Murrieta Mayor Taps Rep. Issa As Veterans Day Parade Grand Marshal

MURRIETA, CA — Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Vista) was selected by Murrieta Mayor Jonathan Ingram to be this year's grand marshal of the city's annual Veterans Day Parade, it was announced Friday.

The choice and timing are curious, but in a released statement Ingram said he was honored to select Issa.

“This event is woven into the fabric of our community and showcases how patriotic Murrieta is," the mayor said. "For 20 years, our residents have come together on Veterans Day to honor and celebrate those who have served in the military. This event exemplifies the support Murrieta residents have for our military, and I am honored to select this year’s grand marshal, Congressman Darrell Issa.”

Issa is a veteran, having served in the Army and again in the Army Reserve, where he reached the rank of captain. But Issa is not from Murrieta nor is he the city's congressional representative.

The latter might change.

Issa currently represents Congressional District 50, which includes just a sliver of a Riverside County city — Temecula. With redistricting, he is running for reelection in the 48th District, which includes Murrieta and Temecula.

During the June 7 Primary Election, Issa and Democrat Stephen Houlahan of Santee won the top-two slots in the 48th District race. They will face off during the Nov. 8 General Election — a runoff that takes place three days before Murrieta's parade.

Issa won 61.5% of votes in the primary race compared to challenger Houlahan's 27.8%. The other two candidates on the ballot garnered the remaining 10.7% between them, according to final tallies from the Secretary of State.

General Election results won't be certified until long after the Nov. 11 parade date, although media outlets will call many races within hours of polls closing.

Murrieta has a number of veterans of all political stripes living in the city, and some were parade grand marshals in previous years. It's not clear if any were considered for this year's event or how Issa came to be the final choice.

The parade, now in its 20th year, takes place in downtown Murrieta starting at 10 a.m. on Washington Avenue. It's free to attend and kicks off with the singing of the national anthem and, "hopefully," a military flyover, according to the city. It's not clear whether Issa will help procure a flyover.

All three Murrieta high school marching bands and JROTC groups will be performing in the parade, in addition to other schools in the region. Groups, businesses, and organizations are invited to participate too. Visit tinyurl.com/VeteranParade for more information.

The parade ends at Town Square Park (11 Town Square) at the Murrieta Rotary’s Field of Honor where more than 2,000 full-sized American flags will honor both local and national service members who paid the ultimate sacrifice. For those who can't attend the parade, the Field of Honor will be displayed Nov. 5-13.