NORTH COAST, Calif. – The race to succeed retiring State Sen. Noreen Evans has narrowed down to two men.
On Wednesday, Novato Mayor Eric Lucan, one of the two remaining Democrats in the race for the Second Senate District seat, announced he was ending his campaign.
At the same time, he gave his support to Sonoma County Supervisor Mike McGuire.
McGuire now remains the race's lone Democrat, and he's facing Republican Lawrence Wiesner of Santa Rosa in the race to represent the Second Senate District.
In this year's election, the district's new boundaries will take effect. The new lines extend from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and include all of Lake, Del Norte, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino and Trinity counties, and portions of Sonoma County.
Evans (D-Santa Rosa) announced last year she was not seeking reelection.
The Wednesday announcement from Lucan follows Arcata resident Chris Lehman's decision, made public Jan. 13, that he also was leaving the race.
Lucan, who has continued to work full-time while conducting his campaign, said in his Wednesday announcement, “With increasing pressures on my time, I found it was possible to run a good campaign, but not the great campaign that this large district deserves and requires.”
He went on to endorse McGuire. “Over the last several months, I have been impressed with Mike’s track record, energy and his knowledge of issues in Marin County and through out this beautiful senate district. Even as we competed in the campaign, Mike was always gracious and open. We will be in good hands with Mike as our state senator.”
McGuire thanked Lucan for his support and endorsement, calling him “a strong candidate.”
So far, McGuire has racked up endorsements from more than 80 elected officials, including Congressman Mike Thompson, Assemblyman Wes Chesbro and Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, and on the local level, from county supervisors Anthony Farrington and Jeff Smith.
Wiesner, 70, is a US Air Force veteran and Certified Public Accountant who believes what the California Legislature needs is an accountant who can balance a budget.
He has sought the North Coast Senate seat previously, losing to Patricia Wiggins in 2006 and Evans in 2010.
In this latest effort, he said jobs, the economy and education remain his priorities, just as they were in past campaigns.
“We're really in bad shape, so we need a little bit better guidance than we've had so far,” he said.
Wiesner doesn't accept that the state is doing better economically. “If everything was great in the state of California, we wouldn't have cities going into bankruptcy,” he said, citing troubles including unfunded pension liabilities and unemployment.
“The state's in real trouble. In Lake County, that's a fact, too,” he said, pointing to the county's high unemployment.
Wiesner held out his military and job experience as better preparation for public service than the route taken by McGuire, who was first elected to the Healdsburg Unified School District Board when he was 19 years old.
McGuire, 34, has since gone on to serve six years on the Healdsburg City Council – including a term as mayor – and was elected to the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 2010.
He has visited Lake County 10 times since he began his campaign last year and said he has committed to being in the county twice a month if he wins the office.
“Lake County's prosperity is a priority to me,” he said.
He said he plans to work with Lake County communities on developing jobs and the economy, ensuring a strong rural health care system and rolling out rural broadband.
McGuire also plans to work with the Lucerne community on the “ridiculously high” water rates residents there are paying. McGuire attended a Dec. 12 town hall that focused on the town's water issues, and he told Lake County News that he's worked on a similar situation in Larkfield.
He's also interested in quagga mussel prevention – an issue in which he said Lake County has been a leader – and in building a stronger public school system after nearly six years of statewide cuts to K-12 education totaling $18 billion.
Calling rural counties the backbone of the Second Senate District, McGuire noted that he would be honored to work for Lake County's residents in the Legislature.
“I will be extremely engaged, active and involved, fighting for resources Lake County residents need to thrive,” he said.
Because of the state's recently changed primary system, the race ahead won't be settled in the June primary, but will continue until November.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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