Republican hopefuls vie over who can oust Rep. Jerry McNerney

Lodi News-Sentinel ^ | March 18, 2010 | Ross Farrow

[wac3rd]

Two of the four remaining Republican candidates hoping to unseat Rep. Jerry McNerney from Congress claimed that they are the one candidate who can return the 11th District into the Republican column.

"I can hardly wait until I'm in Congress and introduce myself to Nancy Pelosi," candidate Elizabeth Emken told the Lodi Republican Women on Wednesday. "I'm ready to take on Nancy Pelosi, let me tell you."

Emken, a Danville resident, said she'll even send photos of her first meeting with the House speaker.

"You have to look at the four candidates," candidate Tony Amador, of Lodi, said. "Look at who's qualified, who can win the general election."

Amador says he's that candidate. Emken says she is.

Amador and Emken were the guests at Wednesday's Lodi Republican Women luncheon at Woodbridge Golf & Country Club. Two other Republicans, Brad Goehring, of Clements, and David Harmer, of San Ramon, are also vying for their party's nomination on June 8 and the right to battle McNerney in the November general election.

(snip)

The wide-ranging 11th District includes the Lodi area, much of San Joaquin County, the San Ramon Valley, parts of the Livermore Valley and Morgan Hill.

Emken said she decided to run for Congress for three reasons:

She was offended by the way conservative women were portrayed in the 2008 election.

After reading the stimulus bill, she strongly advocated pulling the plug on any unused stimulus funds.

She watched McNerney work on the health care bill, which she strongly opposes.

Amador cites his extensive law enforcement experience, most recently as U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District, as one of the primary reasons he should be nominated in June.

Both candidates warned Republicans on Wednesday that they can't be complacent in the general election, because McNerney and his supporters will work hard trying to get re-elected.

Here is a sampling of the candidates' positions:

Health Plan

Amador: "Should government be dictating the health plan for you? Every time we give up something to government, we give up a little bit of democracy."

Emken: "Help me stop it."

Immigration

Emken: "We are a nation of laws. We need to secure our borders and follow the laws."

Amador: "That border must be shut." Amador added that teaching English as a second language is a joke. Emken objected that the candidates' campaign statement had to be translated into eight languages in Santa Clara County.

Bailouts

Amador: "It's kind of like an admission that you'd like to socialize something than let companies fail."

Emken: Withhold all bailout money that has yet to be spent.

Energy

Emken: Supports all energy sources, including using a portion of the revenue from offshore drilling in the United States to other energy sources.

Amador: Says nuclear energy has proven to be safe and that the U.S. has proven oil reserves so that the nation doesn't have to depend on enemy countries.

Unions

Both said that unions have too much power in shaping policy.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

Tony Amador at a glance Age: 65. Residence: Lodi since August 2009; previously lived just north of Elk Grove. Career: Los Angeles police officer, vice chairman of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District for seven years until his retirement last year. Family: Wife of 44 years, Evelia; four daughters and 13 grandchildren. Web site: www.amadorforcongress.com. News-Sentinel staff

Elizabeth Emken at a glance Age: 46. Residence: Danville. Career: Thirteen years in financial management at IBM, 13 years as a volunteer and later a professional on behalf of autism research. Her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4. Family: Husband of 23 years, Craig Swartz; three children. Web site: www.emken2010.com. News-Sentinel staff