Laird and Addis lead in state races 

The incumbent state senator and the incumbent state Assembly member representing the northern part of SLO County secured the top number of votes in each of their primary races, according to initial vote counts.

By March 6, early results for the primary elections showed that Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) won 61.5 percent of the votes in the newly redrawn District 17. Now no longer including Santa Clara County, the fresh district encompasses Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties and the northern parts of San Luis Obispo County.

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• File Courtesy Photo Of Dawn Addis'campaign
• STUDENT FOCUSED Incumbent 30th District Assemblymember Dawn Addis said that she will continue working on improving access to education for students with special needs and ensuring student data privacy.

"What separates me is I'm in touch with the district on health care, education, and the environment, and that's responsible for my lead," Laird told New Times regarding the redistricting. "I'm losing the southern county voters in San Luis Obispo County, which is disappointing. I loved representing them."

With more votes yet to be tabulated, Laird held 55.6 percent of the vote in SLO County, 64.5 percent in Monterey County, 77.2 percent in Santa Cruz County, and 46.9 percent in San Benito County in the preliminary tally.

The early count indicated that Laird and Republican Tony Virrueta—the candidate with the next highest number of preliminary votes in all four counties—could advance to the general election in November. Republican Eric Tao and Libertarian Michael Oxford stand to be knocked out, as of press time.

Laird told New Times that if he wins, he will focus on the new district's most popular arenas: agriculture and education.

"We have two CSUs, one UC, and a whole number of community colleges," he said. "I think there are only five districts in the state that have a CSU, a UC, and community colleges."

Salinas-based "veterans advocate" Virrueta told New Times he would talk about the race once the election results were finalized.

At the Assembly level, Dawn Addis gained a head start for the 30th District seat by capturing 68.2 percent of the initial tally, as of press time. She earned 56.8 percent in parts of SLO County, 69.6 percent in parts of Monterey County, and 78.3 percent in parts of Santa Cruz County.

Addis is defending her seat against her only challenger, Republican Dalila Epperson. Both head to the general election, no matter the outcome of the primary.

A special education teacher, Addis told New Times on March 5 that she will continue her work in that field if she clinches victory. She added that there's legislation in the works that aims to lower utility rates for Central Coast residents.

"I'm interested in creating more access to education, lowering the cost of education, creating more access for special education students, ensuring student data privacy, and working diligently on reducing the rising cost of living," Addis said.

Monterey County resident Epperson said she is also focused on the welfare of children.

"Assembly definitely has my heart, that's where the anti-parental rights legislation is coming from," she said. "My opponent signs all of the anti-parental rights legislation for education."

Epperson, who currently holds a district average of 31.6 percent of counted votes, criticized Addis' approval of Assembly Bill 665 that authorizes a 12-year-old to consent to mental health treatment, counseling on an outpatient basis, or to residential shelter services if they're mature enough to participate intelligently in those programs.

"AB 665 allows for a 12-year-old to be taken out of their home without parent notification and placed in a state-run organization, and at that point, ask for hormone treatment," she said.

The first-time contender for the Assembly seat told New Times that if she wins, she will repeal and write legislation that will stop "anti-parental rights legislation," stop floating wind turbines from being placed along the coast, and repeal Proposition 47 that demotes some nonviolent property crimes to misdemeanors.

"I can see that I have a lot of work to do with the 'no party preference' voters," she said. "I can say for now, if my opponent wins, I definitely will run for Assembly [again]." Δ