Democratic congressional candidate targets McClintock

By Kathryn Reed

Clint Curtis doesn’t want to make an issue of Tom McClintock living just outside the boundaries of the 4th Congressional District. Maybe that’s because he moved to the Roseville area in January from Florida.

Curtis spent most of his time Wednesday night talking to the Lake Tahoe Democratic Club about how he intends to wrangle votes in what for decades has been a predominately Republican district.

He has reached out to the other parties to build a coalition. His promise to them is if elected, they will have representation on his staff of eight in Washington. Curtis said the Libertarians and American Independent Party are on board.

“If you don’t have the numbers, you don’t win. We run as a Democrat, but accept everyone else, too,” Curtis told the 15 people gathered in the loft at Blue Angel Café.

Curtis is running unopposed in the June 8 primary on the Democratic ticket. Michael Babich is challenging McClintock on the Republican side. The general election is Nov. 2.

It wasn’t until people started asking questions that Curtis offered any substance as to why voters might want to unseat the incumbent.

“(McClintock) doesn’t bring any money to the district. We will bring money to the district,” Curtis said.

He accused McClintock of leaving money on the table by not going after stimulus funds.

El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago asked Curtis what he thought the key issue facing the district is. To which he replied, “Water.”

He is unequivocally opposed to the $11 billion water bond on the November ballot because “it will misdirect water.”

“Another issue that the bond does is gives water a price. The highest bidder can buy water,” Curtis said. “It is essential we don’t pass this.”

What was not mentioned is the $100 million in the bond that would go to the California Tahoe Conservancy and the $75 million for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Those dollars would fund a good share of California’s portion of environmental improvement projects tied to the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which is winding its way through Congress.

Even though Santiago is on the CTC board, she didn’t challenge Curtis on his position regarding the water bond.

Sandy Myron asked Curtis what his stance on immigration is.

“We have to protect our borders, but we can’t breakup families,” Curtis said. “I would move some military bases closer to the border.”

To that, Bob Cliff pointed out the abundant military presence in San Diego and how that is not a deterrent.

“That’s a ridiculous idea,” Cliff told Curtis. “It would be a huge, huge expense.”

Then the conversation turned to the need to crackdown on employers hiring illegal immigrants.

This isn’t Curtis’ first foray into politics. He lost to Tom Feeney in a Florida congressional race in 2006.

Curtis said he got interested in politics when he was working as a computer programmer and was asked to devise a system that could flip an election. He later testified before Congress about electronic voting equipment and how it can be manipulated.

On his platform is election reform so votes cast electronically can be verified.

The ballot has his occupation as computer programmer, though he just finished classes at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento. He will take the California bar exam in July.

Curtis, 52, is married and has no children.