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Tony Rodriguez
Tony Rodriguez (Republican Party) ran for election to the California State Assembly to represent District 44. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Tony Rodriguez was born in New York, New York. Rodriguez's career experience includes working as an operations director. He served in the U.S. Army from 1980 to 2005. Rodriguez has been affiliated with Neighborhood Council, Local Chamber of Commerce, and American Legion Post 377.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2024
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 44
Nick Schultz defeated Tony Rodriguez in the general election for California State Assembly District 44 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Nick Schultz (D)  | 65.9 | 143,625 |
 | Tony Rodriguez (R) | 34.1 | 74,316 | |
| Total votes: 217,941 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 44
The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Assembly District 44 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nick Schultz (D) | 28.3 | 31,121 |
| ✔ | | Tony Rodriguez (R) | 25.7 | 28,280 |
| Ed Han (D) | 16.0 | 17,589 | ||
 | Elen Asatryan (D) | 13.3 | 14,692 | |
 | Steve Pierson (D) | 7.7 | 8,508 | |
| Carmenita Helligar (D) | 5.6 | 6,178 | ||
| Adam Summer (No party preference) | 2.0 | 2,224 | ||
| Adam Pryor (D) | 1.4 | 1,566 | ||
| Total votes: 110,158 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Rodriguez received the following endorsements.
Pledges
Rodriguez signed the following pledges.
2022
See also: California's 30th Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 30
Incumbent Adam Schiff defeated Maebe A. Girl in the general election for U.S. House California District 30 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Adam Schiff (D) | 71.1 | 150,100 |
 | Maebe A. Girl (D) | 28.9 | 60,968 | |
| Total votes: 211,068 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 30
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 30 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Adam Schiff (D) | 62.4 | 102,290 |
| ✔ | | Maebe A. Girl (D) | 12.9 | 21,053 |
 | Ronda Kennedy (R) | 8.5 | 13,953 | |
 | Patrick Gipson (R) | 6.4 | 10,529 | |
 | Johnny Nalbandian (R) | 4.7 | 7,693 | |
 | Paloma Zuniga (R) | 1.6 | 2,614 | |
 | Sal Genovese (D) | 1.6 | 2,612 | |
 | William Meurer (G) | 1.0 | 1,598 | |
| Tony Rodriguez (American Independent Party of California) | 0.9 | 1,460 | |
| Total votes: 163,802 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Susan Murphy (R)
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Tony Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rodriguez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Parental Rights
Parents should have a right to know what is happening in their child’s school and maintain the right to make decisions about their children’s education, which includes:
• The right to know what is being taught, • The right to question policy without fear of repercussions, • The right to a transparent school budget and spending,
• The right to a solid, practical, objective education that focuses on reading, writing, math and the sciences. The teaching of politically or racially subjective perspectives in our public schools that are not age-appropriate costs taxpayers millions and our children's' future access to the job market. - Public Safety • The dignity and peace, as well as security, of our citizens should come first, as should our communities, and, ultimately, our Republic, • Complete defunding of our police should never be a consideration. Instead, funding should be allocated according to what best serves our communities. Successful law enforcement involves everyone. I will always be an advocate for our police while, simultaneously, insisting on equal treatment of all citizens. • I believe security at our borders can and must be given priority while upholding our Constitutional defense and protection of human rights.
- In California we need to have a Balanced Budget: California’s state government must maintain a balanced budget by law, so policymakers need to prioritize spending in areas like education, healthcare, and infrastructure while controlling deficits. Debt Management: Manage state debt carefully to avoid burdening future generations. This includes limiting borrowing and ensuring that debt is used to fund productive investments, such as infrastructure projects that have long-term benefits. Pension Reform: California’s public employee pension system has been under financial strain. Reforms, such as adjusting benefits or requiring increased contributions, could improve long-term fiscal health. Maximize Revenue Sources
Collaboration and Communication: Regular, open communication between the governor and the legislature is crucial. The governor should work closely with legislators to understand the priorities of their constituencies, and the legislature should respect the governor’s broader state-wide agenda. This ensures balanced decision-making.
Checks and Balances: The governor and legislature must respect each other’s powers, with the governor acting as a check on the legislative branch by having the ability to veto bills, and the legislature holding the governor accountable through oversight, budget controls, and lawmaking.
Problem-Solving: The relationship should focus on solving the state’s challenges, such as the economy, healthcare, and education. The governor sets policy direction, while the legislature works to refine and pass laws that advance those policies.
Collaboration and Consensus: Legislative success often depends on gaining support from peers. Building strong relationships fosters collaboration, enabling legislators to find common ground and work across party lines. This can lead to more effective lawmaking and policy development.
Broader Perspectives: Engaging with other legislators allows for the exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives. These relationships provide insight into the needs and concerns of different districts, which can lead to more well-rounded and inclusive policies.
Coalition Building: Many legislative initiatives require a coalition of support to pass. Developing strong relationships makes it easier to form these coalitions, build momentum for initiatives, and gain the necessary votes.
Mentorship and Learning: Experienced legislators can offer valuable guidance to newer members. Building relationships enables mentorship opportunities, which can help legislators navigate the complexities of the legislative process.
Quarterly Financial Reports to the legislature. Justification of emergency spending.
Public Trust: Financial transparency fosters public trust in government institutions. When people know where their tax dollars are going and how budgets are allocated, they are more likely to trust that their government is acting in their best interest.
Efficient Use of Resources: Transparent financial practices allow citizens and oversight bodies to monitor whether public funds are being spent efficiently. It helps prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, ensuring that every dollar serves a purpose and maximizes public benefit.
Accountability for Public Officials: Government officials should be held accountable for their decisions, especially in matters of budget allocation and spending. Robust systems for audits, public disclosures, and ethical oversight ensure that leaders cannot misuse their power for personal or political gain.
Corruption Prevention: Transparency is a powerful tool to prevent corruption. When government transactions and decision-making processes are open to scrutiny, it becomes much harder for officials to engage in corrupt activities without being detected.
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.
2022
Tony Rodriguez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Rodriguez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- I am against Critical Race Theory Indoctrination. There should be a law that mandates that this should not be taught. This only fuels the fire and casues more divion. It is about parents deciding what is best for their children, and keeping parental rights intact under the Constitution while holding government to task for poor performance in the classroom.
- Protecting our First Responders The security, peace, and dignity of our communities and our country depends on our first responders. In an era where the debate is about defunding police, I support increased funding for better training and tools for our men and women in uniform.
- Protecting our Jobs and Businesses. Especially small businesses, workers comp cost especially in California are extremely high. There is a lot of fraud especially in California. This fraud and high taxes can ruin a small business.
Protecting our Families. I believe that family is our greatest national resource. As a result, we need to do more to defend our families. All families are different. Regardless of how your family is structured - whether you are a man and woman, two men, or two women - our children need family and love. I will work to protect the family regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
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.
Campaign website
Rodriguez's campaign website stated the following:
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Protecting our Families Tony believes that family is our greatest national resource. As a result, we need to do more to defend our families. All families are different. Regardless of how your family is structured - whether you are a man and woman, two men, or two women - our children need family and love.Tony Rodriguez will work to protect the family regardless of race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.
The security, peace, and dignity of our communities and our country depends on our first responders. In an era where the debate is about defunding police, Tony Rodriguez supports increased funding for better training and tools for our men and women in uniform.
Jobs, the cost of doing business, and the economy.
National and Border Security go hand in hand.
Indoctrination of Critical Race Theory in our schools needs to end.[2] |
” |
| —Tony Rodriguez's campaign website (2022)[3] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 1, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Tony Rodriguez for Congress, “Home,” accessed May 26, 2022
