Hedges Will Challenge Wilson in Supervisor’s Race
City Councilman John W. Hedges said Wednesday he will challenge Tom Wilson for a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Hedges said he decided to run for the 5th District seat, in part because he wants voters to choose their representative. Wilson was appointed to the board by Gov. Pete Wilson in 1996 when Marian Bergeson became state secretary of child development and education.
“Nobody should be crowned supervisor,” he said.
A proposed commercial airport at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station promises to be a major issue. Hedges favors the airport; Wilson is against it.
Hedges said he will encourage the entire district, which is split between airport advocates and opponents, to get involved with the planning for the base’s future.
His candidacy surprised some because Mayor Thomas C. Edwards had been considered a potential candidate. Edwards said he strongly supports Hedges’ candidacy. Hedges, a commercial airline pilot, was elected to the City Council in 1990.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
