Author: Regina Marston

When I started out on my journey to become the Congressional representative for CA 42, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I just knew that something had to be done about the lack of representation we were receiving from Ken Calvert – a disengaged, corrupt Congressman who has been in Congress for 26 years and who hasn’t had a town hall in our district for ten years.

I had no idea of how the political “system” worked, didn’t know anyone in the California Democratic Party, didn’t know the local Democratic Party Clubs existed, and didn’t know about the “patriarchy” that has been created in the Riverside Democratic Party.  To say that I was a neophyte, would be putting it mildly. 

What I discovered about the political system is that it is not designed for people who just want to use their life experience, education, and careers to work for the people and get the job done. It’s hard to navigate the system, and there’s no “playbook” for someone who is not familiar with the political system or process.  Of course, if you’re wealthy and can hire a political consultant, you’ll be fine. But I had to learn it all on my own, and with the help of some great people who shared their knowledge and expertise, I created a platform that did very well at the polls. It has  been a great education and I’m really glad to say I survived it! 

The Democrats I’ve met throughout CA 42 are wonderful people who are compassionate, caring, passionate, fearless, engaged, feisty, full of energy, and ready to WIN! 

Unfortunately, many Democrats in our region have been “in hiding” and they have not found an engaging and welcoming way out into the open to show that they’re “Blue in 42.” If we are to flip this region Blue, we will have to develop an easy way for Democrats to participate in a transparent, easy to access, and more user-friendly, digital friendly way. 

Now, that the final results are in for the March 3^rd primary I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to my campaign staff – led by Maria Meeuwisse and Craig Brown, and all of my supporters, volunteers, donors, and voters. I could not have done this without you, and I am humbled and honored to have earned your trust, support, and your vote.

I’m proud to say that the efforts of our small staff and volunteers was able to earn the votes of 31,587 residents in the region.  Just an FYI, that number was 1,330 more votes than the eventual Democrat nominee won in the 2018 primary. Although I was not victorious in becoming the Democratic nominee, I am so proud of our small, but mighty team. We did an incredible job on a shoestring budget in only six months!

As for my next steps, I am in the process of applying for a Political Action Committee tentatively named “Big Tent PAC.”   Big Tent will be focused on engaging, inspiring, and motivating Democrats and No Party Preference voters throughout California, with the initial focus on CA 42.  If all goes well, Big Tent will be launched in May with the goal to begin engaging residents in GOTV events, fundraising and volunteering to assist key races throughout the state.  

As for my future political aspirations, let’s just say, I’m not done yet. More to come on that.

I look forward to working with everyone in CA 42 that wants to come out of hiding, get involved, and #Flip42CA42 Blue because as everyone should know by now, #CA42Matters!

In-Service To The Greater Good,

Regina Marston

As we approach the upcoming primary, it’s easy to see why your vote is singularly the most important way to voice your opinion. Republicans have hijacked not only our democracy, but also your right to have an open, transparent and honest government that allows you to see exactly what is going on. Republicans clearly showed both their disdain and indifference to conducting their actions in a manner that respects your intelligence.

They simply do not care what you think because they are so concerned with pleasing their masters in the White House and in the corporations that have bought them, lock, stock and barrel. They have egregiously betrayed their solemn oath to defend the Constitution, choosing instead to place their precious jobs over their country and their constituents. It is appalling that they so readily dismiss the will of such a large majority, blinded by the cocoon of beltway politics, because they truly believe that you, the voters, are so gullible, naïve and foolish that you wouldn’t dare cast a ballot that kicks them out of office.

Well, I simply don’t buy any of that. I firmly believe that you have not only the right, but also the power to forcefully show just how you feel about this cavalier and callous treatment on their part. I will defend you against the widespread and blatant and corruption that has so become part of the Washington culture. I will speak up at every turn to expose and end the reprehensible actions of these politicians who have long forgot why they were elected in the first place. I pledge that, if elected, I will put you first above everything, and if, at any time during my term you find me not living up to that pledge, you have the duty to contact me and let me know just how you feel. I will be accessible to your concerns and needs at all times.

Isn’t time to not just give lip service to the overused phrase, “Drain the Swamp”, as the current administration did, only to greatly add to the pollution? Don’t you yearn for a politician who will stand up for you and fight to give you a better life instead of just saying it as an empty platitude?

I am that shining light in a forest of darkness. I won’t let you down nor will I ever betray the trust given if you allow me the honor of serving as your next Congressional Representative in California’s 42 District.

Thank you for your vote on March 3.

For all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

-Barack Obama

As the good people of District 42 prepare to vote in the Democratic primary on March 3, it is important to consider the state of our justice system as it pertains to us. Sadly, the checks and balances created by the founders to stop abuses and rampant power grabs are rapidly failing. The Department of Justice has become an extension of the Executive branch, bending to the will of Donald Trump, inserting itself into the judicial process throughout the country to circumvent fair and impartial judgment in order to allow the friends and associates of the President to escape punishment for crimes of which they have been convicted by juries of their peers.

This makes both a mockery and a sham out of the civic duty each and every citizen performs whenever they agree to take part in the arduous and time-consuming task of serving on a jury. The administration, in conjunction with the DOJ, has created a secret group of oversight personnel loyal to the President, whose sole job is to identify trials, charges and sentencing results, then insert themselves to adjust or even eliminate those results to satisfy one man, Trump. Is this democracy? Is this the way our Department of Justice should act? Would you or I be so fortunate if accused of a crime to have a powerful organization intervene to let us get away with it? Obviously not, but this is exactly what’s happening in America today and it is wrong, on every level.

We must address and correct this power grab and we do that by voting to elect representatives who will not allow those in power to continue to erode our basic rights. Over 1100 former and current legal employees of the DOJ have sent letters to William Barr asking for his resignation because they feel that he is not capable of running the department in an independent manner, choosing instead to act on behalf of a corrupt President’s desires. Republicans refuse to speak up and expose this practice because they are afraid to incur the wrath of one man. Regina Marston is a person who believes that our system of justice, while not perfect, is the best way to punish the guilty and acquit the innocent. Once elected, she will speak out to stop this gross abuse and restore the nation’s faith and trust once again in a system that operates honestly in its capacity to investigate and bring to justice all those who seek to use their connections to avoid punishment.

Remember, a vote for Regina Marston means that you are concerned with the current state of government, one which has, for far too long taken you for granted and treated you like a powerless being incapable of standing up and speaking out against injustice, corruption and greed. Those who have been in Washington for so long that they really have little or no connection to their districts or constituents any more should be replaced by those who are fresh, eager to serve and willing to fight for the needs of each and every one of you.

Don’t stay silent any longer. Your vote is your power. Use it wisely.

“To sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of men.”
― Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Voters in California’s 42^nd Congressional District will soon be faced with a clear choice in the primary on March 3, 2020. The choice that you make will determine whether our district moves forward and embraces a positive change or remains in the hands of a Republican who has increasingly forgotten you with each election. Ken Calvert has spent more time in Washington than here at home, failing to hold town hall meetings because he believes that he knows what you think without having to hear you say it. Well, that type of representative belongs in the past and you have the opportunity to do just that by loudly telling him with your vote that your representative must be present, sensitive to the district’s needs and willing to go to extraordinary means to accomplish these things. There are two Democratic candidates vying to run against Ken Calvert. There’s only one that has real experience in working on the issues that matter to CA 42.

Isn’t it time to give someone else a chance after struggling under the Republican regime that has put you second to the Washington establishment for so many years? We need a change that will put a person in office who has new and fresh ideas; someone who has over 30 years of experience working on the issues that matter:  health care, affordable housing, infrastructure and development, job creation, climate policy and clean energy.

The Democratic Party has been the leader in both nominating and electing more and more women into offices around the country and the results have been impressive. More bills have been passed in the House of Representatives than in many years. The current class of women representatives has shown grit, tenacity and intelligence in their brief tenure in Congress, while the Senate refuses to even bring the bills to the floor for debate, let alone a vote. So many opportunities to pass bills that would help average Americans in scores of ways sit languishing on Mitch McConnell’s desk, simply because he does not want Democrats to have any victories. That truly is not the way you want your government to work, because it doesn’t work.

“Research shows that when women are empowered as political leaders, countries often experience higher standards of living with positive developments in education, infrastructure, and health care. “

-Miriam Defensor-Santiago

When I am elected to Congress, I will work diligently to change this “good ol’ boys” attitude, which is not only condescending and insulting to every constituent across this great country, it is the opposite of why one is elected to serve. Voters put their faith and trust in each of us through their ballots, and when an elected official fails to live up to his or her part of the bargain, he or she should be fired and replaced by someone who respects that responsibility. I give each of you my solemn promise that I will never forget why I was chosen and will always be responsive to your needs. 

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

-George Bernard Shaw