California State Assembly District 30 stretches along the coastline from Monterey through most of San Luis Obispo County, and voters in that district will have three candidates to choose from when they head to the polls on June 2.
Democratic incumbent Dawn Addis will face Republican Shannon Kessler and fellow Democrat Susannah Brown in the race for the District 30 Assembly seat.
Addis says her record and experience in the legislature set her apart from the challengers.
“The experience I’ve had in the legislature, being able to bring funds to our district, chairing the California legislature’s Central Coast caucus that I’ve helped co-found, and making sure that we’re delivering for the Central Coast in a new way,” Addis said.
The incumbent says affordability remains her top priority.
“Fighting for affordability is first and foremost, and that’s what’s most important to Central Coast residents. Protecting our pristine environment, healthy oceans, increasing housing in the right ways for our community, and then of course increasing access to healthcare and lowering those costs,” Addis said.
Brown, a data scientist, says she is the only candidate in the race who was born and raised in the district. She says feeling like local voices weren’t being heard pushed her to run.
“I am the only candidate that’s born and raised here for the Assembly Member District 30 race, and being local and hearing all the conversations in our community and feeling that our voices weren’t heard was one of the final straws for me,” Brown said.
Brown says her approach to policy would be driven by data and focused on issues she hears most from constituents.
“I’m a data scientist, so as all of the work I do in the community and through nonprofits, I want to make sure that whatever we do is based on data and effective. The priorities that I’ve heard in our communities that are not being addressed are affordable and attainable housing, water stability, and reliable energy, as well as stable school funding,” Brown said.
Republican Shannon Kessler also says she feels locals aren’t being heard in the state legislature.
“I think as a businesswoman, a mother, and a grandmother, I have a connection to the community that I’d like to stay in place and go to Sacramento and be part of a change in the way California is governed,” Kessler said.
She is campaigning on public safety, affordability and accountability.
“My main points environment, home ownership, parental rights, and energy and jobs. You know, those are super important; we’ve got to keep jobs here,” said Kessler, who has also advocated for policies that would restrict transgender student athletes from competing in girls’ sports. “I think very clearly I am willing to say something as obvious as there are two sexes, male and female, boys and girls, men and women.”
The primary election is June 2.