Candidate Drops Out, but Name Will Be on Ballot

If you haven’t heard much about the candidacy of Republican Enrique “Henry” Valdez for the state Assembly, Valdez would be pleased.

A postal carrier from Arleta, Valdez appears on the ballot Nov. 7 as a challenger to state Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar) in the 39th Assembly District.

But Valdez long ago shut down his campaign, after learning that federal law would require him to give up his job at the Van Nuys post office in order to actively campaign.

“Under the federal Hatch Act, no federal employee can participate in any partisan race,” said Erica Parrino, the station manager for the Van Nuys post office. “Henry is an absolutely wonderful employee, and he might make a good elected official, but he can’t run in a partisan race.”

Valdez said he did not know about the federal law when he filed papers to run against Cardenas, and by the time he found out, it was too late to take his name off the ballot.

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Despite spending no money in the open primary, Valdez received 7,775 votes or 17.8% of the vote. Cardenas received 33,736 votes and Libertarian Party candidate Christopher Kit Maira received 2,274.

Valdez was pleasantly surprised to receive so many votes “even though I didn’t spend a dime.”

Sandra Luz Gallegos, a spokeswoman for Cardenas, said the votes just reflect those who vote their party ticket.

Valdez disagrees.

“It says that the voters in the district think its time for a change,” he said.