Ash Kalra vs. Madison Nguyen

The California State Assembly race for D27 is getting intense between the two main candidates - former San Jose Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen and City Councilmember Ash Kalra.

Nguyen and Ash both have raised the maximum limit of $550,000 for their respective campaign.  But Nguyen with the huge support from PACs is raising a concern of out-of-state special interest groups trying to influence the race.  It is unusual to have this much money pouring into a primary for a state assembly seat.   Just for comparison,  two years ago, the Republican Party and PACs spent $3 million for the whole state senatorial race to support Janet Nguyen and her campaign against Jose Solorio.  And it was considered to be a crucial race for the Republican Party to prevent the Democratic Party of an absolute majority in the State Senate.

So far local PACs have spent about $400,000 to support Kalra while special interest groups have put it over $1.7 million to support Nguyen.


Here is a press release by Ash Kalra's campaign.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 31, 2016

CONTACT: Michael Terris

(415) 308-0867

Out-of-State and Billionaire Special Interest Groups Spend $1.7 Million to Buy a Seat in the California State Assembly

San Jose, CA — So-called school reform special interest groups funded by out-of-state and Republican billionaires have waged war on City Councilmember Ash Kalra. By putting in over $1.7 million into trying to get Madison Nguyen elected, they are hoping to buy a majority for privatizing public schools in the California State Assembly.

"There are seven candidates running, but I am the only one under attack from these billionaire special interests because they know they can never buy my vote," responded Ash Kalra, San Jose City Councilmember and a leading candidate for California State Assembly. “I am proud to have the support of thousands of teachers, nurses and school employees who are standing up for the integrity of our public schools.”

Kalra is also taking hits from the California Apartment Association funded by wealthy real estate developers because he has consistently fought them to bring more affordable housing options to San Jose. Both the so-called school reform and developer special interests are using false and misleading statistics to try to fool voters into opposing Ash Kalra.

A recent San Jose Mercury News article highlighted the misleading statistics being used to attack Kalra. They falsely accuse Kalra of having a low attendance record, when the real statistics show that he has a 97.4% attendance record, which actually bests his opponent’s own record in City Hall.

“The voters of the 27th Assembly District are too smart not to see through this blatant attempt to buy this election,” said San Jose Teachers Association President Jennifer Thomas. “San Jose teachers are 100% behind Ash Kalra for Assembly because we know he will stand up to out-of-state billionaires who wants to buy this election and privatize our public schools.”