Nathan Magsig’s run for Congress, against GOP heavy Tom McClintock, hinges on Modesto
For Nathan Magsig, the road to Capitol Hill goes through Modesto. With side trips to Turlock, Riverbank and Oakdale too, but mainly Modesto.
Why? Because that’s where the votes Magsig needs are to be found. A large chunk of them, anyway.
“I’ve been in Modesto so many times in the past two months I can’t even tell you, but it’s probably somewhere around 20,” said Magsig, the Fresno County supervisor running for Congress in the newly drawn District 5.
“Three or four times a week I’ve been in Modesto, and as a matter of fact I’ll be there (Tuesday).”
Tuesday was a speaking engagement before a Republican women’s group at The Seasons on McHenry Avenue. Wednesday, he travels to El Dorado County. Thursday, he plans to be back in Fresno for Mayor Jerry Dyer’s State of the City speech. Friday includes two scheduled events in Turlock. Saturday brings a return to Modesto, followed by a stop at Cajun Fest in Oakhurst and topped off by an evening fundraiser in Shaver Lake.
With ballots for the June 7 primary being mailed out to California voters this week, the hectic schedule must be maintained. It’s Magsig’s best hope to emerge as one of the top two finishers and advance to the November general election.
The heavyweight in the CD 5 race is undoubtedly Rep. Tom McClintock, the seven-term congressman and fellow Republican who wields the power of incumbency and has the support of party leadership at the local, state and national levels. As such, McClintock’s campaign raised $1,004,663 through March 31, triple Magsig’s $333,213. Mike Barkley, the sole Democrat among six candidates in a district where Republicans enjoy a +17 voter registration edge, is next at $16,300.
While McClintock’s current district and the new CD 5 partially overlap — the congressional district’s sprawling boundaries include all or part of eight counties — the population base has shifted south. More than 43% of the residents live in Stanislaus County, followed by 17% in El Dorado County and 16% of Fresno County (primarily large portions of northwest and northeast Fresno).
So in that sense, McClintock and Magsig are on closer-to-equal footing with the largest number of voters who live in and around Modesto.
Magsig picks up key endorsements
Magsig’s efforts suggest inroads are being made. He has picked up several key endorsements, including those of Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa, former Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen and former state Sen. Anthony Cannella as well as The Modesto Bee Editorial Board.
Chiesa said gave his backing after Magsig demonstrated his commitment to spending time in Stanislaus County. Also, because the Fresno County supervisor has been effective serving a district that more or less mirrors CD 5 in terms of topography.
“He has three things going for him: experience at the local level, the ability to compromise in order to get things done and the understanding of both Valley and mountain issues,” Chiesa said. “That’s a pretty specific (knowledge base) that fits this district.”
Another Stanislaus County politician, speaking on background, said Magsig’s chances of making it to the November ballot hinge on how many Modesto-area Republicans he can win over as well as how many local Democrats, perhaps disenfranchised by being drawn into a safe GOP district, opt not to vote.
“Right now I’d say it’s a coin flip,” the individual said.
Magsig’s biggest challenge is to introduce himself to voters unfamiliar with his lengthy career in Fresno-area politics. They don’t know that, in 2001 at age 24, he was the youngest person elected to the Clovis City Council or his becoming the city’s youngest mayor at 28. Nor do they know about Magsig’s six years on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. With two years left on his second term, this is essentially a free run, win or lose.
From Congress to the White House?
Which explains why Magsig has been spending so much of his time campaigning in the 209 area code while touting his experience tackling key issues such as water storage, management of public lands, homelessness and the housing crunch.
“As I talk to voters in this district, I lay out what I’ve done in 22 years and people are shocked,” he said. “I believe they want somebody who has the ability to build coalitions and get things done. Which is what my record shows I do.”
In Fresno political circles, Magsig’s ambition is no secret. He has told fellow elected officials, more than once, that he desires to be president of the United States. (And, yes, that has caused a little eye-rolling.)
Asked whether such declarations were uttered in jest or if he was serious and this run for Congress represents a step on that path, the 45-year-old evaded the question like the well-honed politician he is.
“For me, I love leadership. And for me being a leader involves serving. I thoroughly enjoy working with people and solving problems. I believe that’s what I’m made to do and I’m very frustrated with what I see happening in Washington,” Magsig said.
“I love what I do as a supervisor, and if I didn’t see major issues I wouldn’t be running for Congress right now. … I feel compelled to run.”
That compulsion means spending as much time as possible between now and June 7 traveling to and from Stanislaus County. Gotta go where the votes are.
