GOP candidates for 25th District slate town hall

The 2020 election is still months away, but Santa Claritans will have an opportunity to get to know Republican candidates running for California’s 25th Congressional District, which includes the Santa Clarita Valley.

Conservative Action Group Inc. has scheduled a town hall meeting for the public on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 5 p.m. at the Embassy Suites of Valencia, located at 28508 Westinghouse Place in Valencia.

“The event is open to the public, whether you’re a Republican or Democrat — no entry fee required,” said Matt Funicello, president and founder of Conservative Action Group, who added that there will be a question-and-answer session toward the end of the event. “We have 300 seating spaces available for everyone who lives in the 25th Congressional District. It’s for candidates to tell us about themselves and where they stand on issues.”

The 25th district encompasses areas including the Santa Clarita Valley, Lancaster, Palmdale, Simi Valley and the northern portion of the San Fernando Valley.

Candidates Mike Garcia, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot and businessman, and Mark Cripe, who is currently a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s sergeant and a former U.S. Marine, have both confirmed their attendance.

Lancaster City Councilwoman Angela Underwood Jacobs, who is also running, was invited but declined to attend due to not agreeing with the event’s format, according to her campaign staff, said Funicello.

The town hall is expected to conclude no later than 9 p.m., he added.