Fremont businessman Bob Brunton scored an impressive finish March 3rd when he came in first in the 25th Assembly District primary race, over five percentage points ahead of his closest contender.  He’s running an issue-oriented campaign, focusing on ways to improve government without raising taxes.

Brunton, whose campaign slogan is “Just Solutions, Not Excuses”, has a passion to repair government.  He focuses on four key areas: mass transit, civil justice, education, and the way government treats us. He proposes combining the Bay Area’s 24 mass transit agencies into one with an elected board, and establishing public defenders for civil lawsuits.  With regard to housing, he proposes reallocating 2 cents of the sales tax to where the purchaser lives, which would provide an incentive to cities to add housing.

He is particularly experienced in education, having served on the Ohlone Community College Board.  He says, “Simultaneously, we find ourselves both overspending on Education and underinvesting in Education.”  He proposes: allowing students to attend school near their parents’ workplace, a Common Course Numbering system that would allow college students to take some of their courses at different schools, simplified and equalized school funding, and setting money aside in advance for school building replacement.

Assembly District 25 is an open seat being vacated by Kansen Chu, a Democrat who is running for county supervisor.  The district includes Newark, most of Fremont, Milpitas, Santa Clara, North San Jose, and the hills east of San Jose.  (See the map.)

Brunton’s opponent in the runoff is 24-year old Alex Lee, a self-described “progressive Democratic candidate” whose experience is as a staffer to various legislative Democrats.  The Mercury News has written that Lee does “not have the experience needed to be effective in the Assembly.”

Bob Brunton grew up in Elgin, Illinois and Fort Collins, Colorado.  Bob’s father set an example of public service for his family, serving as city manager of both those cities, as well as others.  Bob learned from him that you can get a lot done if you don’t worry about taking credit.  While working full time at Sears, Bob earned his B.S. at Colorado State University in business and finance.

Brunton’s job selling for Armstrong eventually brought him to Fremont – where he put down roots.  He has been a business owner in the district for over 30 years and still runs the two companies he started, one providing manufacturer’s representative services and the other doing financial planning and management.

Bob Brunton has long been active in the community, helping to start Newark Toastmasters and the Fremont Education Foundation, and serving as a member of Fremont Rotary.  He is a graduate of Leadership Fremont, the Silicon Valley Chamber Leadership Program, and Santa Clara County 101.  He was elected three times to the Ohlone Community College Board, where he served 12 years, including twice as president.  One of his innovations was to arrange meetings with other South Bay community college boards to share approaches to their jobs.

The combination of an open seat, his independent voice, an inexperienced opponent, and the uncertainty of our times, offers Brunton an opportunity to be seized.

Bob Brunton has two grown daughters.  He, his wife Elena, and their dog Vivaldi live in Fremont.  One may learn more about his campaign or get involved in it on his campaign website, votebobbruntonforassembly.com.  You can hear what he has to say this Sunday, May 3rd, 3pm, at an online event.