Aanestad vies for Herger's seat

Sam Aanestad

Former state Senator and oral surgeon Sam Aanestad, R-Penn Valley, announced Thursday, Feb. 9, that he is joining the already crowded race for a U.S. House of Representatives seat in California’s first Congressional District.

Congressman Wally Herger, who has represented that region of northern California for nearly 26 years, previously announced that he is retiring. That announcement has prompted at least four Republican candidates to step forward and two Democrats as well.

In a press release, Aanestad said, “I’m running to join the conservatives in Congress fighting to cut spending and balance this budget. With a national debt that now stands at $15 trillion — or nearly $49,000 for every single American — we are dangerously close to becoming like Greece.”

Greece, a member of the European Union, has defaulted twice and is theatening to default yet again on nearly $150 billion in aid loans from economically healthier European Union nations, the New York Times reported Friday. Greece’s economy has been in deep recession since 2009.

Aanestad, a long-time fiscal conservative who served four years (1998-2002) in the California State Assembly before serving two four-year terms as a state Senator (2002-2010), likened the U.S. federal deficit problems to Greece’s failure to put into place severe austerity measures because “(e)very program, every agency must be asked to make the hard cuts necessary to get our financial house in order. That’s why I’m in this fight.”

At age 65, Aanestad recently sold his oral and maxillifacial surgery practice in Grass Valley. In anticipation of his announced candidacy, Aanestad formed an exploratory committee and has announced that U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Granite Bay, a long-time friend and mentor who served with him in the California State Assembly, will serve as his campaign co-chair.

Aanestad will join an already crowded field of Republican candidates for a seat in the newly-drawn 1st Congressional District. Doug LaMalfa, the Richvale state senator already received Herger’s endorsement. Other Republicans include retired Air Force Col. Pete Stiglich of Cottonwood and Happy Valley businessman Gregory Cheadle.

Two Democrats who have declared their candidacy are Jim Reed, a lawyer from Fall River Mills, and Johnny Reeves of Auburn, who describes himself as an “unemployed federal Food Stamp Program recipient who also receives federal housing assistance.

With so many high-profile Republicans on the ballot, Reed told the Record Searchlight that he is worried that there is a possibility of two Republican candidates winning June’s new open primary election.

Approved by California voters in 2010, the open primary rules allow the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, to appear on the general election ballot in November for a runoff. Also, undeclared voters will be able to request to vote on the ballot of any political party.

But that possibility does not deter Aanestad.

“I know the issues that concern the people of this new district. I know the problems they deal with every day,” he said.