In California, the U.S. Congressional Race has officially begun. Amador County is part of the 3rd District, which also covers Calaveras and Alpine counties, as well as some of Sacramento and Solano counties. Our current 3rd District Congressman, Republican Dan Lungren, has served in Congress for over ten years and also served as California’s Attorney General for two terms. Lungren believes in keeping the lines of communication open with his constituents by holding town halls and “tele-town halls,” a tele-conferencing option he uses when he is in Congress on the East Coast.  Also, Lungren has a staffed office here in Jackson, which he uses to keep apprised of local issues. Opposing Lungren from the Democratic Party is Dr. Bill Durston, a California physician who served in Vietnam. Durston has practiced medicine in Sacramento for over twenty years and has held several chief and assistant chief of staff positions at Kaiser Permanente. Additionally, he has served on several boards, including Physicians for Social Responsibility and has been the president of the Sacramento Chapter since 2003.

Also running is Dina Padilla from the Peace and Freedom Party. Padilla is a former medical care worker who now calls herself an “advocate and activist for injured workers and patients.”  Padilla spends her time educating and informing injured workers of their rights, and also provides emotional support and advice to those not receiving appropriate medical care. The final candidate for the 3rd district seat is Libertarian Douglas Arthur, or “Art,” Tuma. According to Tuma’s website, he values personal liberties and promises to “lower taxes for all.”  Tuma is a retired engineer, a Libertarian activist, and has run for Congress in the past. Amador County residents will vote for District 3 on June 3rd.  We’ll have more on the candidates in upcoming broadcasts.