John Hager, a local trial lawyer and businessman, announced his candidacy for Congress yesterday, June 22. Hager will be running as an Independent for California’s 23rd Congressional district.
In his speech, Hager decried the financial crisis of 2008 and the moneyed corruption of partisan politics. He expressed his intent to support campaign finance reform, promising to accept no more than $250 from individual contributors during his campaign. Hager went on to talk about rebuilding the economy and the broken political system. The important thing is more to be heard than to win, he concluded.
His platform, as delineated in his campaign literature, focuses on reinvesting in education, stopping offshore drilling, and cutting debt.
Roughly 50 people—chiefly Hager’s family and friends—gathered to hear the announcement, which took place in the courtyard outside his Carrillo office (and tendered a bowl of red, white, and blue M&Ms, each customized to read “Hager for Congress”).
Hager must obtain 10,000 signatures from registered voters in order to be nominated.