SHERIDAN WINS DEMOCRATIC PRE-ENDORSEMENT VOTE IN CALIFORNIA’S 42ND DISTRICT

Tim Sheridan, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress from California’s 42nd district, has emerged this week as the clear front-runner in his party to oppose Republican incumbent Congressman, Ken Calvert, in the fall congressional elections.

            At a Riverside County Democratic Party conference on Saturday, Sheridan won 94.7% of the votes of party delegates, far ahead of two other Democratic hopefuls. “Needless to say,” Sheridan said after the vote, “my team and I were really gratified by this overwhelming show of support.  Our win demonstrates that Democrats in the 42nd district are united and eager to send someone to Congress who will put the people first.”

            The 42nd Congressional District, a geographical area shaped like the letter “X,” runs along the I-15 corridor roughly from Corona southeast to Temecula, and northeast along the I-215 and CA-79 corridors to Beaumont.  It also includes the communities of Eastvale, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, Menifee, Sun City, Winchester, Homeland and Nuevo.  Sheridan has lived in Menifee for 11 years.

            Congressman Calvert, of Corona, has held the congressional seat for 20 years.  During that time, he has come under criticism, including a piece on Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/topics/us/rep.-ken-calvert.htm), for voting for earmarked highway projects in the district near where he had real estate interests that stood to gain in value from the government subsidized projects.

            The county Democrats’ vote for Sheridan this week is the first step in the California Democratic Party's process of endorsing candidates for state and federal office in advance of the state’s primary election.  The statewide endorsements will occur at a Democratic Convention in Los Angeles, March 7-9.  The primary election follows on June 3.  The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of political party, will qualify for the general election in November.