FRESNO (KMJ) — Outgoing Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin is throwing her support behind Councilman Lee Brand to replace her in 2017.
“I’m very pleased today, to recommend to the people of Fresno that Lee Brand serve as Fresno’s next mayor”, announced Ashley Swearengin.
Swearengin formally endorsed Brand at a Thursday news conference outside Fresno City Hall. She will be termed out at year’s end after serving as Mayor since 2008.
“Eight years ago, I remember running for mayor…and I remember making the case to voters, to the people of Fresno, that the good work that was underway in our community, the work to transform Fresno for the betterment of the people who live here, did not start with me and it would not stop with me”.
She revealed that one of the biggest decisions she would have to make, would be recommending a successor.
“Every day of my eight years in office we’ve been thinking about this moment”.
Lee Brand himself welcomed the public show of confidence.
“Endorsements tell you a lot about the candidate. People don’t give out endorsements easily”.
He used the opportunity to reveal what he called his top priorities if his election bid is successful.
“To make our city safer by setting a long term goal of hiring 1000 police officers by a growing economy. To implement my Economic Expansion Act, that would create thousands of jobs and break the cycle of generation poverty that has plagued our city for many generations”.
In response to the endorsement by the current Mayor of Fresno, Brand’s competitor Henry Perea says voters are looking for something other than the status quo.
“We know Lee has been very loyal to Ashley for the last eight years and that’s fine. But I think what Fresno voters are looking at right now is the future and not the past.
“People are saying it’s time for change, time for a new vision. We just move forward to November”.
The event came but two hours after the revelation that Democrat candidate Perea had been endorsed by Fresno County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian, herself a Republican. Both Brand and Swearengin are also Republican.
You can read more about that endorsement clicking here.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
