2 Won’t Run for Firestone’s Assembly Seat

Santa Paula rancher Dan Pinkerton and former Ventura City Councilwoman Rosa Lee Measures said Friday they will not run for the state Assembly seat being vacated by Republican Brooks Firestone.

Pinkerton, who had tentatively announced his candidacy, said he decided this week that a campaign would be too costly. He estimated the expense at $600,000.

“This is going to be an expensive campaign to do properly, and you just can’t campaign correctly if a great proportion of your time is spent raising money when you should be out talking about the issues,” Pinkerton said.

Measures, whose name has been bandied about as a possible candidate since last summer, said she and her husband decided against a run about three weeks ago, when she still expected Pinkerton to be in the race.

Despite Pinkerton’s decision, she said she still has no intention of running.

“Our decision was driven by the need to really support party unity,” Measures said. “The lack of party unity is critically important to get back to the basics of what we believe in.”

Candidates have between Feb. 9 and March 6 to file candidacy papers for the race.

Believing that the 35th District offers Democrats one of their best chances to reclaim a Republican seat in the state Assembly, attorney and former Santa Barbara County Deputy Dist. Atty. Hannah-Beth Jackson has declared her candidacy.

Others reportedly considering a run include former Santa Barbara City Councilman Gerry DeWitt and Santa Barbara school board member Lanny Ebenstein.