Two Republicans are running to represent much of East County (and a large part of inland North County) in the state Assembly, and although their policy goals often overlap, the candidates diverge when it comes to how they’d approach the job. Carl DeMaio, 50, wants to pick a fight. Republicans in Sacramento, he said, have often been like potted plants: “Sitting in the corner and just begging for a little bit of sunlight.” DeMaio believes the best way to grow the GOP and challenge Democratic control of the Statehouse — and ultimately pass laws that he believes will lower the cost of living — is by relying on the combative style he’s honed as host of the KOGO radio show The California Report and head of the political advocacy organization Reform California. Andrew Hayes, 30, isn’t happy with the status quo either. But he thinks there’s a way to make the state more affordable without burning bridges. “You don’t try to get things done by poking somebody in the eye first,” said Hayes, a member of the Lakeside Union School District board. “Life does not work that way, business does not work that way.” He’s already navigated Sacramento politics as a staffer for state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and former state Sen. Joel Anderson, both of whom have joined seemingly every other elected Republican around the region in endorsing Hayes. The current representative of the 75th District, Republican Marie Waldron, is termed out, meaning voters on Nov. 5 will choose a new leader for the first time in more than a decade. The race is a bellxwether for what local Republicans want, and the campaign has already attracted millions of dollars in donations, triggered accusations of financial misconduct, created a notable alliance of outside interest groups and highlighted fissures within the GOP. The issues The two men have voiced similar legislative hopes. How about California’s status as a “sanctuary state,” which limits cooperation between local law enforcement and the Border Patrol? They want to toss it. The Housing First policy that keeps certain homelessness funding from rehab programs? Kill it. Proposition 47, which rolled back penalties for some drug offenses? End it. (DeMaio said Proposition 36, a ballot initiative that would undo several of those criminal justice reforms, is “a wonderful start, but it’s only a start.”) The candidates have backed up many of those positions by describing crime as increasing, although law enforcement sometimes reports otherwise. Crime countywide decreased in 2023, and the rate of property offenses has dropped for two straight years, according to data compiled by the San Diego Association of Governments. Certain violations, however, have recently surged, including hate crimes, shoplifting and prostitution. Both candidates additionally believe many issues are going unreported: Hayes thinks members of immigrant communities aren’t always calling 911 when they’re victimized and DeMaio said businesses had given up reporting some property crimes because they felt police didn’t have enough power to effectively respond. Other proposals would get at similar goals in different ways. DeMaio, a former member of the San Diego City Council, wants California to create a “Cost of Living Crisis Commission” to study what other states pay for gas, water, electricity and housing. The group would recommend how to reduce local taxes and regulations to bring California prices more in line with the rest of the country, and the resulting package of reforms could be turned into a proposition for voters. He further thinks police and the courts should be able to push more people into drug and mental health treatment and wants to do away with many permanent supportive housing units, which are for residents struggling with addiction and illness. Expanded treatment options could allow many of those individuals to return to traditional housing, he argued, thereby freeing up beds that would boost the region’s shelter capacity. DeMaio touted his history fighting tax proposals around the state and he slammed Hayes as the “anointed choice of the Sacramento special interests.” Conversely, Hayes declined to comment on DeMaio and instead emphasized his roots as a native of the district. Hayes worries about the cost of fire insurance. He wants more legislative oversight of California’s elected insurance commissioner and believes leaders could do a better job clearing dead brush from state land, thereby reducing the risk of fire. Both changes should make it easier to attract insurance companies to the region, which in turn may drive down prices, Hayes said. He also wants sentencing guidelines changed so no prisoners classified as sexually violent predators, or SVPs, are ever released. (State officials have repeatedly tried to place freed SVPs in East County.) Barring that, he thinks those individuals must only be allowed to live on state-owned land and citizen committees deserve a say in the process. And while Hayes would in a sense like more government bureaucracy to monitor homelessness programs, he believes any additional money spent could be more than made up for with increased efficiency. In regards to his work on the school board, Hayes said he was most proud of boosting vocational training. The district has received grants the last two years to expand career-preparation programs and is now applying for more funding, according to Natalie Winspear, Lakeside’s assistant superintendent of education services. She wrote in an email that the current middle school offerings include robotics, Future Farmers of America and the engineering group Femineers. The controversies DeMaio heads to the general election with the wind at his back. He finished first in the March primary by a wide margin, earning more than twice as many votes (54,350) as Hayes (23,664). But there were six candidates in that race and a broad coalition of organizations have lined up against him. DeMaio’s brash approach has led some critics to conclude he’s more show than substance, and the candidate is now opposed by labor unions, police and firefighter associations and some real estate interests. The San Diego County GOP endorsed his opponent in the primary, and the chair of the central committee lost her job when she tried to get other leaders to reconsider. DeMaio does appear to be in a strong place financially. He raised more than $1.8 million from the start of the year through late September, according to California’s Secretary of State. During the same period Hayes only pulled in about $519,000, although that doesn’t include what outside groups are spending. Furthermore, state election regulators are investigating at least two complaints filed against DeMaio’s campaign, the most recent from the head of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, a group that supports Hayes. DeMaio allegedly violated contribution limits, misused donations to Reform California and failed to properly disclose campaign spending. He dismissed the accusations as “frivolous.” The 75th District runs from Lakeside to the Anza Borrego Desert and ends at the edge of Imperial County. It also covers significant territory from south to north, beginning at the U.S. Mexico border and ending around Palomar Mountain. Members of the state Assembly serve two-year terms and annually earn $128,215. The longest someone may stay in office is 12 years.