Michael Cardenas

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Michael Cardenas

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Other

Los Angeles Recording School, 2011

Personal

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Campaign Instagram

Michael Cardenas ran for election to the Bakersfield City Council to represent Ward 2 in California. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Cardenas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Michael Cardenas' career experience includes working as a business owner. He earned a degree from Los Angeles Recording School in 2011.

Elections

2024

See also: City elections in Bakersfield, California (2024)

General election

General election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

Incumbent Andrae Gonzales defeated Michael Cardenas in the general election for Bakersfield City Council Ward 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Andrae Gonzales (Nonpartisan)	59.3	6,363
		Michael Cardenas (Nonpartisan)	40.7	4,372

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,735
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cardenas in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael Cardenas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cardenas' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a Small Business owner and Union member with extensive experience in Building & Construction.

I want to leverage my knowledge to modify our cities General Plan to build a better Bakersfield together.

I believe that local government has the power to transform our day to day lives and that local representatives have a responsibility to do so.

I will work with our community to analyze our municipal code and the code of other municipalities to determine real actionable steps to solve the issues our city, county, and state face.

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to serve and plan to make real change through focused municipal code overhauls.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Homelessness is one of the core issues the people of Bakersfield have expressed to me. A complex issue that has overlapping jurisdictional responsibilities requires members of each entity to work together to asses how other municipalities and counties are having an easier time not only enforcing the law but helping the unhoused get essential services to get them back on their feet and off the streets long term.
• The people of Bakersfield are deeply concerned about the rise of crime in our community. Once again we need to analyze the municipal codes of other cities that are having better success at not only enforcement of the law but training our partners in law enforcement to have overall better interactions with the community rebuilding trust and accountability all around.
• The buildings in which we occupy have a tremendous effect on how we live our lives and how small businesses have the opportunity to thrive.

  We need to completely overhaul our general plan to create new starter housing products that can free up our apartment inventory and give more people the opportunity to have a slice of the American dream through homeownership.

  We also need to reassess our building an zoning code to stop over regulating small businesses and help entrepreneurs stop the cycle of poverty by keeping money in our community rather than allowing more chain stores and restaurants that have the resources to navigate overly burdensome regulations.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m deeply passionate about urban planning and how the building and zoning code has the potential to truly transform the lives of people. We need to set an example for the state of California rather than blindly following their overly burdensome policies and regulations.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The ability to bring accountability and transparency to the essential services that local government provides. We must treat this like a business that wants to retain customers.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Rand Paul and Thomas Massey are the only two American politicians who are consistently questioning the standard narrative in American politics. I believe them to some some of the only people who truly have Americas best interest in mind with their decision making process.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win A Book by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.

Politicians have an obligation to take extreme ownership of their decisions because passing the buck never helps the American people.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Transparency and Accountability need to be at the forefront of principles for all elected officials. Too many politicians are doing back room deals enriching themselves and their friends rather than doing what’s truly best for the community.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I’m a real person not a career politician.
I’m a member of the community who doesn’t view politics as a means to enrich myself.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Being a voice of opposition when everyone is in agreement. We need to look at every decision from every vantage point to ensure that these votes are truly in the best interest of the people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That we brought real transparency to government.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 I was 10 years old at the time and it completely changed the way the world operated. It was an event that’s shaped the way I view the world and how government should operate.

We all need to remember 9/12 on that day there was no race, no socioeconomic class, no difference between us all.

We were just all Americans.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I started my first business in elementary school selling sodas and waters in my local park. That experience was the catalyst that drove me to be an entrepreneur.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Control over the spending on pet projects rather than essential services. Our local representatives are more focused on feel good stories about bike lanes and fountains in parks rather than focusing on their failures at providing public safety and other essential services.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Absolutely not. Career politicians are the problem with American politics. We need more members of the community to step up and run for office because when they don’t, career politicians thrive by draining our public resources for their personal gain.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Solid moral compass would be a great start. The disassociation from the truth and understanding of average people that career politicians possess is truly astounding.

We need real people to make real change.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Greater Bakersfield Republican Assembly and California Republican Assembly.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Currently there’s nowhere near the level of financial transparency and accountability that’s necessary to rebuild the trust between government and the people.

The average person has no idea where their tax dollars are being spent because this information isn’t available to the public. We need to bring on 3rd party audits to force accountability and vote out anyone who opposes it.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2024 Elections

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Candidate

Bakersfield City Council Ward 2

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