Vicki Nohrden is a Republican running for the state Assembly in the 29th District. It covers most of the Monterey Bay area. Nohrden is a political newcomer from Carmel. She’s facing Democrat Mark Stone from Scotts Valley.
Doug McKnight (DM): What made you decide to run for office?
Vicki Nohrden (VN): I wanted to make a difference. I've been involved in my community in many different ways over the years. I worked with a civil grand jury for a term and a half on a local government level. Seeing what was happening within the government how it functioned where money was being spent how it was affecting the citizens of the region and what we could do to respond. I also have worked as a court appointed special advocate for children working with the foster care system with the group homes working with education rights with children. And as I begin to look at it I could see that we needed some change. And so, I decided that I would enter the race and be the change.
DM: As a Republican and a very very heavily Democratic district. You're going to have to reach out to Democrats in order to win. How do you plan to do that?
VN: Well I already have been doing that actually. I think that voters really vote their values what concerns them and my concern is that we are so divided right now. I plan to work with everybody. If I'm going to represent District 29 and the voters are going to vote for me to represent them. Then I have to represent all the people and that's important to me. And I have been reaching across the aisle. I go and I talk to the Democrats and I invite them to our meetings that we have. And I say, I always say to them come but please don't come in protest just come with your questions because if we can all come to the table and begin to talk about the things that concern us as a community it's going to make a big difference. So as a Republican, yes I am, but I am a person and I'm a voter and I care about our community. And so that means every individual voter.
DM: OK, we’re going to do something I call the Lightning Round. I'm going to give you some policies that face the state and tell me if you support it, if you oppose it or if you take no stand. Let’s start with state gas tax?
VN: All yes, I'm a yes on six. I do support repealing the gas tax and there's several reasons why. One is our present governor promised the people that he would not raise taxes without their vote. And he broke that promise to the people. And number two that tax is a regressive tax it will continue to go up year after year without the vote of the people. And so, I think this is an opportunity for us to repeal that gas tax. And then there is a constitutional amendment that they're putting on the ballot in 2022 lockbox the money for the gas tax and really allocate it to building the roads and transportation.
DM: Sanctuary state?
VN: We are a nation of laws and we are also a nation of immigrants and we need to uphold the law and if we become a lawless society I think that we're going to find ourselves in the long run in a lot of trouble.
It's just that we need to make sure that we do have boundaries and we do have laws. I would like us to not become lawless.
DM: Fracking?
VN: Fracking. I do not support fracking. I just don't think it's good for the land. I think the people of our community have spoken. They do not want fracking in this area.
DM: Stricter gun legislation in California?
VN: My husband served as a Navy SEAL and my son is now in the air force. So, we definitely support our Second Amendment rights. But when I see arrests and let's just say drug busts or something on television with all the drugs and with all the guns. Those guns are not registered guns they're illegal. So, I do have concerns about those who are obtaining guns illegally and then using them to commit crimes and drug run and things like that.