Editor’s Note: California will hold its 2024 Presidential Election on
Tuesday, November 5. Besides the races for President, the U.S. Senate
and Congress, voters will have a choice between incumbent Greg Wallis
(Republican) and Democrat Christy Holstege for California’s District 47
Assembly seat.

Although the election is still two and a half months in the future, the
Town Crier wanted to introduce both candidates as individuals to the
readers.

This story with Wallis and a similar story with Holstege, which appeared
in the August 8 issue of the Town Crier, do not discuss campaign issues.
Closer to the election, the Town Crier will report on those topics and
the candidates’ views and opinions.

Republican Greg Wallis is seeking re-election to his Assembly District
47 seat. In 2022, Wallis defeated his Democratic opponent Christy
Holstege in one of California’s closest elections.

This district encompasses a lot of area. Besides Idyllwild, Pine Cove
and north, it also includes the desert cities and Yucaipa and Yucca
Valley in San Bernardino County. Valle Vista, Beaumont, and Banning are
on the western edge of the district.

Wallis is a third generation Californian, although his roots are further
north than Riverside County. He grew up in Saratoga, near San Jose. In
high school and younger, he was active in sports. Baseball and football
were his favorite sports. Now he is an avid golfer.

“I tried slo-pitch softball, but I just got pummeled,” he mentioned.
“And my wife said, ‘Don’t do that again!’”

Better than high school athletics, high school is where Wallis met
Desiree, his wife. They both came south for college – California
Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. Here they were both active
students.

While his father and Wallis were sports enthusiasts, his mother planted
his interest and desire to serve public policy.

“For my mom and me, our hobby was politics. I remember the 2000 election
between [George W,] Bush and [Al] Gore. We tracked the votes on a map of
the U.S. We were always following politics,” he said proudly.

By 24-years-old, he was working for former State Assemblyman Chad Myers.
In 2022, when Myers announced his intention to retire, Wallis decided it
was an opportunity to try elective politics, so he announced his
candidacy.

While politics and government have been a large part of his life, he and
Desiree have other activities. They live in Bermuda Dunes and have two
dogs – Harley, a Great Dane, and Gunner, an Australian Cattle dog.

Desiree’s degree is in dance, which she teaches, so they frequently are
on the dance floor. “She’s so much better than I am. I do the 2-step and
line dance. We tried swing, but she just smiled at me,” he related.

But Wallis does golf and is an active leader in Boys and Girls clubs.

They visit Idyllwild and frequently camp on the Hill. And like many
visitors, they were able to meet and to greet the town’s leading citizen
– Mayor Max.

“We walk around the town and sample the restaurants. We love Idyllwild,”
he said.

Although only an Assembly member since December 2022, Wallis’s previous
staff work prepared him well. When asked if there were surprises, he
replied, “I found it mostly what I anticipated and expected because of
my prior staff career, especially the time away from home.”

But there were some surprises. He admitted some of the discussions were
similar to high school classes. Also, the importance of all authors of a
bill to find consensus before it could move forward.

In Sacramento, he is an active member of the Problem Solvers Caucus – a
bipartisan group. “It was particularly appealing to me,” he said. “Given
the size of the Caucus, it is working in every area.”