Abel Herrero has held the District 34 seat for almost two decades, but this year, he has decided to step down, leaving the seat up for grabs. Below are the candidates running to fill the empty seat. Denise Villalobos (R)Villalobos has yet to respond to our questions. ___________________________________SOLOMON P. ORTIZ JR. (D)What is/was your profession? Are you now retired?Small business owner and nonprofit executive.What relevant experience can you bring to office?I'm a former State Representative and will keep my seniority when I get elected and return to the State House (Would return as a 4th term member). This makes a huge difference on committee assignments that impact our community.How have your life experiences prepared you for this position?I grew up in a home of public service. I know what it takes from personal experience to be a good public servant.Which problems would you address on your first day in office?We are facing many issues. Teacher pay, adequate school funding, rising cost of college, expanding medicaid and healthcare access, addressing our infrastructure needs. Those are just a few of the issues we need to tackle.What do you see as long-term issues that need to be addressed throughout your time in office?(no answer)What is local government doing well right now that needs to be expanded further?(no answer)