LAKE COUNTY ? The race for the District 1 county supervisor seat took a turn Saturday when incumbent Ed Robey publicly endorsed candidate Susanne La Faver.
Robey made the announcement at La Faver”s campaign kickoff event at Ployez Winery in Lower Lake. La Faver is one of six candidates vying for the supervisor office. District 1 will be on the June 3 Primary Election ballot along with Districts 4 and 5. District 1 includes the communities of Middletown, Hidden Valley, Cobb, Lower Lake, and a portion of the City of Clearlake.
“Susanne has the know-how and the energy to protect our quality of life while promoting our local economy. I”ve watched her working on various community projects for years, and I know she is motivated by the highest principles of public service,” Robey said.
“I think someone who has been doing the job for 12 years and has been elected as many times as he has certainly knows what the job entails and what qualifications are needed to be successful. So I”m very pleased with his endorsement. I think it says good things about my candidacy, and my ability to serve District 1,” La Faver said.
Robey announced in the summer of 2007 that he would not run for the office again after four consecutive terms.
“The people who support me would not expect that I would have been endorsed by Ed,” candidate James Comstock said. “Ed can endorse whomever he wants to if he feels that they most greatly follow his plans and philosophies and thoughts, and that”s fine. That”s why I”m running, because I don”t.”
Comstock added, “I am very much in favor of promoting business in southern Lake County. We”re exporting all our youth because there are no jobs or opportunities here.”
The last time Robey ran the District 1 seat was in 2004, when returning candidate Don Dornbush went head-to-head with him in the November run-off. Dornbush said Robey won by a little more than 100 votes; Robey confirmed that the race was “fairly close.”
Dornbush and candidate Joey Luiz were not sure how Robey”s endorsement would help La Faver. “It”s going to weigh with some people but as far as I know, she doesn”t know a lot of people. He knew a lot of people here, she doesn”t ? does that mean the support will transfer to her? I don”t think so,” Dornbush said.
“I don”t feel that endorsements are what win elections; that”s all going to be decided by voters,” Luiz said.
“It seems to me that Ed would support someone who has been here longer and knows a little bit more about the issues. Last time he ran, he said I was not experienced, and now he is picking out the most inexperienced candidate,” Dornbush said.
“There”s many kinds of experience a person can have,” Robey said. “What”s most important is that you”ve got your heart in the right place, that you”ve got good judgment, that you”re fair and open-minded, that you listen to all sides and make good decisions that are not just based on the immediate circumstances, but are based on the big picture and the long view. That”s the most important thing,” Robey said.
Two forums are planned for District 1 candidates to speak on the issues facing the district. The first is slated for April 30 at the Hidden Valley Lake Country Club inside the subdivision. Attendance is by invitation, according to Hidden Valley Lake Pride president Jack Worster. The community service organization will host the forum.
A second forum is scheduled for May 21 at the Middletown Methodist Church Social Hall. It will be hosted by the Middletown Luncheon Club. For more information, call club president Helen Whitney at 928-9812.
Candidates Scott Fergusson and Robert MacIntyre did not return phone calls from the Record-Bee as of press time Monday night.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com
