Hello {{ FirstName | default: 'Friend' }},

We are on the ballot.

As of close of business Friday, we officially qualified for the Oceanside City Council District 2 race. I want to take a moment to sit with that. All the paperwork, all the signatures, all the hours. It led here. We are in it.

There are six candidates running for this seat, and I think that is genuinely good for democracy. Voters deserve choices. They deserve to hear varied visions for this district and decide for themselves. We are going to make our case, neighbor by neighbor, door by door, and we are going to do it the right way.

I made house calls to get all our signatures 🤗

We have been in this since December. Official launch in March. Steady, consistent, neighbor by neighbor. We are so close to our voter contact goal and not slowing down for a second. If anything, six candidates on the ballot means more voices in the conversation, and we are ready for that.

Come join us this Sunday at 10am. If you want to volunteer, or if you are just looking for community with people who are value-aligned and showing up for this city, this is your place. We would love to see you. 💙

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: POLICING AS IF COMMUNITY IS THE POINT

John and I showed up to National Night Out this week because we believe in what it is supposed to be. Not a PR event. Not a photo op. A genuine, old-school, show-up-for-your-neighbors kind of night. And when it works, it is exactly that.

My vision for public safety has always been rooted in connection. The most effective policing is not about surveillance or punishment. It is about officers who know the block, know the families, know the kids by name. It is about trust built long before anything goes wrong. National Night Out, at its best, is a practice run for that kind of relationship.

There is a big conversation happening right now in Oceanside about a new permanent home for the OPD. Their current location in District 2 was only ever supposed to be temporary, with a max of about 10 years. The Chief has been clear that a new campus could help with morale and make Oceanside more competitive when recruiting the best officers. I hear that. Good officers deserve good working conditions, and this city deserves to attract and retain the best.

But here is where I have to be honest with you: funding a new facility through a new sales tax in this economy is a serious concern. Sales taxes are regressive. They hit our lowest income neighbors hardest, the very people who are already stretched thin. Before we ask Oceansiders to carry that weight, we owe them a full conversation about what we are building, where, why, and who bears the cost.

That is the kind of question I will be asking at city hall. Not to block progress, but to make sure it is progress for everyone.

Want to join me at some community events this week? I'd love to see you! Get in touch and let's carpool or ride our bikes there. If there is an event that we need on the calendar, please send it my way.

MONDAY, AUGUST 10

* Community Meeting - 9am

* 🛎️ Fireside Park Dinners for Homeless - 4pm (Fireside Park)

* Canvassing - Valley

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11

* Bike About D2 - 10am

* 🛎️ NOAA Hearings - CA Coastal Management Program

* 🛎️ Citizen Investment Oversight Committee - 1:30pm

* 🛎️ Economic Development Commission - 3pm - CANCELLED

* Police and Fire Commission - 5pm

* Canvassing - Valley

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

* 🛎️ Humanity Showers - 7am (208 S Clementine St)

* Yoga por todos at Libby Lake Community Center - 9am (4700 N River Rd)

* Community Meeting - 1pm

* Communications Coordination Meeting - 3pm

* Field Program Coordination Meeting - 7pm

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13

* Community Action on College Bridge @ Vandergrift - Meet in Dollar Tree Parking Lot 7:30

* Canvassing - Morro Hills

*🛎️ Green Paradise Farms Market - 9:30am

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

* Bike About D2 - 10am

* 🛎️ Tai Chi at Libby Lake Community Center - 5pm (4700 N River Rd)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15

* 🛎️ Oceanside Democratic Club Zoom Meeting - 10am

* Canvassing - 11am

* 🛎️ Surfin' DSA - Beach Day & Bonfire - 3pm

* 🛎️ Tagalog Language Program - 4-8pm (Mission Branch Library)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16

* Canvassing Huddle - 10am - new canvassers welcome, training included!

Running a strong grassroots campaign takes resources, and every contribution helps us reach more neighbors and share our message.

Whether it’s $5, $25, or $50, your support makes a real difference.

👉 Donate here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/eg4d2oside

Whether you have one hour or several, your help makes a difference.

Beyond canvassing and community care, our volunteer team is also planning events, shaping strategy, and building the kind of durable, people-powered campaign this district deserves. If you're interested in learning about campaigns, have special skills to share, or are simply looking for a community of value-aligned neighbors to do good work with, we want you here.

👉 Sign up to volunteer with us:

Please reach out if you have ideas or feedback about our campaign. I'm standing by to listen. In community,

You are receiving this email because I've added you to a list of folks who've expressed interest in staying in touch regarding this campaign. If I've screwed that up, I am so sorry. I don't mean to spam - I'm just a regular human trying to stay connected to a growing community of awesome people I am meeting.

GONZALES FOR OCEANSIDE COUNCIL D2 2026, FPPC #1485330, Oceanside, CA 92057, United States, (760) 385-8275