Tight contest in 3rd District Kern County supervisor race

Nov. 9—As of late Tuesday evening, with 102 of the 143 precincts' votes counted, Jeff Flores has taken an early lead against Brian Smith.

As voting officials continue to count the ballots, the 3rd District seat on the Kern County Board of Supervisors is under a tight contest, as Flores is ahead with 51.50 percentage, about 5,303 votes. Brian Smith is currently in second place, with 4,994 votes or 48.50 percent.

The difference between the two is a margin of about three percentage points, or about 309 voters, as of 10:11 p.m. Tuesday night.

Even still, it wasn't obvious, when the night began, whether there would be a truly stunning upset or something entirely mundane. The result so far has landed somewhere in the middle, similar in character to numbers posted in the June primary, when Flores won with 40.1 percent of vote compared to Smith's 33.4. Flores, who has found himself the conciliator, the man who can find the middle ground, hopes to be victorious by securing the votes that went to Louis Gill, who was knocked out of the race in the primary.

"Across the political spectrum, the issues are really the same," Flores said Tuesday. "They want clean neighborhoods, improved public safety, they want jobs and good economic development — that just transcends political boundaries."

The district is significantly smaller geographically compared to its neighbors. Yet it is one of the densest and most populated and most diverse as it covers much of northeast, northwest and southwest Bakersfield, from White Lane up through downtown and out to the mouth of Rio Bravo Valley. In total, 180,000 people across countless neighborhoods, 20 percent of the county population, encompass the soul of this tiny district.

"It is the most urban of the county districts, a cross-section of old-school country clubs and the most stark poverty in Kern County," said Mike Maggard, the retiring 3rd District supervisor. "Yet, I believe the American dream is alive and well here in Kern County. (This district) is a great place to be grounded, to see perspective from those who have been here."

Flores said the key to appeal to such a wide net of perspectives and opinions is by checking your bias and beliefs at the door.

"You solve people's problems and make the government work for them," Flores said. "You don't bring this fire-brand ideological perspective. I have my values and core beliefs, but I work for the people and I am cognizant of that."

Flores and Smith, both Republicans, sought to replace Maggard, who decided against running for a fifth term. Maggard confirmed in January he wasn't seeking reelection after 30 years in public office, stating he's done his best since taking the seat in 2007. The average stay in office for a Kern supervisor, according to Flores, is about 12 years.

Maggard endorsed Flores early on in the campaign, adding he tries to surround himself "with staff that has a sincere heart."

His endorsements were a roll call of local and state leaders alike, including Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Assemblyman Vince Fong, state Sen. Shannon Grove and Bakersfield City Councilman Andrae Gonzales, among others.

In contrast, contender Smith has the backing of many public service associations, including the Kern County Firefighters and California Narcotics Association.

While Flores largely manned the phones, Smith said he has spent his days walking the neighborhoods, going door-to-door and talking with people, every day. The former California Highway Patrol leader and "people person" has organized a grassroots campaign that he said people are very enthusiastic about.

"I think people really want someone from the outside who's not a career politician," Smith said. "I'm going into work, I don't have any other motivators. I'm going in there to make Kern County a better place to live."

Smith, a Philadelphia native, surprised many when he advanced past the primary, something that on Tuesday he attributed to gaining Democratic votes.

"I didn't have a lot of support or endorsement," Smith said. "I'm a Republican and I'm going against the 'Republican machine' here. So I didn't get much support, even though I'm a veteran of law enforcement. We didn't have PAC money or corporation money — we've basically been doing everything on our own."

In a highly anticipated midterm election, uncertainty surrounded each race. Counties like Kern have served as a proxy for a narrative of consequence surrounding this year's midterm election.

Over the past couple of days, spurred by the broader ambiguities about the shape of American politics right now, both candidates spent their time doing some serious last-minute campaigning.

Flores said he spent his last hours dialing numbers — 50 an hour on a good day — and last days dieting on Thompson bagels, toast and butter. Flores has commanded his campaign largely from the Republican Party's home base at the Western Pacific Research office in southwest Bakersfield.

"In this campaign, our goal was to do 26,000 calls," Flores said. "I think we're at about 21,000."

Flores, wearing a pinstripe shirt, vest and adorning a single silver ring on Tuesday, was the party favorite. He's known by voters as a moderate Republican and a longtime Kern County employee, having worked in several departments, which he said gives him critical perspective.

"I know where to get things done for the people to solve their problems, on day one," Flores said. "I've also held elected office for the largest high school trustee district in the state. I've also got good budget experience."

Since 2014, he's sat on the Kern High School District Board of Trustees, representing Area 2, and managed a $700 million high school district budget for about 42,000 students. He also serves as the chief of staff for Maggard. If elected to the county Board of Supervisors, he'll have a say in spending the $3.6 billion budget — the same as the U.S. government's spending on the National Forest Service — next year.

In terms of campaign spending, Flores fundraised $169,000, compared to Smith's $113,000. Flores said many of the donations were from private citizens, businesses and oil companies, compared to Smith's backing by law enforcement associations.

Given the nonpartisan nature of the role and lack of a "contrasting contender," the campaign between the two has forgone the usual mud slinging and pleas for prayers and pocketbooks. Each has previously utilized a GOP strategy of localizing issues, like crime, economy and homelessness, which resonates heavily in the region. Flores said homelessness is a major issue in Kern, one he insisted he would turn his focus to if elected. He said he supports Gov. Gavin Newsom's Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court, which was passed into law in September.

"It's not illegal to be homeless," Flores said. "You can't force someone to get treatment. It's an ongoing process to get them in. But there are already laws on the books that make panhandling illegal — it's a safety issue and a public health threat. We've got to tighten the reins and enforce what's on the books."