A few months ago, the 25th Congressional District race looked very different, but then came the word “throuple” and everything changed. When the dust settled, incumbent Katie Hill had resigned and former Rep. Steve Knight had returned, along with a few other names, including Assemblywoman Christy Smith, looking to trade a seat in Sacramento for one in Washington, D.C., and a couple other candidates having left the race. Ironically, though, most voters will be little the wiser for all the candidate changes, as election attention doesn’t really start for most until about one to two months before the election.
In California, this will come faster than most expect, too, with the presidential primary and the 25th Congressional District special election both taking place on March 3. In addition, Los Angeles County is the guinea pig for a new election process likely to eventually be coming to the state. Under the process all voters will be receiving a vote-by-mail ballot that they can either cast or exchange to vote in person during the 10-day voting window at the reduced number of voting places, replacing the traditional voting precincts.
Yes, once election day nears the voters will soon be realizing many changes, but what about the most basic question, who do I vote for? For many it is a matter of what letter comes after their name, but what about races where there are so many candidates running? How will they decide between the candidates with the same letter?
Usually voters have one or two most important issues to them and might look to see what messaging candidates have on those matters. For others they might ask a friend. For the most diligent, they might even go so far as to look up each candidate online. Yet, for the vast majority, it usually comes down to the name with which they are the most familiar. It is for that reason that the power of incumbency is so strong, and it is for that reason that it is worth considering what the last incumbent of this office, who is running for this seat, has accomplished.
Steve Knight is the only candidate running who truly knows what this job entails, has done it well, and has an established track record of votes that consistently support the policy agenda of making our country great. Steve worked as the primary sponsor for getting seven bills passed supporting our military, our veterans, and small business exactly as be campaigned he would. In addition, he sponsored and cosponsored several other pieces of legislation for matters to improve our district.
Steve’s proven experience and demeanor demonstrate a qualified ability to achieve results in the passage of legislation that consistently improves our district. Steve’s patience in waiting to return to this race until his presence would be the most effective in achieving what is best for the district is just another example of him putting district interests over his own ego, and further supports exactly why Knight is the best candidate to represent our district.
As election day will be here faster than we think, and as we look at the long list of names from which to choose, some more familiar than others, it is important to remember what those candidates have actually done, not just what they say. That means their experience matters and the candidate with the experience in best representing the district is Steve Knight!
Karen Roseberry
Santa Clarita
