Takano, Tavaglione face off in race for new 41st District

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- In the Inland Empire, no incumbents are running for the newly drawn 41st Congressional District. The district includes much of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Lake Mathews, Mead Valley and Perris.

"I would say I'm a common sense, slightly left of center Democrat," said Democrat Mark Takano, speaking to a group of students about his campaign.

"I'm a moderate Republican, and very proud of being a pragmatic Republican," said Republican John Tavaglione, going door to door doing some campaigning of his own.

With the re-drawing of district lines, what was once predominantly Republican territory, the 41st District now favors Democrats.

"I'm really ready to represent the diversity of this community, I think far better than my opponent," said Takano.

"The redrawing of the district is really one of the reasons I decided to run. It's 75 percent of the new district is what I've represented for the last 18 years on the Board of Supervisors," said Tavaglione.

Following the money, Tavaglione's biggest contributors have been political action committees (PACs).

"What PACs just want to see is someone with fairness and someone with leadership and someone with experience," said Tavaglione. "The PACs that are supporting me are business-oriented PACs."

Takano's biggest supporters are unions.

"A lot of this money from labor unions is very much local money. A lot of my donors are very small donors," said Takano.

What does each candidate thing the nation's number challenge is today?

"Getting more people to feel the benefits of the policies of economic recovery. It's jobs, it's economic development," said Takano.

"We spend too much beyond our means. We print money like it's going out of style, and United States representatives need to rein that spending in," said Tavaglione.

So what will the candidates do if they lose? Tavaglione still has two years left on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors. Takano says he'll go back to being a teacher.

Get more Politics »

election, politics, rob mcmillan

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•