Today, I am announcing my intention to run in the Special Election Primary for the recently vacated 16th Senate District

seat. I have reflected on this race with my husband of over 50 years and we agree that at this point in time, with an election less than 70 days away, the people of this district deserve a sense of stability from their elected representatives; someone who seeks the job to serve the people, not build a career. For me, public service means running for office to serve." It means runnin g because I believe that voters have the right to choose their representatives based on their record of service, not their aspirations for higher office. Service is walking a path that leads us to situations of both triumph and defeat, no matter the outcome, but we keep on trying because it matters to our communities and our families. I continue to run because public service is in my familys DNA. My father, Army Private Lawrence Muro, got on a train in Bakersfield 68 years ago, leaving behind a young wife and two small daughters, in order to serve his country. He never returned home. He made the ultimate sacrifice he gave his life for his country. This has been, and remains, my intrinsic inspiration to serve. My brother, Tony Garcia, has served in the military and as a Kern County firefighter for over two decades and inspires me each day by putting his life on the line for our community. My son Dean served as both your Assemblyman and State Senator bringing historic clean air legislation to his district. I have served as a local elected official for over 12 years, working to bring jobs to the Central Valley by establishing the necessary partnerships with the small cities in our 16th Senate District. I am running for State Senate to serve and I plan to win this special election in just 10 short weeks.

I am not fazed by the ill-informed opinions of political pundits and operatives who somehow don't remember that I once ran in a democratic primary and won handily (by over two-thirds). I know what it takes to run against other tough, wellfinanced, popular candidates and win. I've proven this before, and I am more than prepared to do the same in this primary election. I have won more elections than I have lost. I can accept failure, everyone fails at something, but I can't accept not trying. Especially if I am trying for the right reasons and willing to accept the consequences in order to give the voters of the Central Valley a choice for stable, mature, and experienced leadership. Democracy works best when people have a choice. I consider this run, not another attempt in a tough, hard-to-win district, but rather a run for a new, safe and secure Democratic Senate seat that offers me an opportunity that I have not been afforded in the past. I am excited to run in what I consider a "newly" drawn district that goes well beyond the very tough and always tightly raced 30th Assembly District (which is only 43% of the entire 16th Senate District). This area now includes most of metropolitan Fresno (57%), which is Democrat heavy, and I enter the race KNOWING I have strong partners here who will show their support, with their votes, in this fast approaching special election. My prospects of winning the primary are more than encouraging. With less than 70 days for any new opponent to establish the name recognition I have earned in a district this large, I will rely on my meticulous and already established database of supporters throughout the Valley. The Central Valley has never had a special election like this one. We are in new territory, where voters will be asked to go to the polls in less than 10 weeks. I have the essential name recognition, earned through years of service, which simply cannot be bought in such a short period. Im looking forward to this short sprint and pray that the voters grant me the honor of serving them.