State Senator candidate Jason Hodge announced he has collected more endorsements from labor groups for the upcoming June primary.

The other expected candidates are Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson and Republican Mike Stoker.

I know Jason personally and I like him. He has experience as a firefighter, political activist, and in his role lobbying for firefighters. He wrote updates from the inauguration for my blog.

I like this campaign photo of him surfing because it represents the Jason I know. He is a serious political organizer while also a local guy that doesn't take himself too seriously. I liked his entry into my photography contest.

I like Jason Hodge, but I am not going to post personal attacks on his opponents. I find it boring that supporters from both sides want to make trivial differences into major issues. I will interview him when I get a chance. I am most interested in his views on education reform.

My question is do how you decide which candidate to support when they have similar voting records or platforms? What makes you want to strongly support someone in a primary when they are ideologically close to their opponent?

I want to especially hear from Hannah-Beth Jackson and Jason Hodge supporters.

Democrat Das Williams hasn't been certified as the winner yet and Republican Mike Stoker has sent out an email announcing he is planning to run again. Besides personal animosity between the two, I assume Mike Stoker is trying to clear the field of primary challengers.

Click on continue reading for his press release.

I am interested to see Audra Strickland's next career move.

I doubted he would collect the necessary signatures but it looks like Daniel Goldberg will be running against Mike Stoker ( an employee of State Senator Tony Strickland) for the Republican nomination in the 35th Assembly District. When he gets a few letters published in local papers I will consider him a more serious candidate.

His ballot designation will be farmer. In a time of so much partisanship and distrust in Sacramento I wonder if Goldberg can appeal to the respect many Americans feel towards farmers.

Daniel, many conservatives want Republicans to sign a pledge to never raise any taxes under any circumstances, even as a compromise that cuts spending and other taxes. Will you sign such a pledge?

Here is his press release:

March 13, 2010 (Ventura)- On Friday, Daniel Goldberg officially became a candidate for 35th Assembly District. Goldberg successfully filed nomination papers at the Ventura County Government Center. Running as a Republican he seeks to win the nomination on June 8.

When asked about the race, Goldberg said, "This race is all about the economy. We need to elect someone who can create jobs. I have a jobs plan lined up, while the other candidates are just bickering."

The race will turn out to be the most hotly contested race statewide. Goldberg will face off in the primary against former Santa Barbara County Supervisor, Mike Stoker. On the Democratic side, Susan Jordan and Das Williams are jockeying for the nomination.

The first week I asked the candidates to share who some of their most influential teachers have been in their lives. Here was this week's question:

Does your favorite music tell us anything about your worldview or ideology? Please share with us a few of your favorite groups or musicians.

Moby's "And God Moved Across the Face of the Waters", Gus Gus "Believe", The Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There", a Christian song "I Could Sing of Your Love", and lately Sade's "Soldier of Love". It means that I feel a deep faith in God using us as an instrument for a better world. I think I could sing of your love is the most genuine and true Christian rock tune ever.

I listen to a wide range of music. While driving around I like to hear top 40 because it keeps me going. At home though, I really like to listen to more mellow music, maybe classic rock or jazz. To go to bed I enjoy symphony music.

What my music selection says about me is that I am always adapting to my circumstances and that I like to hear from everyone because everyone is different. I don't limit my possibilities because if I did, I would only be selling myself short.

I am asking the 4 candidates vying for the 35th District State Assembly Seat a question a week from now until the June primaries.

Last Week I asked the candidates to discuss some of their favorite teachers. Susan Jordan, Das Williams, and Daniel Goldberg were all kind enough to reply. Das sent his answer in a little later but I have now included it.

There are many policy questions I could ask but between debates, news interviews, questionnaires from interest groups and editorial board interviews I feel confident most of them will be asked. That's why I am asking a mix of traditional and more quirky questions.

Here is this week's question:

Does your favorite music tell us anything about your worldview or ideology? Please share with us a few of your favorite groups or musicians.

Send in your answers by Wednesday if you can. I don't want to take too much of your time so feel free to keep your answers short.

Mike Stoker: If you send me in a widget of Fanbox I will post it for you too.

Republican State Assembly candidate Mike Stoker is the first to put out a press release with his latest fundraising numbers. Click on continue reading for the full statement. In his email he also relates how much he expects to see Democrats Susan Jordan and Das Williams report that they raised.

What do you think? Is this enough money to convince people he is seriously contesting a seat that was assumed to be a safe Democratic district? I will be convinced he is serious if I see that State Senator Tony Strickland donated a large amount of money.

It is time for a few weeks of the different campaigns spinning their numbers and fact checking their opponents.

UPDATED: Das Williams sent in his reply several days ago and I have now included it.

I am starting a new weekly feature where I ask the candidates for the 35th State Assembly District a question and then I post their replies.

This week I asked them to name some of the most influential teachers in their lives. Susan Jordan and Daniel Goldberg replied to my questions. Please read through their replies and then leave a comment with your thoughts. You don't need to register to comment but keep it classy.

Das Williams and Mike Stoker have not replied yet but I will add their thoughts if they send them in.

I appreciate the time of the candidates that sent in their replies. Please show them your appreciation by checking out their platforms, becoming a fan on Facebook, voting in the poll, or posting a comment. Show some appreciation for their time, especially for Susan Jordan's extended answer , and I am sure they will be back again.

The most influential teachers in my life:

I would have to start with the nuns at the St. Lawrence School in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, starting with the Mother Superior, Sister Mary Nazareth and Sister Theresa. As the only child in my Catholic school who was being raised by a divorced working mother, my early years in Catholic School provided a strong framework for my work ethic and self-discipline. I became responsible at a very early age for tracking and completing my school assignments which was an important early lesson in independence and follow through. Also, the Mother Superior selected me as the student who would clean her office. Being selected for such a responsibility was a high honor and I felt empowered knowing that she had such tremendous confidence in me.

In undergraduate school, I was most influenced by the poet Robert Creeley and literature professor Art Efron. I was an admirer of Creeley's poetry and when I learned that he was teaching at the State University of New York at Buffalo, I chose that campus to complete my undergraduate liberal arts degree. His classes, held in a freezing trailer, consisted mostly of graduate students. I was inspired by his honesty and his dedication to fostering creativity in his students. We were not expected to accept the status quo but encouraged to test our boundaries and create our own interpretations of important works of literature regardless of the critics. I was also very lucky to be accepted into Dr. Efron's graduate literature class that met at his home. The debate was lively and though I was the lone undergraduate, I felt that my views and interpretations were valued on an equal basis. The exploration of a range of themes - political, social, historical in literature gave my literature studies their first strong sense of the important role that politics plays in literature and every day life.

Finally, at graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, I was most inspired by the woman who headed the University's Student Health Center. I regret that I cannot recall her name. What I do recall is the confidence she demonstrated in my judgment and her commitment to providing the students that used the Student Health Center the best information and treatment available. Under her supervision of my internship for my Master's in Social Work, I was allowed to create and teach the Student Health Center's first programs on reproduction, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases to my fellow students. I understood the importance of access to medical information early on and it informs my goals to this day. Access is power.