Former Palm Springs Police Chief announces Assembly campaign
Former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron announced Tuesday that he will run against embattled 42nd Assembly District incumbent Chad Mayes.
Jeandron joins San Jacinto City Councilman Andrew Kotyuk in the 2018 primary race against Mayes, R-Yucca Valley, who was recently ousted from his position as Assembly Republican caucus leader for his vote supporting a 10-year extension of the state’s cap-and-trade program largely backed by Democrats. The program requires companies that contribute to pollution to purchase emissions credits, but conservative critics have decried the program, saying it will
raise gasoline and electricity costs for consumers.
Watch CBS Local 2 interview with Chad Mayes
In announcing his campaign, Jeandron described Mayes as a “turncoat” and vowed his opposition to tax increases.
“Chad Mayes ran as a Republican and misrepresented himself to the voters. His decision to align with Democrats to continue a wrongful tax increase is against the principles of the Republican Party and directly against our community needs,” Jeandron said. “Chad Mayes’ decision to side with Jerry Brown and the Democrats will result in higher gasoline costs by more than 70
cents per gallon. Today I’m announcing my candidacy as a Republican and someone
who won’t ever go against the needs of our community and I will stand up
against any and all tax increases.”
Read: Chad Mayes out as leader of Assembly Republican Caucus
It’s not Jeandron’s first foray into the political realm.After serving as Palm Springs police chief for 33 years until his retirement in 2006, he ran for an Assembly seat in 2008, losing narrowly to
current Fourth District county Supervisor V. Manuel Perez. In 2010, he ran against incumbent John J. Benoit for a Riverside County supervisorial seat and lost. In 2014, he also ran against Mayes in the 42nd Assembly District, but lost in the primary.
Jeandron served on the Palm Springs Unified School District board, but resigned before his term ended in 2014 due to moving outside of the district’s boundaries.
Jeandron currently lives in La Quinta with his wife Amy.
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