PALMDALE – Attorney Bryan Caforio on Saturday announced his candidacy for Congress in the 25th District, seeking a rematch against Rep. Steve Knight in November 2018.
“I am running for Congress to give the people in this district a voice, to harness the unprecedented level of energy we have been witnessing, and to move this community in a direction that aligns with our values — not Donald Trump’s values,” Caforio said at Laborers’ Local 300 headquarters in Palmdale.
“Unlike what we’re seeing coming out of Washington, I will stand up for hard-working, middle-class families who deserve good-paying jobs, affordable health care, quality schools, and clean air and water.”
Knight, R-Palmdale, defeated Caforio, a Democrat, 53.1 percent-46.9 percent in November in the district that includes Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster and Simi Valley.
“The Knight campaign would be happy to see Mr. Caforio on the ballot again in 2018,” Knight’s campaign consultant Matt Rexroad told City News Service.
“Congressman Knight has a lifetime commitment to this community that no amount of money from (House Minority Leader) Nancy Pelosi and special interests can buy. Congressman Knight will continue to work for the people of this community each and every day.”
Two other Democrats announced their candidacies earlier, Katie Hill, the executive director and deputy CEO of the homeless services nonprofit organization PATH, and Jess Phoenix, a geologist.
“Congressman Knight has never been more vulnerable after championing a disastrous repeal and rip-off bill that would harm so many hardworking families in his district,” said Tyler Law, the national press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the official campaign arm of the Democrats in the House of Representatives.
“It’s no surprise that the grassroots backlash to Steve Knight is growing stronger by the day and it’s encouraging that Democrats like Bryan Caforio are ready to hold him accountable.”
Knight joined with 216 of his fellow Republicans on May 4 in voting in favor of the American Health Care Act, which repeals and replaces former President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Knight is a co-sponsor of the Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act which would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to individuals based on a pre-existing medical condition in the event that portions of “Obamacare” dealing with pre-existing conditions are repealed.
“We need health care policy that provides individuals and families with access to quality and affordable health insurance, and an essential part of that is maintaining protections for people with pre-existing conditions,” Knight said in February when the bill was introduced.
“The topic of pre-existing conditions comes up often in our tele-town halls, surveys, and meetings with members of the community and I’ve heard the concerns loud and clear,” he said. “We must repair our health care system to make it work for all Americans, but that does not mean getting rid of recent changes to health care policy that are in now in place and working. The Pre-Existing Conditions Protection Act will make that guarantee for one of those critical changes.”
–
Lawyers in Love says
Cafario is a carpetbagger, a trial lawyer, and has the support of Parris. The Three Strike rule is in effect. You’re out, Bryan. Next batter, please.
Tim Scott says
None of those things make him a worse choice than Knight.
Lawyers in Love says
Sorry, Tim Scott. When Parris owns you, you do whatever he tells you to do. Check out the Facebook page Get Parris Out of Lancaster. They have an endorsement by Buck McKeon for the power plant in Palmdale. Rex made McKeon rescind it.
Parris destroyed the lives of Raymond Lee Jennings, Randy Floyd, and Esmerelda Jorge. He is currently trying to destroy James Ledford.
Parris has been part of a political machine that has gouged taxpayers for decades on pet projects that have lined the pockets of the ‘chosen few’.
He will own Cafario, like he owned McKeon. He does not own Knight.
If Cafario is the Democratic nominee, then Knight has my vote.
Tim Scott says
That’s all fine, but to make the leap from “has the support of Parris” to “when Parris owns you” is a pretty big step. Cafario doesn’t even know who Parris is, other than “oh yeah, he’s a mayor in the district.” Parris just supported him because he hates anyone named Knight, but the Fern Street Mob probably has more influence with Steve Knight through the AV Republican criminal organization than they have with Cafario.
Lawyers in Love says
Parris owns many people. How do you think he was able to destroy Raymond Lee Jennings, Randy Floyd, and Esmerelda Jorge? Look how he has taken control over every board in the Antelope Valley. Notice what he is doing in Palmdale.
He does not own Knight and that is a very good thing.
Cafario is not from here. He is a carpetbagger. There are other Democratic candidates who are from here and who are not owned by Parris.
Tim Scott says
Parris and his cronies are big fish in the little AV pond. They are also big fish in the congressional district’s Republican apparatus. How do you translate that into ownership of Caforio?
For a democrat to have a shot in this district they have to be backed by the national party and by the party structure down in Santa Clarita. Who among AV democrats has that?
I’d be fine with some other democrat, but your idea that Caforio is somehow worse than sending back Knight, who is nothing but a yes man for the worst of the GOP, needs more backing than “Parris supports him that means he owns him.” Outside the AV Parris is a nobody.
Lawyers in Love says
Parris has considerable power outside the AV. He has had control over DA Cooley and now Lacey. He held a fundraiser for her at his Lancaster home. In the words of W, do not “misunderestimate” the power and influence of Parris and his money. He has a well-oiled and funded public relations team
Cafario already lost. People have figured him out. He is a carpetbagger and has ties to Parris. Katie Hill and Christie Smith are not carpetbaggers and are not owned by Parris (yet.)
If it is Knight vs. Cafario, get ready for a repeat.
DemocratsMoreTaxes says
Democrats???
Get out of here.
Daniel says
Knight must go!!!
Seer says
Try to tell that to the thousands of aircraft workers in Palmdale .
Daniel says
Knight mus go!!!
Tim Scott says
Knight has a lot of gall talking about how Caforio was funded by the DNC. His own campaign was bought and paid for by the national party, and he has shown his gratitude by toeing the Republican line and keeping his mouth shut…making not even a pretense about representing his district. If you want your representative to cast whatever vote the midwest Republicans that hate California call to be cast then Knight is your guy.
Vulture says
Knight’s days in Congress are numbered after he signed that terrible bill gutting Obamacare. Maybe the LAPD will hire him back.
Vulture says
Oops. Mistake. I meant after he voted for the terrible healthcare bill.
William says
Knight, like the rest of the gop, doesn’t know jack about health care. Why are politicians allowed to make these policies based on religious beliefs and/or the selfishness of the gop base?
I wouldn’t have knight cut my toenails.
Shane Falco says
Politicians shouldn’t know about healthcare. It shouldn’t be their job or responsibility.
It should be up to doctors, patients and insurance providers. Just like those with the means can afford nicer homes, cars and education, they can afford better health insurance and coverage.
Good health is often a lifestyle choice and the government should not be involved in or responsible for lifestyle choices.
William says
@Falco
Then why is knight voting on a health care bill when he knows nuttin’ ’bout health care?
By the way, Falco. If the supremes said that ERs have to provide emergency health care to all even if uncompensated, that is the Court saying that health care is a right.
What other business in the country has to provide free services to those who can’t pay?
Wow! You sure reveal the selfishness of the right wingers in this country.
Tim Scott says
It’s pointless to try to talk to the guy sensibly William. The bottom line is that the single largest buyer of health care services in this country…is this country. That fact alone makes the proper regulation of the industry an imperative.
Shane Falco says
Medicaid and Medi-Cal have already been in place to help the poor and uninsured. So when you say “emergency” services, I have quite a bit of experience with that. We transport people to many ER’s in critical condition and have long before Obamacare. Patients were never denied treatment.
The issue is that legislators and presidents have no business in the day to day aspects of health insurance. After all, if I like my heath plan I can keep it, if I like my doctor, I can keep him…right?
Well since that was not true, and prices are now higher and providers pulling out of Obamacare, something has to change.
Stinger says
Shane, you nutjob rightwingers really don’t think things through, do you?
Okay, you would transport anyone that needed care to the ER, right? Great. Then what would happen? Why, all of those indigent patients had no way to pay for that care, which caused the hospitals to be in dire financial straits from providing services without being able to get paid for it. Obamacare helped to stop a lot of that financial hemorrhaging by having insurance available to cover those expenses – which is good for the business of healthcare and provided the hospitals opportunities to bring on more staff to improve patient care. Now, with the ACHA, all of that progress gets taken away by the supposedly business friendly Repugnicans. Gee, thanks, guys.
All the ACHA does is take millions of people off of health insurance, which harms the entire health providing industry, costing jobs, lives, and quality of service. All this, just to give more money to the rich nutjobs who fund the GOP campaigns.
Of course, you won’t see that because your mentality is to make a poorly considered decision first, then ignore all evidence to the contrary of that stupidity.