Local Tea Party Founder Seeks Support

South Bay Tea Party members went door to door in six precincts over the weekend, urging Manhattan Beach residents to support Republican candidate Nathan Mintz in the state Assembly race for the 53rd District.

The group said it was encouraged by Rand Paul's recent Tea Party-backed victory in Kentucky's Senate primary and hoped to build momentum locally.

About 20 people checked in with organizers in the parking lot of Mira Costa High School on Saturday morning, before being sent out in teams of two with clipboards and campaign literature.

"Our message to get out today is to vote for Nathan because he will bring jobs back to California and the South Bay," said Gary Aven, Mintz's campaign manager. "We want to decrease the tax me, regulate, sue me environment that California has become."

Mintz is the sole Republican in the race, but several Democrats are battling it out for their party's nomination in the primary election June 8.

Mintz took aim at one of those Democrats, Manhattan Beach Mayor Mitch Ward, characterizing him as "far to the left of the normal voter in Manhattan Beach."

Ward, who declared his candidacy in April 2009, touted his "proven record as a twice elected local government official" in an e-mail response  Sunday.

"California is $20 billion in deficit according to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, as detailed in his recent May budget revision," Ward said. "I am certain the last thing we need now is to trend down the path that Nathan [Mintz] and others outside of the mainstream want.

"Nathan's statements try to encapsulate political opponents into false categories, with false claims—fears of tax increases, etc.," he continued. "This is old, failed politics and a naive way of pretending to have a real agenda to solve our structural and fiscal problems in Sacramento. I have concrete solutions and I have over 50 local mayors and council members who have endorsed me and agree with my approach—not Nathan's."

The 53^rd District Assembly seat is being vacated by Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who will have served the maximum term of six years in the Legislature.