Amador County – Assemblywoman Alyson Huber announced local endorsements in her reelection campaign during a press conference Tuesday at Café De Coco in downtown Jackson.

Huber introduced several local supporters from a list of 11 current and former elected officials and business owners, as Huber, a centrist Democrat, prepares for a District 10 California Assembly rematch against Republican Jack Sieglock, whom she narrowly defeated in the 2008 general election by 474 votes, or three-tenths of one percent.

Huber introduced Sheriff Martin Ryan, Amador County Superintendent of Schools Dick Glock, and local insurance agent Ann Lintz. She said the press conference was her way of showing that Amador is not too small a county for a campaign; and her endorsements showed bipartisan support from locals.

Sheriff Ryan said he does not often endorse politicians, but working closely with Huber on legislation seeking mandatory sentencing for methamphetamine dealers showed him she did an excellent job presenting the case in a committee.

“In the end she was able to get it out of committee,” Ryan said, adding: “That is working across the aisle. And that is why I’m here.”

Huber said AB640 eventually made it out of two committees and to the governor’s desk, where it was vetoed. She said it was a successful fight just to make it that far, with the legislation that would have given up to 180 days of mandatory jail time for meth dealers.

She said Ryan testified in support of the bill, but it was rejected by Schwarzenegger in part because it gave some sentencing discretion to judges, and had confusing differences in lengths of sentences.

Huber said the next step for the legislation would be introducing another bill, if she is reelected, noting that she would also have a new governor to work with.

Superintendent Glock said this was the first endorsement he has ever given. He said it was due to Huber cutting out the politics and being a good listener, without knee-jerk responses.

Glock has worked with Huber on dropout rates, which have not been a problem in Amador schools. Glock said: “It’s not just about education. We have 175 families leaving the county this year due to job loss.”

He also liked her push for a “funding model that is stable” for school districts, and her idea that schools do not need more money, but really need to receive funding to which they are entitled.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.