Measures Endorses Monahan for Board

Former Ventura Councilwoman Rosa Lee Measures on Thursday officially endorsed Jim Monahan, her opponent in the March primary, for an open supervisorial seat in Ventura County’s 1st District.

Measures said Monahan, a fellow Republican, shared her values and vision for the county. She praised him for “listening to the people” and criticized his opponent, Steve Bennett, as anti-growth and beholden to special interests.

During the primary, Measures criticized Monahan for injecting Proposition 22, which outlaws homosexual marriage, into the contest. Monahan supported the ban.

“I don’t hold any grudges against this candidate or any other candidate,” she said.

Monahan said he hopes the 23.6% of the electorate who voted for Measures in the primary would now come over to his camp.

“We have worked together and are very much alike in our thinking,” he said.

At the press conference announcing Measures’ endorsement, Monahan denied allegations by Bennett that he was ducking debates. The League of Women Voters had scheduled a debate between Bennett and Monahan on Tuesday, but Monahan said he had prior commitments.

“We don’t need any debates,” he said. “He doesn’t debate; he just talks.”

Bennett said he wasn’t surprised by Measures’ endorsement because she opposed his slow-growth SOAR initiatives and campaign finance reform. Bennett, an educator, also made another call for debates with Monahan, saying voters deserve to hear the candidates’ positions.