DANA POINT : Candidate Pulls Out of City Council Race
Christopher Booker, one of six candidates in the June 2 City Council election, announced this week he is dropping out of the race.
Booker, 42, a general contractor and owner of a construction and marketing business, said he was quitting because two other candidates share his views and he would rather support their efforts at this time.
“I think I am an excellent candidate for City Council, but at the moment, it is more important to me to oust the two incumbents,” Booker said Thursday. “Since there are only two open seats, my candidacy would just water down the votes.”
Booker said candidates Ernie Nelson and William Ossenmacher share his view that the city’s recently approved General Plan should be put to a vote of the people.
The council has resisted calls for a citywide referendum on the plan, which the members unanimously approved last July. Instead, the council has instructed the city attorney to fight the attempt at a referendum.
“The council is using our taxpayer money to prevent us from voting,” Booker said.
With Booker dropping out, that leaves incumbents Bill Bamattre and Judy Curreri, and challengers John D. Bowler, Ossenmacher and Nelson as the remaining candidates.
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