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Dean Flórez: Mother knows best

By JUAN ESPARZA LOERA / Vida En El Valle

SHAFTER -- State Sen. Dean Flórez believes every state legislator should have their mother pulling their ears and nudging them to solve the state's problems, like the overdue state budget.

The Shafter Democrat, not surprisingly, has endorsed his mother, Shafter City Councilmember Fran Flórez, in her bid for the 30th Assembly District.

"I know that she has been working harder than those in the state legislature every single day," he told a crowd of about 100 who jammed inside a stifling hot campaign headquarters last Saturday afternoon. "I'm waiting for her to tell those members in that caucus room what she tells me: 'Look, why not just get it done? Stop dilly-dallying around. Let's roll up our sleeves."

The son, who held the Assembly seat before moving up to his current post, added, "Quite frankly, every legislator needs a mother in that room. Because with a mother in that room, this (state) budget would be done."

Despite the Flórez name recognition and the edge that Democratic-registered voters enjoy in the district that stretches from Bakersfield to Fresno, both mother and son expect a tough race against Republican challenger Danny Gilmore. He lost two years ago to Assemblymember Nicole M. Parra, D-Hanford, by 1,717 votes out of 54,771 that were cast.

More than $2 million was spent in the contest, a figure that Fran Flórez believes will be spent again.

"I don't expect it to be any less this time around," she said. "It would be great it if wasn't."

The 12-year councilmember veteran believes voters will look favorably at her record in working with her colleagues in creating 2,300 jobs in Shafter, boosting the city's police force and serving as chair of the California High Speed Rail Commission.

Creating a high speed rail that connects north with south, she said, will "create 450,000 permanent jobs. That is what we need."

Fran Flórez, along with her son, expects a tough campaign against Gilmore.

"It will not be a walk in the park," said Dean Flórez. "It never has been."

Fran Flórez acknowledged Assembly Speaker Karen Bass' interest in keeping the district in Democratic hands. "She has pledged to have the resources and people so that we can win."

Veteran political campaign worker Bob Sanders began working with the Flórez campaign last week.

"He arrived a week ago last Tuesday, and I haven't stopped smiling," said Fran Flórez.

Dean Flórez said the race will be decided in Kern County, where voters in recent elections have helped the winning candidate overcome slight deficits in Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties.

"This has always been a tough seat; it will be a tough seat," said Dean Flórez.

Fran Flórez acknowledged that by deciding to kick off her campaign two weeks prior to the traditional Labor Day rollout.

"We are not taking any chances," she said. "We're working hard and starting early."

She said her time on the city council and the California League of Cities has prepared her to work in a non-partisan way.

"We just work together," she said. "Now that I actually know which party they are, that hasn't changed the relationships."

Send e-mail to: jesparza@vidaenelvalle.com