Grayson should replace Glazer in California Senate

In many ways, the race to replace Democrat Steve Glazer in the state Senate, where he’s served since 2015, is anticlimactic: Only two candidates are running, both Democrats. This means voters in the 9th Senate District — which includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties — will face the same choice in the November general election. 

Glazer decided not to run for reelection due to term limits.

Grayson, 57, the former mayor of Concord who also works as a police chaplain, has carved out a space in the Legislature as a left-leaning moderate. He also received Glazer’s endorsement. 

Rubio, 50, is a former director of the Dublin San Ramon Services District and an executive committee officer of the Sierra Club. Based on her interview with the editorial board, she will likely be more of a progressive Democrat. 

Rubio has a compelling personal story that showcases her dedication and drive — and gives her unique insight into California’s fragmented safety net. For years, Rubio told us, she was the primary caregiver for her daughter, who was diagnosed with brain cancer at 13 months. The cancer eventually went into remission, Rubio said, but her daughter was left with learning disabilities for which schools often had inadequate services. This prompted Rubio to get a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at UC Berkeley to learn cognitive approaches to help her daughter, who is now a college undergraduate, succeed in school. 

Rubio has translated this personal experience into a policy platform, which includes establishing personal health-care managers to help families care for children with complex needs, increasing school funding for paraeducators and reading specialists, boosting salaries for in-home caregivers and offering supplementary income to people on the edge of homelessness. She also emphasized the need for stricter environmental standards to protect communities from the adverse health effects of nearby polluters. 

However, Rubio struggled to identify potential funding sources for her proposed programs, especially amid California’s huge budget deficit. Instead, she floated the idea of an increased capital gains tax, a political no-go: Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would veto any proposed tax.

This refrain echoed throughout much of our interview with Rubio. She is passionate about public policy, but she’s far less clear on details of the pragmatic realities that are required to change the status quo.

Grayson, who said his two adult children still live at home because they’re saving up money to buy their own houses, told us he strongly opposes Newsom’s proposal to slash funding for a state program that helps very-low-income and low-income Californians become or stay homeowners. Instead of cutting housing money to help close California’s budget deficit, Grayson suggested the state could delay funding for its bullet train project, which is $100 billion over budget and years behind schedule. 

That may or may not be an appropriate solution, but we appreciated Grayson’s ability to identify specific cost-saving proposals. We also support his idea to create a working group within the Metropolitan Transportation Commission focused on increasing collaboration and connectivity between the Bay Area’s 27 transit agencies. 

And we were impressed by his understanding of one of the most complex issues facing the Legislature: the dwindling availability of homeowners’ insurance amid increasing climate risks and destructive wildfires. Grayson proffered thoughtful solutions, including more equitably spreading risk among insurance companies, accelerating the undergrounding and hardening of electrical equipment while protecting ratepayers from excessive cost increases and setting prescribed burns to improve forest health. 

Grayson is the right choice to succeed Glazer in the state Senate. Although Rubio has potential, Grayson’s experience speaks for itself. We’re confident that he can not only hit the ground running legislatively but also take up Glazer’s mantle of fiscal responsibility.