Voters in the 50th Congressional District will select a new leader next Tuesday, April 11 to replace Randy “Duke” Cunningham, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for taking at least $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors.
The 50th district extends from Carlsbad to La Jolla, and includes Del Mar, Encinitas, Escondido, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Fairbanks Ranch, Lake San Marcos and Rancho Santa Fe. Only parts of La Jolla and University City are included in the district (see map).
Eighteen candidates are vying for the position, including 14 Republicans, two Democrats, one Libertarian and one Independent.
Poll workers are needed to run the special election on Tuesday, April 11, especially citizens fluent in Spanish, Filipino or Vietnamese. Poll workers must be 18 years old and U.S. citizens. They are expected to work from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be paid between $60 to $100 for the day, plus an additional $5 for bilingual workers. For more information contact the Registrar of Voters, (858) 565-5800 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (858) 694 3480 after hours.
The following candidate information has been complied from www.smartvoter.org, run by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund, or by directly contacting candidates who did not list their priorities.
Republican Brian Bilbray is an immigration reform consultant. Bilbray aims to secure the nation’s borders and stop illegal immigration; balance the federal budget and reduce government spending; and end the closed door “earmarking” process.
Republican Bill Boyer is a businessman. Boyer aims to secure the border and facilitate immigration reform; provide affordable access to health care; and reform congressional ethics.
Democrat Francine Busby is a trustee with the Cardiff School Board. Busby aims to restore honesty and integrity to Congress; reduce the cost of health care; and implement a comprehensive immigration policy.
Republican Richard Earnest is a business entrepreneur. Earnest aims to restore integrity and public trust in elected officials; implement comprehensive immigration reform; and push for full federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
Republican Milton Gale is a retired ship inspector. Gale aims to end the earmarking of congressional bills; withdraw all troops from Iraq, except Baghdad, by June 30, 2007, and pull out the remaining two years later; and pass the Cornyn-Kyl immigration bill.
Independent William Griffith is a father and math teacher. Griffith aims to have someone elected this month so that the district can once again be represented in Washington; restore a constitutional federalism to the government, in which the people and states direct the federal government, and not the other way around; and to encourage citizen participation in the government.
Republican Bill Hauf is a business owner. Hauf aims to ban policy-makers from accepting gifts, trips or special favors from lobbyists; to ensure that military personnel are properly equipped for combat; and to effectively monitor illegal immigrants who entered the country legally and stayed longer than permitted.
Republican Delecia Holt is an intelligence security analyst. Holt aims to secure the borders and stop illegal immigration; reform congressional ethics by not accepting a salary for the first year; and reform Social Security, Medicare and health care.
Republican Howard Kaloogian is a charitable trust attorney. Kaloogian aims to secure the borders; promote fiscal responsibility by balancing the budget and cutting spending; and support the troops and the war on terror.
Libertarian Paul King is a small-business owner. King aims to take the politicians out of Washington and back to the districts they represent; force the legislature to read the bills before they vote on them; and change “use it or lose it” budgeting to “save it and keep it.”
Republican Bill Morrow is a California state senator. Morrow aims to end the illegal immigration crisis; enact the harshest sentences against child sex offenders; and to eliminate wasteful government spending and cut taxes.
Republican Jeff Newsome is a California Highway Patrol sergeant. Newsome aims to reform immigration; develop domestic energy production and energy jobs; and reform welfare.
Republican Scott Orren is a military defense consultant. Orren aims to stop illegal immigration and the government’s financial support of illegal immigrants; balance the budget; and reform congressional ethics.
Republican Victor Ramirez is a retired judge. Ramirez aims to bring campaign reform in which candidates are not allowed to fund-raise, or expend more than $5,000 of their own money; work for the good of all residents in the 50th Congressional District; and to promote anti-corrupt, pro-integrity leadership with respectful cooperation.
Republican Eric Roach is a businessman. Roach aims to stop the influence of lobbyists; secure the borders and ports and end illegal immigration; and to cut waste in government by eliminating “earmarks” and “pork spending.”
Republican Scott Turner is a motivational speaker. Turner aims to support the armed forces to ensure that America has the strongest military in the world; to secure ports of entry to ensure that drugs, terrorists, illegal immigrants and weapons of mass destruction do not enter America; and to develop the next generation by encouraging hands-on training in scholastics, arts, music and sports.
Republican Alan Uke is a business owner. Uke aims to strengthen the economy by opposing higher taxes and to stop overspending; secure borders to stop illegal immigration; and to remain strong on the war on terror.
Democrat Chris Young is a retired bank executive. Young aims to create leadership that unites “red states” and “blue states” into red, white and blue states; promote national security, affordable health care and improved education through proper border enforcement; and to restore common values and common sense to San Diego.
If no one candidate receives a clear majority of the votes, the two top vote-getters will face off in the June 13 election.