Temecula Mayor Matt Rahn holds a very narrow lead over businesswoman Kate Sanchez in the contest for 71st Assembly district as the initial election returns came in Tuesday night.
Both Rahn and Sanchez are Republicans. The 71st district, located in both Orange and Riverside counties and stretching across the Santa Ana mountains, includes Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, and Temecula. Rahn narrowly came out ahead of Sanchez in the June primary race for the solidly red district.
Matt Rahn
Aside from his work leading the Temecula City Council, Rahn has spent two decades in higher education and university research. His top priorities include addressing California’s fiscal stability and high cost of living while also supporting public safety and reducing violent crime.
When it comes to education, Rahn said California’s “curriculum is shifting toward questioning American values and ideology.” He also said the state’s education system needs more school choice and a greater portion of the budget going directly to classrooms.
Rahn described his political philosophy as a “conservative Republican who will bring balance back to Sacramento.”
Kate Sanchez
A self-described “mama bear” from Trabuco Canyon, Sanchez is the vice president of American Ground Transportation.
For Sanchez, lowering the cost of living and increasing public safety are two priorities for her if she’s elected to the seat. She is also interested in exploring private-public partnerships to boost public transportation and wants to “fundamentally revamp our education system by creating competition and school choice.”
Sanchez described her political philosophy as: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
