Voter guide: Candidates

Presidential

Barack Obama*

Before taking office as president, Barack Obama was a United States senator for Illinois in 2004. Obama’s accomplishments during his presidential term include passing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare; bringing resolution to the war in Iraq; bailing out General Motors and Chrysler; bringing the unemployment rate down to under 8 percent; and repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

If reelected, Obama plans to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the next 10 years by increasing taxes, closing loopholes and cutting unnecessary spending. He looks to continue Obamacare, end the war in Afghanistan by 2014, and invest in cleaner energy resources.

His running mate, Joe Biden, supports assisting illegal immigrants on the path to citizenship, gay marriage, funding for new energy sources and alternative public transportation. He also opposes cutting taxes.

www.barackobama.com

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts and Republican candidate for the presidency. Before running for president, Romney co-founded the private equity firm Bain Capital in 1984. He also served as president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

If elected president, Romney said he wants to work with Israel to help them maintain military power, reverse cuts to defense spending, bring down marginal tax rates, repeal Obamacare and approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

His running mate, Paul Ryan (R-Janesville, Wis.), is serving his seventh term as a congressman and acts as the Chairman of the House of the Budget Committee as well as a senior member of the House of Ways and Means Committee. He is pro-life and aims to replace Obamacare with reforms to health care that would have those who enroll in 2022 purchase a voucher so they can purchase their choice of private health insurance. He supports regulation of immigration laws with no amnesty, allowance of prayer in public schools and lowering the corporate tax rate to improve global competitiveness. He opposes new taxes.

www.mittromney.com

California Senators (U.S. Senate)

Dianne Feinstein* (D-San Francisco, Calif.)

Previous Positions: Mayor of San Francisco 1978 – 1984
Platform: Plans to improve immigration policies by securing illegal border tunnels, repeal the Defense of Marriage Act by passing the Respect for Marriage Act that would allow same sex marriage in the United States and make health insurance more affordable by blocking unreasonable hikes in government spending.

www.diannefeinstein2012.com

Elizabeth Emken (R-Danville, Calif.)

Previous Positions: Vice President for Government Relations at Autism Speaks

Platform: Looks to stimulate the economy by reducing government spending and taxes, enforce immigration laws by securing borders and regulating immigration without amnesty and repealing Obamacare.

www.emken2012.com

47th Congressional District (U.S. Congress)

Gary DeLong (R-Long Beach, Calif.)

Previous Experience: City Councilman of the 3rd District of Long Beach since 2006 and president and CEO of The RTP Group.

Platform: Plans to pass a balanced budget and generate budget surpluses to trim the $16 trillion national deficit by decreasing pensions for government workers. His immigration policy includes increasing border security, making it easier for immigrants to obtain work permits and increasing efforts to deport criminal aliens. He aims to increase the environmental sustainability of the Long Beach Port and make higher education more accessible. He also supports Obamacare.

www.garydelong.com

Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach, Calif.)

Previous experience: Member of the California State Senate since 2006, former California State Assemblyman representing the 55th Assembly district, former Long Beach City Councilman representing the 2nd district and retired psychology professor from Cal State Long Beach.

Platform: Supports Obama’s policies, including the American Jobs Act and Obamacare. Plans to support substantial federal aid to local and state education, keep high environmental standards and increase innovation in the Long Beach Port. He also wants to create more green energy jobs, support strong infrastructure investment and make higher education more affordable by eliminating local reserve funds and give that money to local schools, police and firefighters.

www.alanlowenthal.com

27th Senate District (California Senate)

Fran Pavley (D – Agoura Hills, Calif.)*

Previous Experience: Represents California’s 23rd district, Mayor of Augora Hills, served three terms in the State Assembly.

Platform: Wants to pass legislation for lower costs on textbooks and passing the Middle Class Scholarship Act. Past legislation that she authored includes 2011’s Senate Bill 454 Energy Efficiency Standards Enforcement, which allows the California Energy’s Commission ability to enforce efficiency code violations for appliances, and 2012’s SB 1280 Best Value Procurement for Higher Education, which allows California universities and community colleges to process decisions based on the best-value for non-construction decisions like furniture and lights.

 www.franpavley.org

Todd Zink (R-Westlake Village, Calif.)

Previous Experience: Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He is also a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps.

Platform: Plans to create tax incentives for businesses that hire unemployed veterans, give teachers more training in leading a classroom, reduce crime and build as well as fund more prisons.

www.toddzink.com

California State Assembly (54th district – Long Beach)

Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles)*

Previous Experience: Currently chairs the Assembly’s Budget Sub-committee on Health and Human Services. Previously was an analyst for the California Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee, Chief Executive Officer of Crystal Stairs and Executive Director of the Black Women’s Health Project in Los Angeles.

Platform: Focuses on job creation and finding a balance between business, human and environmental needs that expand economic opportunity while protecting natural resources.

www.hollyjmitchell.com