Assemblymember Monique Limón | Credit: Paul Wellman

This story first appeared at Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts on September 21, 2019.

Monique Limón said on Saturday that she’s running for the 19th Senate District seat now held by termed-out Hannah-Beth Jackson — a long-awaited decision that leaves her 37th Assembly District seat open for the 2020 election and clarifies the shape of Santa Barbara’s political landscape.

Mercifully ending a six-month, one-woman Hamlet act about her choice between seeking to move to the 40-member Senate, where she’d represent double the land and twice the people, or stay put in the 80-member Assembly, where she’s quickly become effective and gained influence in only a few years, Monique announced her candidacy in a 350-word e-blast. 

Acknowledging that she has been “thinking about this for a long time” (No. Kidding.) Limón said her decision rests on her belief that “I can be most effective and put my experience to use in the State Senate, representing more of the coast (snip).” 

“Ventura and Santa Barbara coastlines are a treasure, and I look forward to continuing the fight to protect them,” her statement said. “My experience in the State Assembly over the past years positions me to advance that work in the State Senate unlike any other candidate from our region.”

As a political matter, there is rather a dearth of other candidates for the position (more on Cathy’s trial balloon later), which instantly establishes Monique as a formidable front-runner, with the potential to clear the field.

Efforting full analysis. 

Here is the text of her statement:

“I am excited to announce that I am running for the 19th State Senate District. I love representing the people of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties in the State Assembly. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and honored to have worked with my colleagues in the State Assembly to ensure the Central Coast continues to thrive while tackling some of the greatest challenges.

 “If I am victorious, I would be honored to represent even more people in each county – more to the north, and more to the south and east. As a State Senator, I would still be working in partnership with the Assembly. 

“What is most important – and the main reason why I have made this decision – is that I believe I can be most effective and put my experience to use in the State Senate, representing more of the coast, from the Santa Maria River in the north down to Point Magu in the south. Our Ventura and Santa Barbara coastlines are a treasure, and I look forward to continuing the fight to protect them. My experience in the State Assembly over the past years positions me to advance that work in the State Senate unlike any other candidate from our region. 

“I feel a strong connection to the cities and communities in the 19th State Senate District that I don’t currently represent – from Camarillo to Guadalupe, from Lompoc and Santa Maria to Port Hueneme and the rest of Oxnard, and unincorporated areas of both counties.

“I have been thinking about this for a long time, and there are reasons to run again for the Assembly, and so many important reasons to run for the Senate. From my perspective, I will be able to serve my constituents most effectively if I am elected to the Senate, where I will do everything I can to build the same type of strong relationships and understanding about the needs of the Central Coast – with an amazing group of leaders – relationships and regional understanding from which our district has benefited during my time in the Assembly.”

“I would like to thank everybody for their patience and advice and support – colleagues, family members, friends – and especially the constituents I represent.

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