Kevin McCarthy for State Assembly 2002

This was Kevin McCarthy's official website for his 2002 campaign for the State Assembly from the 32nd district in California. Content is from the site's 2002 archived pages.​

Grassroots Online
the official online newsletter for

Kevin McCarthy for State Assembly

September 18, 2002

"Education is first, last and only about educating our children. It is not about more bureaucracy, unions, job protection programs or anything else. It is about teaching children to read and write and giving them what they need to succeed in the 21st Century."

"I have been working hard with Republican leaders in Sacramento and  Washington to generate support for myself and other Republican candidates confident that we Republicans will pick up at least a couple of seats in the Assembly. These successes will help us change some things in California."

Issues

INTEGRITY 
I’m concerned that, in the past eight years, America and California have gotten seriously off-track on integrity and accountability of elected officials. Some polls indicate that many voters think it’s okay for politicians to lie. I find it deeply troubling, if it is a trend that continues. I’m hopeful that new leadership at the top in our nation will bring about a change. I think what people, who are candidates for office, like me, can do is to put the issue of truthfulness and candor up front in our campaigns and let voters know we expect to be held accountable.

EDUCATION 
Learning: Focus on a pedagogically sound policy to early literacy.
Test results continue to show American students achieving at lower level than most developed nations in math and science. California is near the bottom nationally. This situation must change!
We will work together in an open-minded atmosphere that keeps our children at the center of our concern.
We must focus on a pedagogically sound policy to early literacy.
More of the same is not the answer.
More money to fund more bureaucracy will not help.

Accountability: Empower the people, not Sacramento bureaucrats. 
We must empower communities with more local control so teachers, administrators and parents can make decisions regarding curriculum and policy that is best for their students.
We must reduce state interference in local school operations
Our education system must be one where schools, managers and teachers are challenged and motivated to excel, where there are rewards for high achievement and accountability for failure.
School Safety: One hurt child is too many.
One area where the state can help more is school safety, and I will be looking for ways for the state to provide tools and training to increase safety schools in the state.

INFRASTRUCTURE
These are some of the basics of government that are not being done.

Power: Increase power and decrease power costs.
It does no good to point the finger of blame.
We must build more power generating capacity.
We must encourage power plant developers.
We must streamline the permit process for power plant developers.
We must treat power producers as the “good guys”, not the enemy.
Water: Los Angeles and San Francisco are not the center of California
We must push forward critical water projects that have been delayed.
We must remember that Los Angeles and San Francisco are not the only places water is critical.
Roads: Finish what we started, before we start more
California is woefully behind in road building. Inadequate roadways means fuel wasting, environment polluting, unproductive traffic standstills.
The cost of not building Cal.-Trans' long list of new improvements far exceeds the cost of building them.

 

Biography

Kevin McCarthy is a fourth-generation Kern County resident. His great-grandfather, Jeremiah McCarthy, became a Kern County cattle rancher in 1883.

McCarthy is an entrepreneur. He created his first business before age 21 (Kevin O’s Deli) and later sold it to help fund his college education.

Kevin McCarthy is currently the District Director for Congressman Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Kevin is responsible for the management and operations of the 21st Congressional District. Kevin was elected on November 7, 2000 to serve as a Trustee on the Kern Community College District Board. The multi-campus Kern Community College District serves an area of approximately 24,800 square miles in parts of Kern, Tulare, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernadino Counties.

Geographically one of the largest community college districts in the United States, the Kern District serves a population base of about 700,000 with an enrollment of 22,500 and an annual operating budget of approximately $82 million.

McCarthy has appeared as a guest commentator on numerous national media shows such as CNN, MTV, Politically Incorrect and FOX 24 Hours News Network. Kevin was selected as one of the ten future leaders under the age of 40 by the American Council of Young Leaders to be part of the delegation trip to China.

Since 1998, Kevin has served on the Board of the Health Professions Education foundation, appointed by Governor Pete Wilson. McCarthy also serves on the Board of Directors for the Kern County Economic Opportunity Corporation, Head Start and the Kern County Food Bank.

Kevin is President of "YROCK.com" (Young Republican Online Community Network) – one of the first politically based Internet Service Providers in the country. YROCK.com has been featured on ABC’s Good Morning America, MSNBC, Rivera Live, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Don Imus’ and Rush Limbaugh’s Radio Shows.

McCarthy was selected by Governor George W. Bush to speak and serve as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

McCarthy received both his undergraduate and Masters in Business Administration from California State University, Bakersfield.

Kevin and his wife, Judy, have two children, Conner (6) and Meghan (4).