CALIFORNIA, USA — Redistricting left California’s 3rd Congressional seat wide open and, with Republicans fighting hard to take back control of Congress, the race is expected to be hotly contested as four men campaign in the race to represent voters in portions of 9 counties to the East of Sacramento.
California’s newly-drawn 3rd Congressional District encompasses hundreds of thousands of residents across portions of 10 counties, including Sacramento, Plumas, Sierra, Yuba, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Alpine, Mono and Inyo.
A majority of the voters in this district reside in the suburbs closest to Sacramento, more than half of all voters in the district live in Placer County.
There is no incumbent challenger in this race after the district formerly held by long-time Republican Rep. Tom McClintock was split in two by redistricting. McClintock decided to run for the newly re-mapped 5th Congressional District to the Southwest.
However, two well-known California conservatives are going head to head, including long-time Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones and state Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, an attorney.
Also staked in the race are Democrat challengers, Dr. Kermit Jones and David Peterson.
Who is Scott Jones?
The three-time elected Republican Sacramento County sheriff began his back-to-back-to-back terms in 2010, but Jones’ 30 year career in law enforcement with the county and the Sheriff’s Office began long before in 1989. Jones ran for the office unopposed in 2014 and was elected in a landslide victory in 2018. He narrowly lost a bid for Congress by 3% against then-incumbent Representative Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove).
"I will fight for law and order in America, stand up against the ‘Defund the Police’ movement and secure our border. It’s time to put the safety of America and Americans first again," Jones wrote in a Facebook post.
The at-times controversial Sheriff Jones has made headlines for his office’s continued sharing of information of immigrant inmates with federal authorities despite passage of California’s 2017 so-called "Sanctuary State" law, which prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration authorities.
Jones is running as a “law and order” candidate who will stand up against the “defund the police” movement, aligning with former President Trump on securing the border and defending parental rights, his campaign website says.
He has also drawn criticism from members of the Sacramento area Black Lives Matter chapter, often regarding use his department’s use of force. Jones’ most recent campaign advertisement has compared the group to a rioting mob, following destruction to the city of Sacramento in the summer of 2020 in the wake of the Minnesota police officer killing of George Floyd.
Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento and a Juris Doctor degree from Lincoln Law School.
The 54-year-old is married to his wife Christy of 27 years, and they have four children.
Who is Kevin Kiley?
The three-time elected and current California State Assemblymember representing California’s 6th district was born in Orangevale and grew up in Granite Bay.
The 37-year-old attorney made a name for himself while taking jabs at Democratic California politicians like Governor Gavin Newsom, who Kiley fought and failed to recall in 2020. More than two-thirds of the voters voted against removing Newsom from office.
“Our constitutional and limited government and our personal freedoms are under attack from self-described progressives pushing massive tax hikes and radical policies,” Kiley says on his campaign website. “I am fighting to turn back the tide and restore our freedoms.”
Who is Dr. Kermit Jones?
The practicing physician, attorney and U.S. Navy Veteran aims to tackle the rising cost of healthcare, including the cost of prescription drugs, make high speed internet accessible across the Sierra and help slow the rising cost of homes and homelessness.
The Iraq war veteran, who later served as a White House fellow under President Barack Obama, says he wants to put partisan politics aside and focus on the health of area families.
“I'm running for Congress because too many people are struggling with the skyrocketing cost of care and prescription drugs,” Kermit Jones said. “Meanwhile, extremist politicians like my opponents put partisan politics ahead of the health of our families by ignoring experts and opposing policies to encourage masks and the vaccine.”
Kermit Jones is a Michigan native who grew up on a small family farm. His family had to sell the farm to help cover medical costs for his mother who was sick with cancer.
He is married and a father of two sons.
Who is David Peterson?
There is a fourth person running on the June primary ticket as a Democrat, David Peterson. He supports Medicare for all, supports investments in solar energy and fire prevention.
However, Peterson has not raised any funds to promote his campaign, according to the Federal Elections Commission.
The top two vote getters in the June primary will be on the ticket in the midterm election come November.
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