The race for California’s 25th Congressional District seat now has a second Democratic candidate: David Rudnick filed to run on Sept. 11.
The Lancaster resident, who is married and is a father of two toddlers, is challenging the incumbent, Rep. Katie Hill, who’s also a Democrat, in addition to three Republicans who have declared their intent to run for the seat.
“I am a bit nervous about (running against Hill), but it’s the right thing to do,” said Rudnick. “She really isn’t representing this district right. I know I’m not the perfect candidate or Democrat, but I’m an old school JFK-Truman Democrat.”
Rudnick, a business owner and real estate investor, is described as an “independent voice” for the 25th District, according to his campaign website rudnickforcongress.com, which adds that he’s running for Congress “to ensure that our republic continues on with our ideals and that our children enjoy the same opportunities as we did.”
If elected, impeaching President Donald Trump would be at the top of his priority list, he said.
“Katie Hill is a Democrat who voted against impeachment, not once, but four times,” said Rudnick. “I was a supporter (of Hill) but I’m disappointed. Every day, Trump is proving himself to be a traitor not only to other countries, but his own. Our government is falling apart. That’s why I’m doing my best to run a more federal campaign.”
Hill issued a statement Tuesday morning that said she was in support of impeachment proceedings.
Rudnick said he’s still working on chiseling his “top issues” list, but other topics he stands behind are LGBTQ rights, improving resources for veterans and addressing environmental issues. He says he has experience as a strategist to require food safety labels, for example.
For the 25th district, which covers the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas, including Lancaster, Palmdale and Simi Valley, Rudnick said he would like to address environmental cleanup in Simi Valley, homelessness and land use hand-in-hand.
Rudnick was born in Pennsylvania and raised in South Carolina. He moved to Lancaster about two years ago and, as a Messianic Jew, congregates at a synagogue in Santa Clarita. He served in the United States Marine Corps and worked with Sen. John McCain’s first presidential campaign in 2000, later becoming deputy director of Cherokee County in South Carolina.
Besides Hill, Rudnick is contending for a seat in the 25th Congressional District race against Republican candidates Michael Garcia, Angela Jacobs Underwood and Mark Cripe. Suzette Valladares, who is now running for State Assembly, pulled out of the congressional race.
