Two men vie for District 12 state assembly seat
Incumbent Heath Flora of Ripon will be challenged by Robert Chase of Modesto for the California State Assembly 12th District seat when voters hit the polls for the Nov. 6 general election.
Flora, a Republican, has held the 12th District seat since 2016, representing parts of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. He has been a volunteer firefighter for more than 15 years — currently serving as a battalion chief — and serves as director of international sales for the Exact Corporation, a familyowned business that manufactures products for nut harvesting as well as forcible entry equipment for firefighters.
Flora also serves as regional director of Sons of the Flag, a nonprofit organization that provides support for long-term burn victims, and volunteered through his church in Cambodia where he helped build churches and English schools.
If re-elected, Flora plans to continue opposing the Twin Tunnels project — which would send water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California — as well as continuing to advocate for water rights for District 12’s agriculture industry.
Flora also plans to continue supporting police and fire departments within District 12.
“The majority of our local police and fire departments are underfunded and understaffed,” Flora said in an email. “I have introduced legislation aimed at helping fund volunteer fire departments. I will continue these efforts as well as advocate for funding for our local police departments.”
Flora believes his experience serving on the state assembly sets him apart from his opponent.
“Our campaign is about the 12th District,” Flora said. “We will continue to fight tax increases like the Gas Tax and continue to advocate for public safety, adequate infrastructure and educational opportunities for our youth.”
Chase, a Democrat, has worked as an attorney for more than 40 years, specializing in criminal defense and juvenile dependency law. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and the California Western School of Law in San Diego, and served in the United States Air Force from 1966 to 1970 where he reached the rank of captain.
Chase currently serves as president of the Stanislaus County Criminal Courts Bar Association, and is a member of the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and the California Public Defenders Association.
If elected, Chase plans to advocate for more infrastructure such as road repairs and new highway construction, as well as increased funding for public schools and affordable secondary education.
Chase also plans to advocate for more equity in the criminal justice system, citing his career as a criminal defense and juvenile dependency attorney as one of his primary motivations.
“(I would encourage) more advocacy and involvement in cases involving child abuse and parental custody,” Chase said. “Those are areas of the utmost importance.”
Chase feels his commitment to infrastructure sets himself apart from his opponent, who Chase said has voted against funding infrastructure in the past, and said he does not believe his opponent should be the only candidate running for the position.
“I believe it’s very important for democracy that incumbents do not run unopposed,” Chase said.