Three candidates, two forums: Assembly District 42 race heads to the June 2 primary
(CLAIR | Moorpark, CA) – The hills from Camarillo to Malibu are still scarred from recent wildfires, and as of May 19, a new one is still burning. The Sandy Fire, estimated at 1,385 acres with only 5% containment, is burning between Simi Valley and the Conejo Valley, the heart of Assembly District 42. Insurance companies are fleeing the state, and California's budget faces persistent shortfalls. Whoever wins the Assembly District 42 seat will inherit all of it. Incumbent Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin is termed out, leaving the race open among three contenders: Democrat Deborah Klein Lopez and Republicans Ted Nordblum and Rocky Rhodes.
Voters had two chances to size them up before the June 2 primary.
The Candidates
Klein Lopez grew up in the Conejo Valley. She started her career in financial analysis and project management and later transitioned to public service in the California State Senate and Assembly. An Agoura Hills City Councilmember since 2018, she serves on the Clean Power Alliance's board of directors and previously served on the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains. She has also worked on homelessness for nearly 20 years. "I was elected on a Tuesday, we had the Borderline shooting on Wednesday and the Woolsey fire on Thursday," she said. Much of her public service since has focused on emergency preparedness, disaster response, and clean energy.
Nordblum grew up in Thousand Oaks and is a small business owner. He got into this race because of what he sees as a long decline in California. "We're going in the wrong direction," he said. "We're in decline." He is endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the California Rifle and Pistol Association, and said he is running to help break the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento. His path to running became more personal after he lost his brother to a fentanyl overdose in 2021.
Rhodes is a Simi Valley City Councilmember who frames his candidacy around pushing back against state overreach. He says residents' frustrations with Simi Valley largely trace back to Sacramento and that he wants to restore cities' rights. On his campaign website, he describes his approach as stewardship: taking care of what works, fixing what doesn't, and making sure the next generation has more opportunity than the last.
April 28: League of Women Voters and Moorpark Chamber Forum
On April 28, Klein Lopez and Nordblum faced voters at the Moorpark High Street Arts Center in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County and the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce. The forum was moderated by David Maron. Audience members submitted questions in writing. Rhodes was not present. Topics included immigration, wildfire resilience, energy, gender identity, campaign finance and more.
Immigration
Nordblum said he supports legal immigration and backs current deportation efforts, with one exception. He said he does not believe in deporting people who have been in the country for roughly 20 years, grew up here, and know no other home. "If you're illegal, I'm sorry, you shouldn't be here," he said. He argued California cannot afford to extend Medi-Cal and social services to people in the country illegally while American citizens face penalties for not having insurance and the state carries a $70 billion deficit. He also said he supports a pathway to citizenship for long-term residents who are working and whose children were born here.
Klein Lopez said the district has a large and vibrant immigrant community that contributes to its economy and culture. She said Trump missed an opportunity for bipartisan immigration reform and instead is "terrorizing our immigrant communities." She said she does not want to see immigrant neighbors living in fear, and pushed back on the suggestion that immigrants commit crimes at higher rates than the general population.
Wildfire and Climate Resilience
Nordblum's own home burned in the Woolsey fire. He said the answer is brush clearance and forest management, arguing the money is already allocated. "It's so easy. Just get government out of the way and do the job."
Klein Lopez noted the district stretches from Camarillo to Bel Air and from Simi Valley to Malibu, and that what unites all of it is vulnerability to climate disasters. She called for investment in infrastructure, reservoirs, home hardening, and the creation of disaster response and recovery districts so the state is not recreating the wheel after every fire or mudslide.
The issue is not hypothetical. As the May 19 Simi Valley Chamber forum took place, the Sandy Fire was actively burning between Simi Valley and the Conejo Valley, estimated at 1,385 acres with 5% containment. At least one home was lost. Public safety personnel were coordinating efforts to repopulate evacuated areas throughout the day. Fire crews were also prioritizing protection of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, the former Rocketdyne site on Woolsey Canyon Road, which had not been impacted as of that morning.
AB 1955: Gender Identity and Parental Notification
AB 1955 states that teachers are not required to notify parents if a child expresses a desire to change their gender.
Klein Lopez said school can be a safe place when home is not, and that it is not a teacher's role to out students. She supports the student's right to ask that information not be shared with a parent.
Nordblum said he does not believe children have the right to privacy on this issue. "Hiding anything from a parent is wrong, in my opinion. The parent raises the child, not the state." He shared that he has a transgender nephew who waited until age 18 to transition. "I wish they would leave the kids alone," he said.
Energy and Gas Prices
Nordblum blamed California's energy policies and the departure of major refineries from the state, saying California now imports 80% of its oil by boat. "We need to drill baby drill in California," he said. He supports nuclear energy and fossil fuels and questioned the state's clean fuel standards.
Klein Lopez attributed rising gas prices to the conflict with Iran and to oil companies posting record profits. She said gas taxes fund roads and bridges and that the long-term answer is reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Campaign Finance
Both candidates agreed that money has too much influence in politics. Klein Lopez said her greatest wish would be to take money out of politics entirely, blaming Citizens United for allowing dark money into races through independent expenditures. Nordblum said he would like spending caps at every level of office, arguing good candidates should not be shut out because they cannot raise enough money. He said all of his donations come from small donors and that he receives no union money.
Closing Statements
Nordblum said he is "just a normal American small business owner" running because he cares. "The pendulum's been so far one way. We need to get back to center."
Klein Lopez closed by listing endorsements from local firefighters, teachers, nurses, the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, dozens of local elected officials, and Assemblywoman Irwin. "There is only one candidate who's actually been on the ground working to make this area a better place," she said.
A video of the April 28 forum is available at lwv.org/california/ventura-county and at youtube.com/watch?v=KUCUIPYvdWU.
May 19: Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Forum
On May 19, Nordblum and Rhodes participated in a forum hosted by the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce. Klein Lopez did not attend due to a prior engagement. The two Republican contenders discussed the state budget, small business regulations and more. Eleven candidates were present overall, including contenders for U.S. Congress and Ventura County Supervisor District 4.
State Budget and Fiscal Responsibility
Rhodes argued the governor is using accounting maneuvers and deferred financing to paper over a budget that is in far worse shape than publicly acknowledged, citing the legislative accounting office. He said he would protect essential infrastructure spending but cut wasteful programs, singling out high-speed rail as a boondoggle. When a labor group told him the project creates jobs, he quipped that taking it down would too.
Nordblum called the state budget inflated and said he would cut the gas tax, reduce payroll taxes, and ease what he described as stifling licensing regulations. He compared California to "a big Ponzi scheme," saying the state funnels billions to nonprofits that cycle money back to the Democratic Party. He said Gov. Newsom refused to fund Prop 36, which voters passed to toughen penalties for theft and drug crimes, while finding $300 million for redistricting. "They just pick and choose what they want to fund," he said.
Small Business and the Economy
Rhodes, himself a small business owner, said opening a business in California is incredibly difficult due to health department regulations, fees, zoning requirements and variances.
Nordblum said California's problems with affordability, taxes, and families leaving the state are among his top reasons for running.
A video of the Simi Valley Chamber forum is available at facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2522871368163462.
Voters can find candidate information at vote411.org.
