Telephone calls and other inquirers are coming to me asking about a robo text that’s going around telling people that congressional candidate Mike Garcia did not vote for Donald Trump for president in 2016. This is of course gratis of Steve Knight’s campaign. In fact the message matches at least two mailers, making the same allegation.
Here are the real facts: (1) Mike Garcia did vote for Trump in the 2016 primary election; (2) at the time of the general elections, Garcia was employed by a global company and was out of state on election day. He had planned to be back in California in time to vote, but the negotiations for a multi-billion-dollar contract took longer than expected. Hardly unusual; it certainly happens in the private sector. Perhaps the latter is what Knight does not understand; (3) Steve Knight did not vote for Trump in the general election — intentionally. He clearly said so and it’s published in print in October 2016.
Knight said he found Trump “repulsive” with his “inexcusable comments”; therefore “I cannot support either candidate (Trump or Hillary Clinton) for president.” So, did he keep his word and not vote for Trump or did he go back on his word? Either way is a losing move.
To revisit the matter of Garcia being delayed with out-of-state business, Knight recently said that there is no excuse not to vote. None!
I paid and attended a luncheon during the 2018 campaign wherein Steve Knight was to be the keynote speaker. I arrived along with everyone else to find that Steve was not in town. He was held over in Washington, D.C., at the House due to an important vote. It happens; so much for “no excuse” as a criticism.
Steve Knight is trying desperately to make potential voters believe he is all for Trump and Mike Garcia is not. That is absolutely false. Garcia’s support for Trump has never waivered, but Knight’s? Again, see for yourself in this interview: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rNkvaoSjmXA
There are the facts directly from the source.
Betty Arenson
Valencia
