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from the Ventura County Reporter...

24th Congressional District

Unseating Elton Gallegly from Congress is a difficult task. Redrawing of District 24’s lines hasn’t done it. Nor has Gallegly’s on-again/off-again retirement. Neither have Democrats with strong campaigns like Marta Jorgensen or Jill Martinez, who, after contested races with the ultra-conservative Gallegly the past two election cycles, left him re-elected once again.

Not until Tim Allison announced his candidacy in the Democratic primary last year have we felt as strongly about someone who could not only defeat Gallegly once and for all, but represent portions of the 24th District on the House floor that have long been left, for lack of a better term, fallow. (Outside of the farthest tip of the East County, we’re talking about the remainder of District 24, all the way to Orcutt in Santa Barbara County.)

Allison has firmly supplanted himself in the political and public arenas of Ventura and Santa Barbara. He’s that rare kind of candidate who can back up his platform of education, environmental change and healthcare reform with real experience, having led environmental and political campaigns, and directed nonprofit organizations. He’s a familiar face, usually as leader, of voter groups and Democratic caucuses up and down both counties.

These are some of the same reasons why we can’t support either Marie Panec or Shawn Stern for the Democratic nomination; their reach doesn’t extend as far. And this is a large district that needs better coverage than it’s been getting for almost 25 years.

While we admire Gallegly’s dedicated foray into animal rights advocacy, at this juncture of his partisan and very insular career, Tim Allison is the one best suited to finally replace him.

Vote for Tim Allison.