Last Updated on April 26, 2013 by Paulette Brown-Hinds
The race for the 31st Congressional seat in 2014 has already drawn many democratic contenders to run. The seat is currently occupied by Republican Gary Miller. Miller has the money but democrats have the majority voters in the district and for all practical purposes the right candidate should get elected without much effort. However that is easily said than becoming a reality as the last election showed us.
Currently we have Mayor of Redlands, Pete Aguilar who was born and raised on the west side of San Bernardino where his parents told family members that in order to make it in America they must learn and speak English as their primary language. He did as his parents told him and got a good education that allowed him to grow up and lead one of our premier cities in the Inland Empire. Not bad for a Latino boy from the west side of town where he also worked with his blind grandfather in the family business.
This diverse community of African Americans and Hispanics with his family experience taught him how to relate to all people and has propelled him to lead Redland’s citizens as mayor and council member. He led all Democratic contenders in the June 2012 election but came in third behind two Republicans because four democrats split up their votes. The National Democratic Party has already committed to helping Aguilar which he has said yes to their support.
Also we have former congressional member Joe Baca who was defeated by Gloria Negrete McLeod in 2012 for the 35th Congressional seat. Joe decided to move from Rialto to Fontana so he would not have to run against his republican friend Gary Miller. The voters in this new district heard of Joe using his office as a personal bully club and rejected his family style of representation and his close relationship with the National Rifle Association.
Next we have Danny Tillman of the San Bernardino School Board who is talking about running for the seat. Tillman has been elected to the school board for four terms and we have witnessed the decline in test scores and high dropout rate in the African American student population. He has to take responsibility for that decline even though some movement is being made.
I know that Tillman is being giving advice by a losing candidate Renea Wickman who believes that being African American should be a part of the qualifying criteria for seeking office. The voters an myself have rejected that kind of thinking even though the candidate should be inclusive of all people that they represent.
Last we have Eloise Reyes, Esq. talking about exploring a shot at running for congress. She is a very successful attorney and has expressed an interest of being appointed a Superior Court Judge. Maybe she changed that line of thinking and wants to make public law instead of interpreting public law. I am not sure if she is aware of the effort, time, money and commitment it takes to seek a seat in congress.
In my opinion, I believe every citizen has the right to run for office just like I did when I ran for the school board. Having said that, all candidates need to know what they are up against, why they are running, what they hope to accomplish and have some plan as to how they might pull it off.
From what I know thus far, Pete Aguilar has all of those things I just mentioned and more because he has garnered the support of many leaders in the district and the National Democratic Party, plus he has my support for what it is worth. Pete will provide the leadership our district needs.