Packard Hits Road to Launch Bid for 5th Term

Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad) announced his bid for a fifth term Monday in a curbside press conference intended to demonstrate his commitment to improved transportation.

Packard stood on the shoulder of Route 78 in this San Diego County community, along a six-mile stretch that is being widened with about $17 million in federal funds that he helped deliver.

“For our area, transportation is one of the prime issues,” Packard said Monday. “Gridlock on the highways is very, very frustrating for our people.”

Packard said it is also a major issue for him in Congress because he serves on the House Public Works and Transportation Committee.

Packard’s 43rd Congressional District includes most of northern San Diego County and the southern tip of Orange County, including San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

Packard aide David DuBose said no other major party candidates had filed for the 43rd District race as of Monday. March 9 is the deadline for filing in congressional races.

Packard said that he does not expect to have a Republican challenger in the June primary but that he anticipates that a Democrat will file for the office. He said that he is confident of reelection, however, since the district is predominantly Republican.

“I think I’d have to stumble badly to lose,” Packard said. “But you always run hard.”

Packard trounced Democrat Howard Greenebaum in the 1988 election, winning 72% to 26%.