Politics77 writes:
So with 5 candidates in the running on the Democrat side we are diluting the potential financial power that will result. Yes, outside money will help the campaigns but each candidate will be there begging for money throughout the county. I am going to get tired of a few people begging me for money and now I get 5+. Serriously people need to think strategy and as we have seen with the Republican Primary, they are pretty divisive. Republicans in the district will either fall back on the incumbent or he will anoint a successor and have a leg up as he is able to use all 11 months to campaign while the Democrats will have to pull together after June. Don't jump in the race to split the ticket and poke eyes.
Some people say that jumping into the race late is better than never. I disagree. I want confidence in my elected representative.
I am going to Support Mr David Cruz Thayne. He doesn't want to play politics as usual and has already shown a great effort to be out in the community and talking to people. Other candidates have just waited in the shadows, showing their faces before shuttling off to another meeting.
Absolem writes:
And these are the kinds of PC milquetoast stories that the laughably objective "news outlet, The Star" will let you comment on: and I have no doubt why, but will withold the comment on the slightest chance it might be considered racist. This guy is a major sell-out weasel and doesn't deserve the vote, just to keep it on topic...
Model19 writes:
I suppose the Star gives no weight to the likelihood that Brad Sherman decides to run in this "new" district instead of getting into a hugely expensive intra-party contest against Howard Berman . . . In which case, of course, all these pretenders will self-vaporize.
raylaw43#321876 writes:
I know nothing about any of the Democratic candidates. I assume that before the primaries, there will be debates and town halls. I believe that anyone who wants to represent me in Congress must earn that privilege.
That means that the person must be available to all of the voters for questioning.
fran05292002#294387 writes:
They had a town hall in November and I believe they will have another one before the election.
fran05292002#294387 writes:
Very confused because their comments are in support of Bennett and if you disagree with their comments send them a message their is no need to call them out if you will if you feel their comments are over the line then comment on those remarks.
Hardballer writes:
Bennett can't win, someone better and more worthy is waiting in the wings. Good bye Bennett.
He is a real light weight.
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