Candidate for
Member of the State Assembly; District 53

Paul Whitehead, M.A., High School Teacher Masters Degree in Political Science

"WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR ME":

Last year I ran for Congress, won the primary, and received almost 100,000 votes. I walked neighborhoods from Torrance to Venice, knocked on doors, and talked to voters at their kitchen tables. I brought politics to you, your doorstep, and our communities. I was a citizen politician and it was a tremendous experience.

I had no plans to run again. I wanted to get back in the classroom, recover financially, and spend time with my family. Then, while teaching summer school, I heard that Assemblyman Mike Gordon had died of a brain tumor. My prayers are now with his wife Denise and their four children, Ryan, Erika, Amanda, and Gordy. I met Mike on several occasions last year while campaigning. I found him agreeable, dedicated, and issue-oriented.

Almost immediately after hearing the news, I started receiving calls from friends and neighbors urging me to run. I prayed about it and discussed it with my family, eventually deciding that I would take the same energy and enthusiasm of last year's campaign into this special election.

Some people ask, "But doesn't it take an incredible amount of money to run for public office?" I always respond with a story: I remember a kid who played church softball. He never played very well and the pastor would briefly put him in left field each game so that the kid wouldn't feel bad. But the kid always came to the games, smiled, only hit the ball twice the entire season, and enjoyed being there. That kid was me... I was that hopeful, ambitious softball player and now as an adult, I refuse to believe that I cannot or should not run for political office because I do not have the financial resources to play "in the big leagues." Politics and policy-making is for everyone.

My campaign focuses on people's real concerns about preparing our children for their future, the economy, our families, and our community. My slogan is "This time, vote for you believe in -- Message over Money, Issues over Image". Most of my donations have been just $53 + because I'm running in the 53rd district of California. People can afford that, and I don't mind asking for just $53.

I believe in expanding affordable healthcare, offering more industrial arts/trade classes for our students, lowering California's debt, and protecting the environment.

I am a strong advocate for our Senior Citizens and elderly residents. Reports have found that over half of non-drivers (65and older) stay at home on any given day because they have no transportation. How do Seniors get to the doctor, to houses of worship, to the grocery store, to see their friends? In many cases, they don't. They become isolated, often depressed.

As your Assemblyman, I will introduce a bill to increase funding for public transportation programs, particularly those serving the elderly and persons with disabilities; strengthen coordination among human services transportation programs in California, and preserve transportation enhancements programs that helps make communities more walkable and bicycle friendly.

Also, I am committed to passing AB 359, a bill to authorize the County of Los Angeles to establish a leash-free dog beach at Dockweiler Beach. I am a dog lover myself, having a Boxer dog for the past 12 years. (Yeah... she's old for a Boxer, but she's hanging in there. She's my heart.) I will pledge to do everything I can with the help of FREEPLAY to get this important legislation passed.

I say YES to leash-free dog beach at Dockweiler Beach, YES to Re-districting, YES to term-limits, YES to saving our Ballona Wetlands, YES to using eminent domain to turn Ballona Creek into a state park, and YES to better Senior Transportation.

I say NO to LAX expansion, NO to airport pollution, and NO to negative campaigning.

I will continue to fight to win this special election for California Assembly, and sometimes you might just see me playing left field.

If you would like to be listed as an Endorser, please contact the Paul Whitehead Campaign for Assembly at votewhitehead@yahoo.com or the phone number below.

Thank you for help,

Paul Whitehead Campaign for Assembly

This page has been modified by the candidate 10/2008