Angelo Farooq for California Senate

Residents in Riverside County’s 31st state Senate District have their choice of three candidates this March to represent them in Sacramento.

With Sen. Richard Roth running for county supervisor, this is an open seat. The top two vote-getters in March will face off in November.

This latter part is especially important for voters to consider. There are two Democrats — Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes and Riverside Unified school board member Angelo Farooq — and one Republican, Romoland school board member Cynthia Navarro, running in this race.

What is certain to happen is that the one Republican will advance to November purely because she’s the only Republican on the ballot. The two Democrats, then, are splitting the share of the Democratic vote in the district, with only one expected to advance to November to face off against Navarro. Given the lopsided political makeup of the district, the Democrat will easily be elected. That’s just a fact.

It matters, then, which Democrat makes it to November. Given the stakes, the editorial board believes voters who want competent, reasonable representation in Sacramento

should vote for Angelo Farooq. Farooq is running on kitchen table issues sure to resonate with most Californians. He cites as his top priorities economic development, improving access to a quality education and prioritizing affordability during a time of crushing inflation.

Toward that end, he recognizes that voters have approved and defended Proposition 13 at the ballot box. He supports “career technical education, work-based experiences, pre-apprenticeships and career exploration opportunities.” And he understands the need to expand housing options and opportunities so people can afford to live in California. His agenda is a modest one based on the actual needs of constituents. He’s not an ideologue. And he’s not just in this for a career.

We can’t say the same for Cervantes. Anyone reading this right now frustrated at high gas prices can thank her for being one of the key votes early in her career for raising the state’s already high gas tax. If there’s a bad piece of legislation, Cervantes probably voted for it, including Assembly Bill 5. Enough of that. Voters should elect Angelo Farooq to the California Senate.