Editor’s note: California will hold its 2024 Presidential Primary Tuesday, March 5. Besides the races for president and the U.S. Senate, to succeed Diane Feinstein, many local races need a primary to determine the November candidates.

The Town Crier is writing about the races for the U.S. Congressional District (CD) 41, California Assembly districts 36 and 47 and the Riverside County Board of Education District 4.

Ken Calvert and two Democrats — Anna Nevenic and Will Rollins — are challenging him. The two candidates receiving the most votes March 5 will advance to the November ballot.

Ken Calvert first won election to the U.S. Congress in 1992. He is a longtime resident of Riverside County.

He graduated from Corona High School and was a small-business owner in the restaurant and real estate industries before entering politics.

His parents lived in Idyllwild for several years before his birth and would return for visits and vacations often as he grew up. Calvert has continued the family’s connection to the Hill.

He can recall visiting 50 years ago, when Idyllwild Water District built the wastewater treatment plant, and the constant fire danger with which Hill residents live.

Calvert has been on the House Appropriations Committee since 2009. He currently serves as chair of the Defense Appropriation Subcommittee. Thus, on a national level, one of his priorities is the Appropriations process. He is currently working to get all 12 appropriations bills enacted by early March.

“It’s a basic function of government,” he stressed. Emphasizing the effort, following this interview he had a three-hour conference call scheduled with other committee members to be sure these bills “were on the right track.”

Locally, his staff’s priority is “good constituent services,” he underscored. Examples of these priorities include medical assistance, immigration questions, Social Security and passport issuance. “Our profile in the district is overwhelmed with social services,” he stated.

Crime is frequently a topic in his constituent conversations. He proudly noted that many law enforcement agencies have endorsed him. That includes the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, the Corona Police Officers’ Association and individual officials such as Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

But more specifically, individuals and law enforcement professionals have brought petty crime to his attention. These incidents are often not reported because people feel there will not be a follow-up arrest. Calvert and colleagues are studying California’s Proposition 47 to consider improvements to address this problem.

Enacted in 2014, this proposition lowered many drug possession and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. From 2017 to 2022, the number of property crimes of all sorts declined 10% in California. However, 2019 during COVID saw the greatest decline. Then it changed. From 2021 to 2022, the number of property crimes grew 6.7%. A proposed initiative is circulating that would increase certain drug possession and property crimes for under $950 to felonies from the current misdemeanor charge.

Besides crime, Calvert related that economic issues, such as inflation, were a big concern of district voters. He acknowledged that this is partly an unintended consequence of the government’s spending during the pandemic.

He also is working on the homeless problem and supports Proposition 1. Earlier this month, he introduced H.R. 7186, “Treatment and Homelessness Housing Integration Act of 2024.”

“Obviously, homelessness is a problem, but housing is not necessarily the problem,” Calvert accentuated as he described the bill. “Mental health and drug abuse contribute to this problem. We’ve got to get serious about treating these people. For their benefit, so that people get the help they need.”

His current district, California 41, is slightly different that his previous district. 2022 was the first election in which the Hill communities were his constituents.

“It’s about 80% of the previous district,” he stated. “The issues are pretty well the same.”

Two years ago, the change in the district did not affect the outcome for him. Calvert has been reelected to the U.S. Congress 15 times and this is his 16th reelection. In 2022, he defeated his likely opponent this year, Will Rollins, by about 5% of the vote. That is a little closer than his previous five campaigns, but not a nail biter.

As of Jan. 5, the district registration is about the same as in October 2022. There are about 7,000 (2%) more voters, but party registration is essentially the same.

He feels confident and prepared. “In 2022, this was a new district. Since then, we have opened a district office in Palm Desert and I’ve attended many events and gatherings to meet and learn about the people,” he replied.

Calvert also noted that the turnout in the older part of his district had not been as great as previous elections. He plans to do more to encourage voters from the western portion of CD 41 to come to the polls and the Presidential Election will aid him with that effort.

This year, he also feels better prepared financially. As of Dec. 31, 2023, his campaign account had $2.4 million in cash. Contributions to his reelection campaign already total nearly $3.4 million. Two years ago, his contributions for the coming 2022 campaign were only $333,000 and he had just $1,000 in cash.

“I didn’t see [Rollins] coming,” Calvert admitted. “He outspent me the last time, but not this time,” he promised.

With respect to the actions outside the U.S. Capitol, where his offices are located, he affirmed, “What happened violated Congress. They committed violence and that was not acceptable. It involved the election and, accordingly, emotions run high, but that series of mistakes and problems should never have occurred.”