If the Democratic Celebration had been to dream up the best candidate to problem Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot and enterprise government, for the twenty seventh Congressional District they couldn’t have imagined somebody a lot better than George Whitesides.
In a district that stretches from Santa Clarita to Lancaster and the place aerospace is without doubt one of the main industries, Whitesides has had a space-focused profession in each the personal and public sectors. He was chief of workers for the Nationwide Aeronautics and House Administration through the Obama administration and later turned chief government of Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s business area firm based mostly in Mojave. That’s the job that introduced him and his household to the Antelope Valley in 2012.
His resume, nevertheless spectacular, shouldn’t be essentially the most compelling motive that voters ought to choose Whitesides on Nov. 5. He’s a sensible, pragmatic Democrat whose purpose in Congress is to work with colleagues, no matter social gathering, to handle issues going through People. That’s an vital trait for the following consultant of this district. Historically this has been a protected seat for Republicans, however a shift in voter registration lately means Democrats have made some inroads. For instance, President Biden gained the district in 2020, however Gov. Gavin Newsom got here in second in 2022.
Not too long ago, the issue Whitesides has targeted on is one which has plagued California: “megafires,” these large wildfires such because the Camp hearth that leveled the city of Paradise in 2018. In 2020, Whitesides left Virgin Galactic to co-found a brand new advocacy group, Megafire Motion, which focuses on pushing insurance policies to forestall wildfires, harden houses in high-risk areas and use science to raised battle fires. He plans to show what he has realized into laws coping with associated points such because the insurance coverage disaster, wildlands administration and incentivizing owners to make their properties extra fire-resilient.
However most vital, he’s the one candidate within the race who will battle to guard two cherished, basic rights which have been underneath assault lately: the precise of girls to regulate their very own our bodies and the precise to solid a vote in a free and truthful election.
Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Santa Clarita) is without doubt one of the lawmakers working to undermine these rights. When he gained the seat in a particular election in 2020 after Democrat Katie Hill resigned within the wake of a intercourse scandal, Garcia was a political unknown with an interesting file of army service, a business-friendly platform, and real-world expertise in actual property and as an government at Raytheon.
However his votes shortly revealed that Garcia is not any average. After the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, he voted in opposition to certifying the election outcomes. He co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, a invoice that might have banned abortion nationally, with no exceptions together with saving the lifetime of the lady. He even voted in opposition to a invoice defending the precise to contraception. If voters ship him again to Congress, Garcia will likely be a dependable vote for restrictions on reproductive rights.
He additionally seems to have adopted Donald Trump’s penchant for misrepresenting the reality. In his first marketing campaign advert this election, Garcia boasts that he co-sponsored the Violence Towards Ladies Act to guard ladies in opposition to home violence. What he co-sponsored was a sham model put ahead by Republicans to derail the Democrats’ invoice to re-authorize the 1994 regulation with expanded protections for LGBTQ+ individuals and firearm restrictions for individuals convicted of home abuse. Fortuitously, the tactic didn’t work and the up to date regulation handed — with out Garcia’s vote.
Whitesides additionally identifies as a business-friendly average, particularly a “New Democrat.” This coalition of centrist members say they’re targeted on progressive options and dealing throughout the aisle. Moreover, he has a file of constructing the sorts of bridges he desires to see in Congress.
Early within the COVID pandemic, Whitesides helped set up native aerospace leaders to work with hospitals and native authorities to supply front-line healthcare staff with sources. The group, which finally turned the Antelope Valley COVID Activity Pressure, even tapped its engineering expertise to develop medical gear corresponding to oxygen hoods that helped COVID sufferers breathe. Anybody can solid a vote on social gathering strains. However having the ability to construct alliances is essential ability to perform something in Congress.
Whitesides says he’s working to construct a greater future for his two youngsters. “I don’t need to go away them with a authorities that doesn’t work. I don’t need to go away them with a local weather that’s in disaster. I don’t need to go away them with a gun security epidemic.”
Nor can we. It’s time for a change of management within the twenty seventh Congressional District.
