Responding Against My Opponent’s Attacks

Attack 1: You missed over 900 votes in the Assembly

Response: You can view my story and the explanation by clicking here! 

Attack 2: You voted against a budget bill (SB 118) to help with fentanyl overdoses. 

Response: My track record for helping deal with the fentanyl crisis, while working closely with Law Enforcement speaks for itself. This is why i’ve been endorsed by all major law enforcement associations and organizations, statewide!

I have voted and authored bills to hold dealers accountable while at the same time getting resources to those who are addicted to this dangerous drug. While there was a provision in this budget bill related to fentanyl, it is important to consider these budget bills are hundreds of pages long and filled with other provisions. Ultimately, I could not support this bill because it A) delayed provider payment increases which would have hurt our already strained healthcare workforce, but B) it also increased the power of the CalRx program. I believe medicine and pharmacies should be left to those with medical backgrounds. Having the state get involved in the medicine business is not helpful for our government. We don't need our medical choices and prescriptions be ran like the DMV.

Next year, I’ll be introducing a bill to keep public safety funding separate to prevent it being tacked on as a trailer bill to mask the issue.

Attack 3: You have taken money from big oil and large corporations.

Response: I find it ironic this is an attack from my opponent because when he attacks the oil industry, he attacks the tradesmen and women who make this industry thrive. These are hard-working members of our labor community. There are over 1 million jobs in California alone that are directly related to the oil & gas industry.

Its actually very elitist of Mr. Duncan because if he had it his way and his party’s way, these jobs would be eliminated and we would all be forced to drive electric vehicles. How many of you right now could afford to buy a new EV? How many of you have homes readily available to install EV charging stations and infrastructure? The fact is we need to be making gasoline more affordable and all these rules and regulations are the reason gas is $1 more expensive here in California than anywhere else in the nation.