Democrat Heidi Harmon challenging Achadjian
Heidi Harmon
San Luis Obispo County resident Heidi Harmon announced today her candidacy for California’s 35th Assembly District seat, representing Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Guadalupe, Lompoc, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Maria.
Harmon is the only candidate on the ballot challenging incumbent Republican Katcho Achadjian in the June 3 primary election.
In a press release Harmon says her campaign addresses critical concerns of the Central Coast including vital economic development such as quality jobs, dynamic education policy, affordable health care, and finding realistic and inclusive solutions to California’s water crisis.
Harmon, a Democrat, says she is concerned about the growing climate crisis and is convinced that our community is ready to
step up to the challenge of climate change and to the opportunity of a clean energy future. Harmon stated, “The Central Coast deserves leadership that motivates and supports our local communities and businesses to become the innovators in clean energy solutions. We deserve a viable economic plan that works now and into the future and that requires a responsible climate and energy strategy that guarantees our viability.”
A Cal Poly graduate, educator, and resident of San Luis Obispo for over 25-years, she says she recognizes the local impact of climate change is here and growing, “From the dwindling Paso Robles groundwater basin to the acidifying fisheries of Morro Bay, to the increasing challenges to our national security faced by our men and women at Vandenberg Air Force Base; all are threatened by growing climate disruption. It is our representative’s civic duty to no longer run away from this challenge but instead face this historic moment and recognize the opportunities for our community that lie within the solutions.”
Pointing to Republican Assembly member Achadjian’s record as a motivating factor in her decision to run, Harmon said, “Assemblyman Achadijan has failed to take leadership on the biggest environmental challenges facing our community – evidenced by his low lifetime rating from the California League of Conservation Voters of only 28% voting record on environmental issues. In 2013 Achadjian even voted against a bill that would have protected our water supplies from dangerous chemically laden fracking chemicals. We deserve better.”
Harmon is chair of the Climate Change Task Force of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club, Program Director of the SLO Chapter of 350.org, serves as Outreach Ambassador for the San Luis Obispo Chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, in addition to participating in this year’s class of 2014 Leadership SLO program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and minor in History, from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Before transferring to Cal Poly, she attended Cuesta College, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education.
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