Assemblyman Steve Fox

[KHTS] – Two challengers and one incumbent are running for the 36th District seat in the state Assembly in the upcoming election: Assemblyman Steve Fox, D-Palmdale, Suzette Martinez of Acton and Tom Lackey of Palmdale.

Elections for the California Assembly will be held Nov. 4.

Martinez is described as a “committed Republican” on her campaign Facebook page.

She is an Acton resident and board member for the Santa Clarita Valley Latino Chamber of Commerce. The College of the Canyons alumna is also currently a public affairs specialist for Los Angeles Universal Preschool. She has a family history in education, with a mother who taught special education in LAUSD schools for 25 years.

Suzette Martinez

“As a strong education proponent (Martinez) frequently advocates in Washington, D.C.and Sacramento to raise awareness of the benefits that public, private and non-profit preschools provide our community and children,” according to her website.

Lackey, who identified as a conservative Republican, is currently a council member for the City of Palmdale.

He said he believes his many years of experience in public service prepare him for a role in state government.

Before being elected to the Palmdale City Council in 2005, Lackey served as a California Highway Patrol Sergeant and as Palmdale School District board member for six years.

“I have an interest in improving our condition at the state level,” he said, “and I think my background has prepared me for this privilege.”

Lackey identified unemployment and public safety as two of the most important issues currently facing California.

“We need to improve circumstances and allow people to have jobs,” he said. “Our unemployment situation is completely unacceptable.”

Tom Lackey

He wants to build confidence in public safety, he said.

“Realignment problems, and growing concern that has stemmed from that decision, plagues our state,” Lackey said. “The fact remain that we have a greater threat to our community and we have to do something about that.”

Fox said that his goal for this campaign and upcoming term if re-elected, would be to continue and expand on the work he has already done in office.

He mentioned funding housing and education for veterans, restoring the Enterprise Zone in the Antelope Valley and encouraging the federal government to bring more aerospace jobs into California.

“We’re in here for the long haul,” Fox said. “We’ve done a lot of good things.”

Fox described himself as a conservative Democrat, with a mixed staff of half Republicans and half Democrats.

He said that he has been able to bring “deliverables to the district for probably the first time in 30 years, because we’re part of the supermajority… (It’s the) best of both worlds–good conservative hometown values with the backing of the supermajority.”

He said he will focus on bringing jobs and dollars into the 36th District.

To him the most important question is, “What can we do for our constituents here?”

“And we’re doing it,” he said.

Martinez could not be reached for comment as of 3 p.m. Wednesday.