Election 2020: Candidate list for March primary solidified

The primary election candidate list is finalized as the nomination deadline to qualify for the March 2020 ballot passed on Friday.

Highlights in contests to represent the San Ramon Valley in local, state or federal offices include six challengers for U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore) and two challengers for U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord), opponents for both of the area’s state legislators and one local Contra Costa County supervisor facing competition.

The nomination period expired at 5 p.m. on Friday, except for any election in which an incumbent didn’t file to run for re-election, in which case a five-day extension was granted — but that did not occur for any relevant local races.

San Ramon Valley residents have the chance to vote on their representatives in the State Assembly, State Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, although those races won’t be decided for good until the general election. The top two finishers in the primary election will advance to an automatic runoff in November.

Swalwell, a seeking a fifth consecutive term in Congress, had six challengers file for the ballot, including three fellow Democrats — Samantha Campbell, a Union City native who works for New Haven Unified School District; Austin E. Intal, a sales and real estate professional from Hayward; and Tuan Phan, a biochemist from Castro Valley.

Two Republicans filed for Congressional District 15, which includes San Ramon — Peter Yuan Liu of San Lorenzo and Alison Hayden, a special education teacher whose city of residence is not listed. Don J. Grundmann, a chiropractor running without a party preference, rounds out the candidate list.

None of Swalwell’s challengers appear to have previous elected experience.

Representing Danville and Alamo as part of the 11 Congressional District, incumbent DeSaulnier is seeking a fourth term in Congress. He faces two challengers Nisha Sharma, a Republican real estate professional from Danville, and Michael Kerr, a social justice advocate running for the Green Party.

State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) faces two candidates on the March ballot: Democrat Marisol Rubio, a scientific research and health care provider from San Ramon, and Republican Julie Mobley, who is listed as a community volunteer.

State Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) is being challenged by Republican Joseph Rubay, who lost a bid to unseat Glazer in 2016.

Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis is seeking a second straight term representing Blackhawk, Diablo, Tassajara Valley and the rest of District 3, which also includes East County communities such as Brentwood, Oakley and parts of Antioch. She is being challenged by Paul Seger, an Oakley resident who serves on the Diablo Water District Board of Directors.

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen, whose district includes the rest of the San Ramon Valley and Lamorinda, is running for re-election unopposed. A prospective challenger, Iman Novin, took out nomination papers on Friday but didn’t complete them in time.

One other Board of Supervisors seat is up for election in the March primary. Incumbent District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover is being challenged by embattled Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer and Martinez Planning Commissioner Sean Trambley. District 5 includes Martinez, Hercules, Pittsburg and parts of Antioch.

Any candidate could win the District 5 position outright in the primary election if they earn more than 50% of the vote. If no one wins a majority in March, then the top two finishers would advance to a runoff to be held during the general election on Nov. 3.

Danville voters will also decide a referendum challenging the Magee Preserve residential project on the March ballot — majority wins.

Other Tri-Valley ballot measures in March include a $323 million bond measure for Pleasanton Unified School District (55% approval needed for passage) a $290 million bond for Dublin Unified School District (55% approval needed) and a referendum in Livermore on the city’s downtown hotel development agreement (majority wins).

For Contra Costa County Superior Court Department 15, incumbent Judge Susanne M. Fenstermacher is being challenged by civil rights attorney Pezhman Pakneshan.

The other 13 Contra Costa County Superior Court judgeships due for re-election saw only the incumbents file. Those positions will not appear on the ballot.

San Ramon Valley voters will also have their say in the U.S. presidential primary election. Neither of California’s two U.S. Senate seats are due up for election in 2020.

In another relevant Tri-Valley election, the Zone 7 Water Agency (the water wholesaler for Dublin San Ramon Services District) has three regular, four-year seats on the Board of Directors on the ballot — that’s in addition to a special two-year position on the board that was vacated midterm.

San Ramon residents can’t vote in the Zone 7 election because it is technically an Alameda County agency. The voters will be from Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin. All Zone 7 seats are at-large and will be decided outright in March.

Five candidates qualified for the election for the three regular board positions: incumbent directors Sandy Figuers, Angela Ramirez Holmes and Dick Quigley, as well as challengers Hugh Bussell (a technical writer who lost to Swalwell as a Republican challenger for the House in 2014) and water resources engineer Laurene Green, who applied for the board’s midterm vacancy in May but was not appointed.

The lone candidate to file for the special two-year term was Zone 7 Director Michelle Smith McDonald. She is currently serving in that seat by short-term appointment, after the board selected her in May from among a group of applicants after former director Bill Stevens stepped down. Because it is uncontested, that position is not expected to appear on the March ballot.