When it comes to running for any political campaign in California, it’s a fact that it will not be an easy path for most Republicans. At 9:50 p.m. on election night, Republican candidate for Congress, Casey Lucius conceded to her opponent Jimmy Panetta. At the time, Panetta was leading Lucius 58.94 percent to 41.06 percent.
In her statement sent out as a press release, Lucius said that after more than a year and a half of campaigning for Congress, the election had come to a close.
“This was an adventure that I will never forget,” she said. “I met countless people throughout the district over the last 18 months, I heard incredible stories that I will keep with me forever, and I made more friends than could have ever imagined. I want to congratulate Jimmy Panetta on winning this race. I will do all I can to support him as our representative.
“Thank you to all my supporters throughout the Central Coast. I am truly grateful that I had the opportunity to run for office. I could not have done this without the support of my husband and all of my family and friends.”
Panetta told BenitoLink on election night that he had been celebrating with his supporters when Lucius called him.
“It’s a little overwhelming, but it’s also an honor and humbling to know that voters of the 20th Congressional District have as much confidence as they do in my ability to represent them,” he said. “Casey was very congratulatory and I appreciated that. She said she would try to support me as much as she can in the future. I think we’ve both known that we’re capable candidates who will work with the opposite side to get things done.”
Both candidates brought impressive credentials to the table in their attempts to fill the seat of the retiring Sam Farr, who replaced Panetta’s father, Leon. Both Lucius and Panetta are Navy veterans and both continued to serve in the public sector: Lucius for the State Department in Hanoi, and then as an instructor in national security in Monterey. After serving in Afghanistan, Panetta worked as a prosecutor in Salinas.
When they both spoke at the Oct. 13 “Use Your Voice” forum, sponsored by BenitoLink and the San Benito Farm Bureau, each discussed their qualifications and goals they hoped to accomplish. Panetta said as a prosecutor, he had developed the skills that he believes are needed in Congress.
“I work every day to find compromise with a defense attorney, who wants exactly the opposite of what I do,” he said. “Most of the time, we are able to work to find that compromise, and when we can’t, I go to the mat to advocate for what I believe is right. We need representatives in D.C. who are willing to work together, and bring that collaborative bi-partisan spirit back to Washington to make sure that Congress ends the gridlock and we are able to move forward on the important issues impacting this nation.”
Lucius, who has spent most of her career working on issues of national policy, said that while on active duty, she was deployed to the Middle East to enforce international sanctions against Iraq, and worked with our allies in Asia on intelligence cooperation.
“My career has focused not only on using the military, but also using diplomacy around the world and building strong partnerships,” she said. “I earned a Ph.D focusing on policy-making and have been teaching national security classes for the past seven years. I am prepared and ready to represent this district and ensure that we have a strong economy and a coordinated foreign policy.”
As for what he hopes to accomplish during his first term, Panetta said he wants to address a comprehensive immigration reform strategy.
“We need to strengthen border security, reform the visa process to benefit employers and employees from the Silicon Valley to the Salinas Valley, and include a pathway to citizenship for law-abiding families,” he said. “It’s the economic thing to do, it’s the humane thing to do, and it’s the American thing to do.
He also said there is a need to address college affordability and student loan debt to make college both accessible and affordable. He said he would like to create a national service act that gives kids a break on their student loan debt if they choose to serve their community and country.
“We need to focus on mental health in this country,” Panetta added. “This is an issue that deeply affects our communities and I have witnessed it firsthand in my work in the criminal justice system. We need to ensure that small counties like the ones on the Central Coast, have the resources necessary to appropriately address this issue.”
Lucius said that in her first term she would work on passing the Drought Recovery Act to provide federal funding for our local water needs as well as on immigration reform, and ensure that affordable housing in our district is a priority.
Each was asked why they believe they are a better alternative than their opponent.
“I am a better choice for voters of this district because I want to break through the status quo,” Lucius said. “We need someone who will work in a bi-partisan manner to get things done. I will work within the Women’s Caucus to get legislation passed with both Republican and Democratic support. We don’t need a party-line voter in Congress. We need someone who will vote based on the needs of the Central Coast.”
Panetta said his intimate understanding of the unique needs of this region, and having been raised and educated there, gives him the advantage over Lucius.
“Through my life experiences and career, I have already worked to address many of the issues impacting this region — veterans homelessness, at-risk youth, local community colleges and protection of our coastline,” he said. “I am committed to continuing to serve our community, protect the beauty of this area and preserve the quality of life we enjoy on the Central Coast.”