Independent Mike Meza endorses Republican Joe Gardner in Democratic 48th Assembly District

Roger Hernandez Office/Joe Gardner Campaign

Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, left, is running for reelection against Joe Gardner, right, a retired member of the Santa Monica Police Department.

It’s the homestretch for candidates whose names appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, which means everyone is looking for an advantage. In some cases, that advantage can be as simple as an endorsement from a former opponent. 

Take the 48^th Assembly District race for example. Democrat Assemblyman Roger Hernandez is running for his second two-year term of office, but his district lines have been slightly re-drawn. He finished the June primary behind his Republican challenger, Joe Gardner, a retired member of the Santa Monica Police Department. Gardner picked up 46 percent of the vote, compared to Hernandez’s 43 percent — despite party registration in the district favoring Democrats by 18 percentage points.

The primary had a third challenger, Mike Meza, who ran as an independent. Meza won 11 percent of the vote in the primary and has endorsed Gardner in the November runoff.

“We found ourselves in general agreement on virtually all the issues,” Meza said of his former opponent. 

“Joe possesses a developed sense of duty to others, an understanding of government function, an awareness of the incongruity of self-aggrandizement and public service, and lastly he possess the common sense to effectively assume the duties require of him in office.”

The 48^th District includes West Covina, Baldwin Park and Glendora. Prior to redistricting, Hernandez's 57^th District did not include Glendora.