Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Two years ago, our board endorsed RepublicanJosh Hoover over incumbent Democrat Ken Cooleyin a race for the 7th Assembly District. Hoover was narrowly elected in the Sacramento County district north of the city limits, in part, because Cooley proved to not be a strong candidate.

Hoover has shown his potential by advancing common sense ideas about bringing more transparency and responsiveness to the government. Last year,Assembly Bill 95 was one of a handful of Hoover bills signed by Gov. Newsom. It authorized schools to sell a second entree to students at breakfast or lunch if they desire one.

Hoover continues to be both an accessible and serious legislator. But this has proven to be a different election cycle.

Instead of facing one of the weakest Democrat candidates in the state as last time, he facesa potential rising starin Sacramento-area politics.

Porsche Middleton,a Democrat from the Citrus Heights City Council, is running for the Assembly for the first time and she has our endorsement.

Middleton does not act or sound like a rookie aspirant. Now 40, Middleton was the first Black woman elected mayor of her city. Before that, she was a planning commissioner. But to make the change in California that she seeks to accomplish, she has to head to the Capitol.

“Once I began digging deeper into local government I realized that a lot of the things that we are dealing with are issues that can only be solved at the state level,” Middleton said,

From her city council experience, Middleton is ready to advance an agenda to accelerateurban revitalizationand the building of more affordable housing. That takes money. She is intimately familiar with the need to find some new financial mechanism to create a funding source for cities to advance the rebuilding of our urban cores and aging suburban areas.

It is refreshing to listen to a Democrat who isn’t afraid of a third rail inside the Legislature —California’s rampant retail theft. Under a current law passed by voters in 2014, a Californian can shoplift $950 in goods every day and never face a felony. The state’s subsequent retail crime spree has left policy makers wondering how to address the root causes of the crime and create an appropriate level of punishment without creating a prison meltdown. Middleton is up to the challenge.

Middleton is also not afraid of reforms that would ensure bias-free policing tactics and sanctions when appropriate for misconduct. Bills to ensure police accountability in ways that are fair to the officers and transparent to the public are among the toughest pieces of legislation to craft and advance. She has the mind to do it.

As for California’s worsening budget crisis, Middleton wants to protect social service programs as much as possible in the state’s worsening budget problem. That makes sense. But to do it, Middleton would have to serve on key budget committees and push both the legislative and executive branches to get far more serious about finding ways to do more with less.

Middleton’s overall approach to governing fits a district where partisan issues are not a top concern. She describes her approach to governing as a bridge builder and problem solver.

These are qualities desperately needed inside a legislative Democratic caucus that too often promotes extremism than solutions that reflect everyday Californians. There is also the Legislature’s Problem Solvers Caucus that could use more members. This is a caucus of both Democrats and Republicans that is an earnest search for shared solutions on tough policy topics.

Hoover has had a solid first term. He just happens to be up against a remarkable talent. Middleton also has the advantage of being a member of the party in power, something that gives her a greater chance of using her considerable skills to create real change. It is unclear whether her party is willing to help her enough to make the move from Citrus Heights to the state’s business downtown. She could use the help of every voter to get there.

This story was originally publishedFebruary 12, 2024 at 2:45 PM.