Eileen MacEnery is trying to raise the money needed to get on the ballot with Linda Parks and Audra Strickland. Whatever we say about these candidates we should all be proud we have so many strong and dynamic women running for office.

If she gets on the ballot I am not sure what the impact will be except to make it more likely the race goes to the November runoff. I don't know if Eileen's biggest impact would be dividing the anti-strickland vote or the anti-parks vote.

She is not a member of either party which could give an opportunity to exploit the anger at incumbent politicians and try to reach out to disaffected Tea Party people and people that don't want to vote for a Republican candidate.

Here is her declaration of her candidacy:

I want to formally declare my intention to run for Ventura County Supervisor in the 2nd District. I have resided and worked in Ventura County for a majority of the last 34 years. Although I have lived in the City of Ventura and Simi Valley for a few years, most of my residency has been in Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. Although I have actively supported both Republican and Democratic candidates in the past 30 years, I characterize myself as an "independent" and I am registered as a non-partisan.

I have a platform which is based on the Constitution and common sense, and I believe that, unlike both Linda Parks and Audra Strickland, I understand and represent the majority of the residents of Ventura County and the 2nd District.

For too many decades, the East County has elected professional politicians who promote policies and programs of gentrification and elitism. The strength of America, and Ventura County, has always been its middleclass. It is time that the 2nd District elected someone who knows and understands the struggles of housing, transportation, education and healthcare. As soon as my name is on the ballot, I will begin, in earnest, to explain my views and ideas for a return to the common sense and Constitutional values that our country was built on.

However, the first, and most important, task of my campaign is to get my name and candidate statement on the ballot. Unlike the other declared candidates (both from competing factions of the same political party), I do not have the backing of the wealthy and elite, or a political party machine. Thus, I am appealing to all who are would like to see a true independent elected to County Supervisor, to contact me at EileenMacEnery4Supervisor@gmail.com. Any, contribution, no matter how small will help. I look forward to offering a real choice to the residents of Ventura County.

Click on continue reading to see a past essay she wrote.