Sharon Runner is one of the most respected among the California State Assembly’s Republican members, and she will be re-elected.
Assemblywoman Runner has represented the 36th District for the past two terms after succeeding her husband, now-Senator George Runner, in 2002. She serves as Assistant Republican Leader and as Vice Chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee.
So why would Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford file to run against Runner in the upcoming Republican primary? Well, I believe it’s time to shed some light onto the man who would challenge someone who recently co-wrote the Jessica’s Law initiative and convinced 713,000 California citizens to sign petitions to put Jessica’s Law on the November ballot.
Most of the 36th District’s elected officials, including Congressman Buck McKeon, L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Postmus (my boss), have endorsed Sharon’s reelection. Also consider that Sharon and her husband, Senator George Runner, have raised nearly $1.6 million for the Jessica’s Law initiative and their own campaigns in the last six months. Of the 24 elected Mayors and city council members in the district, 22 already back Sharon. Since Senator George Runner’s first run for office, the Runners have probably raised and spent $3 million for everything from local elected officials to Jessica’s Law.
By contrast, Ledford recently raised enough money to win re-election as Palmdale’s mayor, but he lost the council majority to a Runner-backed slate. He has been censured by the Republican Party for continually supporting Democrat activists for local office against Republicans and for refusing to support Republican candidates for partisan office. He also went on record supporting a "compromise" state budget that included tax increases in 2003, and he’s been known to rip on the Republican Party for being too conservative.
Sharon Runner’s record in the Assembly has been distinguished. But when she announced for re-election to her third term Friday, she was unfortunately faced with having to acknowledge the challenge from Ledford. "I am disappointed to spend this election cycle in a primary fight instead of helping other Republicans in competitive seats throughout the state," Runner said, adding: "I will be honored and humbled yet again when the people of the High Desert vote for me to represent them in Sacramento for my final term."
San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Postmus, who credits Sharon Runner for keeping a group home for mentally disabled sex offenders out of the High Desert, said "The High Desert is a better place to live because of Sharon Runner." Added Postmus: "It’s unheard of for such a successful legislator to be challenged by someone in her own party. Sharon Runner is the only proven Republican in the 36th District Assembly race."