Latino City Council Candidate Rudy Salas May Be Poised to Make Bakersfield History

BY RAY GONZALES
SPECIAL TO LA VOZ DE KERN

Television reporter Jose Gaspar noted in a recent article published in the Bakersfield Californian that history could be made in Bakersfield in the November 2 elections. He notes that the first Latino may be elected to the city council. Rudy Salas appears to have the best shot of winning the First Ward seat being vacated by long-time Council member Irma Carson. Since the 1950s, this has been a seat traditionally held by blacks. Well-known holders of the seat like Vernon Strong, Gabe Solomon, James Childs, Lynn Edwards and currently, Irma Carson have made sure that the black community had a voice on the council.

With only an 8.4 percent of the city’s population, the black community has nevertheless worked hard over the years to retain the seat. Latinos, on the other hand, with 42.2 percent of the city’s total population, have never held a city council seat. Historically, city officials have always deferred to the interest of the black community over the needs of the large Latino population. One reason for this may be that in the past, blacks have been more active politically and to a degree, more militant in seeking representation. History certainly justifies some aggressiveness on the part of the black community.

Latinos, on the other hand, with 42.2 percent of the city’s total population, have never held a city council seat.

Initially, the first black to represent the First Ward was Dell Rucker, a local mortician appointed to the seat to fill a vacancy by the city council. Since his appointment in the 1950s the seat has always been held by a member of the black community, despite it’s having a majority Latino population. This is to the credit of the black community that took advantage of the political process while many Latinos in the ward were either noncitizens or not registered to vote. For its part, the city of Bakersfield, lead by the council members, has seen to it that the Latino community has been divided up so as to dilute its potential political strength. How else can one explain the fact that with 42 percent of the city’s population there has never been a Latino elected to the city council?

After the 1990 census, the Latino Redistricting Committee, which had much success in creating the present Kern County 5th supervisorial district, and the assembly and senate districts that have been held by Latinos, also attempted to draw a favorable Latino ward for the city. The committee even went so far as to sue the city of Bakersfield. The idea was to get then black councilman Lynn Edwards of the First Ward and Pat DeMond, a Democrat of the Second Ward, to agree to ward boundaries that would allow for a favorable Latino ward. The idea was to attempt to protect Edwards in his seat while also carving out a Latino-heavy ward. The committee efforts failed as Edwards refused to cooperate, as did Pat DeMond and the Democratic Central Committee of the county. The suit was dropped for a number of reasons and the First Ward continued to be controlled by the black community.

This year, hopes are high for a victory by Salas in the First Ward. First of all, there are four blacks running, a fact that has the potential of splitting up the black community vote. Secondly, Latinos in recent elections have been participating more aggressively in the election process. And third, to his credit, Senator Dean Florez has done much to groom young Latinos for eventual political runs. Supervisor Mike Rubio was a staffer for Dean as is Rudy Salas. This not only has given these young men a sound education in the political process, but has also aided them in the fundraising necessary to run a viable campaign these days. Salas has out-raised his opponents in the city council race by almost four to one. He is a collage graduate with a wholesome background and keen understanding of the issues necessary to represent all of the citizens of the ward, not just Latinos.

If Salas wins on Nov. 2, it will certainly be historic for the city of Bakersfield. In fact, this election may prove to be one of the most historical political events the Latino community of Kern County has seen in a very long time. Potentially, Mike Rubio has a good chance of winning his state senate race; Fran Florez will likely win her assembly race; newcomer Andrae Gonzales is favored to win a Bakersfield City School District board seat.

And if Rudy Salas wins his city council race, it will truly be historic.

The last time anything so dramatic happened was in 1972, when a portly Ph.D. from Bakersfield shocked the state by becoming the first Latino to win a legislative seat in the San Joaquin Valley.

Former State Assemblyman Ray Gonzales, of Bakersfield, is an occasional contributor to La Voz de Kern. In 1972, he became the first Latino to win a legislative seat in the San Joaquin Valley.