Manuel Perez announces candidacy for Riverside County Supervisor

Sate Assemblymember Manuel Perez is eyeing a new challenge: a seat on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

He announced his candidacy for district four Sunday in front of more than 200 desert democrats at the “Activist of the Year Luncheon” at the Palm Springs Renaissance Hotel.

“I’m very proud to say I will be announcing my candidacy for Board of Supervisors for District Four.”

The Riverside County seat has been held by the republican party for years.

“We are hoping to break that tradition and have a democrat in that non-partisan position,” Perez said.

While Perez and democrats alike hope to make history and turn the district blue, he says when it comes to the economy, jobs, and restoring the salton sea, his work as an assemblyman isn’t over yet.

“There’s more work to be done. We’ll be unfolding that, but at the minimal I want for the Salton Sea before I leave state assembly, that all layers of government are on the same page and we coordinate together.”

The technically non-partisan seat is currently held by John Benoit, a republican.

Perez says he wants to be the first democrat to serve on the board.Coachella valley democrats say demographics are changing. They believe they can win the seat.

Supervisor Benoit was appointed to the board to fill the seat when former supervisor Roy Wilson died.

Benoit has not yet formally announced his intention to run for the seat himself.

Congressman Raul Ruiz was the keynote speaker at the event. He announced he was running for Congress at the same event in 2010.