Farrington Announces Bid for 4th District State Assembly Seat

Anthony Farrington, 43, announced his candidacy for California’s Fourth Assembly District, a seat currently represented by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada who will be termed out in 2014. He is a registered Democrat.

Farrington is now in his fourth term on the Lake County Board of Supervisors, first elected in 2001.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of California at Davis and a law degree from Concord Law School.

He managed the state water rights program for the Regional Council of Rural Counties, and also worked as an educator prior to being elected. 

Farrington is currently a Board Member for the Napa-Lake Workforce Investment Board, the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), and the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC).  In addition, Farrington practices law as a private attorney.

The newly drawn Fourth District includes all of Lake and Napa counties, and portions of Yolo, Colusa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. 

Farrington’s pioneer family has called northern California home for over 160 years. His great grandfather George Major Hanson, who led his family to California, was a state Senator and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln where he served in the Illinois State Legislature, and then as Director of Indian Affairs under President Lincoln.

Besides Lake County, Farrington has also lived in Yolo, Napa, and Colusa counties. 

Farrington said, “My work and life experience make me a unique fit for this newly drawn district,” Farrington said. “My ties to each community will ensure that each community will have a strong voice.”

As a candidate, Farrington offers the voters an opportunity to vote for someone who has a track record of success and who can provide solutions. As an Assemblymember, Farrington said he would work hard to be accessible, and would provide excellent constituent services.

In 2012, Farrington garnered over 70 percentof the vote, and received one of the highest percentages of votes in the state where an incumbent was challenged.

Farrington said he attributes much of his political success in his ability to build consensus. Farrington has proved that he can reach across the aisle and work with members of the Republican Party. 

Farrington often quips that his consensus building skills has even led him to “walk down the aisle with a Republican.” Farrington affectionately refers to his fiancée Jacquelyn St. Martin as a “Texas Republican.”

St. Martin is originally from Texas but moved to Napa in pursuit of her passion and dream to work in the wine industry.

“She and I do not agree on many issues, however we have learned to work together despite our differences," Farrington said. "People are sick and tired of political bickering and partisan politics, they want representatives that can work together and provide solutions, not roadblocks.”  

As far as key issues, Farrington said the state needs to "focus on core services to the public, which include education, public safety, safeguarding our environment, and being business friendly.”

Farrington said he strongly believes that the state should look at the reallocation of tax resources which would give greater discretion in spending to local elected officials and school districts.  A

s a former educator, and now a county supervisor, he said he knows that “teachers and local elected officials know best how to meet the needs of our students and local residents, not politicians in Sacramento,” Farrington said.

He added that he see the economy, and the need to create a good environment for businesses to succeed and thrive as one of the key issues for the Fourth District.

Also, another key issue is strong support for agriculture, in particular preservation of precious agricultural land; and water, especially now that many state leaders are pushing for the construction of dual tunnels through the Bay-Delta which would transport water from northern California to southern California.  

Farrington is concerned that this water project will threaten northern California water supplies, and devastate Bay-Delta wetlands and fisheries. 

“This project is bad for northern California, period,” he said.

In addition, Farrington wants to make infrastructure a priority. Farrington said that “the state has lost its way when it comes to providing adequate infrastructure and investment in our roads, water, and sewer. Investing in infrastructure is not “politically expedient for politicians,” he said, explaining that by the time money is appropriated, and the projects are completed there are different politicians at the ribbon cutting ceremony. “Most politicians are looking for quick fixes.”

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