Kern County's 2026 primary candidates: One-on-one interview with AD-35 hopeful Andrae Gonzales

Yahoo

4 days ago

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The 2026 Election is already underway, as candidates throw their names in the ring for local, state and federal offices.
Wednesday morning, Bakersfield Ward 2 City Councilmember Andrae Gonzales announced his run for California's 35th Assembly District.
17 Political Reporter Jenny Huh sat down with Gonzales for a candidate profile.
It's a political domino effect or ladder, if you will. Gonzales announced Thursday morning he's running to replace Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains in the 35th Assembly District, who, one day prior, announced she's running for Congress.
'My goal is to know the district as well as I know Ward 2, and to be as involved, as engaged as I can,' said Gonzales.
The 43-year-old has represented Bakersfield's Ward 2 since 2016, prior to that serving as a board trustee on the Bakersfield City School District.
An east Bakersfield native and current Eastchester resident, the Democrat is eyeing the step up to Sacramento, saying the state must do more for cities.
'We know and I know that Sacramento can do so much more to help us address some of the most chronic pressing issues that are facing our neighborhoods for too long,' Gonzales said. 'Kern County has got the short end of the stick. We have our older brothers, the Bay Area and in the L.A. Southern California area, our big brothers who seem to have a seat at the table and kind of nudge us out.'
17's Jenny Huh: 'How do you, amid all the other state legislators and senators that are working to do the same thing for their community, how do you prioritize Kern?'
Andrae Gonzales: 'I grew up in a family with five siblings, and I know a thing or two about nudging my way in. I was a middle child.'
On his priorities at the state level, Gonzales said, 'Number one is to grow and diversify our local economy. We know that we're facing so many challenges when it comes to with respect to our region and in good paying jobs.'
Gonzales has long focused on issues like homelessness, housing affordability and support for small local businesses, all of which he says his 'Downtown Ward' feels especially hard.
'The issues compound themselves, everything from chronic poverty to disinvestment in some of our oldest neighborhoods to homelessness, to a decline in the downtown area and a lack of investment over a period of 30, 40 years,' the assemblymember hopeful explained.
AD-35 is a seat Gonzales has eyed before, in the 2024 cycle, though he ultimately bowed out.
'This opportunity with Dr. Bains running for Congress has opened the seat up. And it's an open seat, I want to give it a shot,' Gonzales answered, when asked about his first go at the seat.
The work has already started.
17 News joined Gonzales Wednesday evening in Delano, as he met with community leaders. Delano is the second largest city in kern but is also where the incumbent Bains' roots lie.
Gonzales said when it comes to his ability to transition to state leadership, he hopes the proof is in the pudding.
He highlighted various accomplishments at the city level, especially in helping hundreds of small businesses, including through the B3K Initiative, the Bakersfield College Launch Pad Initiative, and the Prosperity Neighborhood Initiative.
Gonzales also highlighted his role in the launching of the Bakersfield community land trust, which offers affordable housing opportunities to those low to moderate income.
He credited his late father, who served as a counselor at Bakersfield College — for his public servant mindset, which Gonzales said began at the young age of six. 'I am very serious about getting to work and just focusing on the issues and being very pragmatic and practical in getting things done for people,' Gonzales said.
Click here for the full interview with Andrae Gonzales.
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