This is not Jane Fonda’s involvement – San Bernardino Sun

There is little doubt that a Democrat will represent the district that includes part of San Bernardino County in January.

Voters in the 50th Congressional District will face a choice of which Democrat to support.

Robert Garcia and Adam Perez, both Democrats, are the only candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot in the district, which represents Loma Linda, Colton and parts of Redlands, Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Ontario and the city of San Bernardino.

Garcia has the endorsement of the California Democratic Party. And actress Jane Fonda recently headlined Garcia’s fundraiser in Rancho Cucamonga.

Perez, for his part, has cited his experience in the military and law enforcement while also boasting of his support from labor unions and Inland Empire political figures.

It’s the only intraparty general election fight in the Inland region, made possible by California’s top-two primary, which advances the top two candidates regardless of their party. Garcia finished first and Perez second — Garcia got 42% of the vote and Perez 29% — in the March primary against Democrat DeJonaé Shaw and Republican Sharon Stein.

Created in a 2021 political redistricting, the 50th District is currently represented by Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-Colton, who is resigning her seat to run for state Senate. It is a solidly blue district, where Democrats make up 45% of the 50th District’s registered voters compared to 25% for Republicans.

In addition to being Democrats, Garcia and Perez also help oversee public school districts. Garcia serves on the Etiwanda School District board; Perez serves on the Fontana Unified School District board.

Garcia, an assistant principal at an elementary school in the Ontario-Montclair School District, said he was reluctant when he was first approached about running for the 50th District seat.

After further discussions, Garcia said he concluded “that fundamentally, because of the excellence and the impact that I have in the schools, I can make a similar impact on a larger scale for more residents and more people in the Inland Empire.”

Perez wrote in an email that he is running because he “believes in public service and wants to give back to my community in the most meaningful way possible.”

“Our San Bernardino County communities are facing significant challenges — like homelessness, rising costs and the fentanyl epidemic,” Perez added. “I believe my experiences have helped prepare me to address these issues and achieve results for our county.”

Although the race is Democrat-versus-Democrat “on paper … My opponent is supported primarily by Republicans and the Republican establishment,” Garcia said.

“I have the support of the Democratic Party (and the Democratic caucuses). And I feel like the community supports me, as the primaries showed.”

Perez said Garcia “is too focused on partisanship. I haven’t met a single voter who wants politics to be more partisan than it is. People want cheaper gas, lower rent, better jobs — and those are issues that both parties can agree on.”

Perez’s supporters include the Redlands and Rancho Cucamonga firefighters unions, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 477 and the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, as well as Assemblyman James Ramos, a Democrat from Highland, and former San Bernardino County Councilwoman Josie Gonzales.

“I am proud of my bipartisan coalition and that I have the support of local firefighters, police officers, healthcare workers and small business owners,” Perez said.

Garcia’s endorsements include the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, the California Teachers’ Association, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-San Bernardino. Reyes also endorsed Garcia to succeed him in the Assembly.

Garcia said Fonda, who has a long history of left-wing political activism, raised money for him because her political action committee has endorsed him and other candidates involved in fighting climate change.