MURRIETA, CA — With election day approaching, Murrieta voters are preparing to cast ballots in contests that could shape the future of their community, including City Council races.
City Council members approve local policies and municipal budgets, oversee public services and make decisions that affect residents, businesses and neighborhood development.
Patch asked all Murrieta City Council candidates to answer questions about their campaigns, and we are publishing their responses.
Meet Keelan McCullough, candidate for Murrieta City Council, District 2:
What is your campaign website?
Mcculloughformurrieta.com
What is your educational background?
I earned a bachelor's degree in political science from San Diego State University. My education, combined with 18 years of law enforcement experience, has provided me with a strong foundation in government, public safety, and public service.
What is your occupation?
I am a law enforcement professional with 18 years of experience; I currently work as a sergeant at the San Diego Police Department.
Briefly tell us about your family.
My wife, Audra, and I have been married for 14 years, and we have 2 daughters, Amanda age 9, and Paisyn age 4. Family is at the center of everything I do. I am a husband and I understand the importance of raising a family in a safe, strong, and supportive community.
Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No.
Age
41.
Do you have previous experience in public office, appointive or elective?
I have served on the Murrieta Traffic Commission and the Murrieta Library Commission.
Why are you seeking this office?
I am running because Murrieta deserves leadership that puts public safety, fiscal responsibility, responsible growth, and the needs of residents first. I want to bring my experience in public safety, labor relations, leadership, and community service to the City Council and help ensure Murrieta remains a safe and desirable place to live, work, and raise a family. My campaign website similarly emphasizes leadership that listens and puts Murrieta residents first
Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.
The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is public safety, and this is what I intend to do about it: make sure Murrieta has the staffing, resources, technology, and long-term planning necessary for our police and fire departments to keep pace with a growing community
If applicable, what are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I bring 18 years of frontline law enforcement experience, leadership experience with police labor organizations, and more than a decade of youth-sports leadership in the Murrieta community. I understand both the challenges facing public safety professionals and the expectations of the residents they serve. I would bring that practical experience and a service-first approach to the Council.
If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?
I am not running a campaign based on personal attacks. I believe voters deserve a discussion about the future of Murrieta. My focus is on what I would do differently: prioritize public safety staffing and long-term planning, support local businesses, maintain fiscal responsibility, and make sure residents' voices are heard.
What more can the city do to support local businesses and increase tax revenue?
The city should make it easier to start, expand, and operate a business in Murrieta by streamlining permitting, improving communication with business owners, supporting economic development, and attracting businesses that provide quality jobs and broaden the city's tax base. Murrieta's 2026 legislative platform specifically identifies economic development as a city goal.
What types of public safety issues can be better addressed in the city?
Murrieta needs to stay ahead of growth by planning for future police and fire staffing, strengthening recruitment and retention, and continuing to invest in modern public-safety technology. I also want to address traffic safety, property crime, homelessness-related public safety concerns, and emergency response capacity.
What could the city do to improve wildfire prevention?
Murrieta should continue investing in vegetation management, defensible space, fire prevention education, emergency preparedness, and technology that helps identify and respond to fires quickly. The city has already adopted Wildland-Urban Interface requirements and has pursued CAL FIRE wildfire-prevention grant funding; I would support continuing and expanding those efforts where they provide measurable safety benefits.
What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
In addition to public safety, I will focus on responsible growth, infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, supporting local businesses, maintaining quality of life, and ensuring Murrieta has the resources necessary to provide reliable city services. I also want residents to have a stronger voice in decisions that affect their neighborhoods.
What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
My 18-year law enforcement career has required leadership, accountability, decision-making under pressure, and working with people from all backgrounds. I have served in leadership roles with law enforcement employee organizations, advocating for employees while working through complex labor and policy issues. I have also spent more than 10 years coaching and serving in leadership roles with Murrieta Valley Pop Warner. Those experiences have taught me how to lead, listen, solve problems, and work as part of a team.
What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
"Do the right thing, even when nobody is watching." That has stayed with me throughout my career.
Leadership is about doing what is right for the people you serve, even when it isn't the easiest decision.
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