Governor Schwarzenegger’s office just announced the appointment of State Senator John Benoit to fill a vacant seat on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.
"I am humbled to receive this appointment from Governor Schwarzenegger," Benoit told me on the phone just a few minutes ago. "While I have spent nearly seven years representing a large portion of Riverside County in the State Legislature, I believe that there lot of challenges to be dealt with on a local level. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with my new colleagues on the Board of Supervisors."
I asked Benoit what he would miss the most about leaving the state legislature. Without missing a beat, he told me, "I have had the honor to serve with a lot of great people, from both sides of the political aisle. I have learned a lot from them, and will miss them — though I will work to apply much of what I have learned in my new position."
Benoit won a hotly contested race for the 37th State Senate seat last year (the incumbent, Jim Battin, retired due to term limits), and so will actually be leaving the Senate after less than one year of service. Benoit will run for a full term on the Board of Supervisors next year (with the all important job position of "appointed incumbent.")
Benoit’s appointment will cause a special election to occur — the Governor will have to call that shortly. Assemblyman Bill Emmerson has made it clear that he will be running. Looking at the race are his colleagues Assemblymen Brian Nestande and Jeff Miller. Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries also represents part of the district. Also rumored to be considering a run is former Assemblyman Russ Bogh (whom Benoit clobbered last year) and former Palm Springs Chief of Police Gary Jeandron.
Let me close out this brief commentary by expressing my personal congratulations to John Benoit, a friend. While many felt that his appointment was an "obvious choice" for the Governor, you never know what a Governor will actually choose to do (and with this Governor, that is almost always the case). So this appointment is a big deal.