SLO County Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham won’t run for a 4th term
San Luis Obispo County Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham on Thursday announced he will not run for a fourth term representing the Central Coast in the state Legislature.
Cunningham, a Republican from Templeton, has served San Luis Obispo County and northern Santa Barbara County communities in District 35 since he was first elected in 2016.
“After talking it over with my wife and kids, I have decided not to seek a fourth term in the state Assembly,” Cunningham said in a statement.
“It has been a great privilege to represent this community in Sacramento. San Luis Obispo County has been my home for most of my life, and northern Santa Barbara County has been my adopted home.”
SLO County assembly district shifts north, leans more blue
Cunningham did not immediately cite a reason for his decision not to seek re-election, but the geographic makeup of San Luis Obispo County’s Assembly district changed significantly during California’s statewide redistricting process in 2021.
The old District 35 became District 30, and it shifted north to pick up coastal communities in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
This change almost certainly made the district more friendly to Democratic candidates, and it likely would have posed a challenge for a Republican like Cunningham in the upcoming 2022 election.
So far, at least two Democratic candidates and one Republican have said they plan to run for the District 30 seat. Morro Bay Councilwoman Dawn Addis, who ran against Cunningham in 2020, announced her campaign in November. She’ll face off against Seaside Councilman Jon Wizard, who recently announced his candidacy.
Vicki Nohrden of Monterey County, who lost her 2020 state Senate race to John Laird, told San Luis Obispo County Republicans she also plans to join the race, according to the Paso Robles Daily News.
Cunningham touts legislative accomplishments
Cunningham earned his first Assembly term by beating out current San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg. He succeeded popular Central Coast Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, a Republican who termed out in 2016.
Cunningham will have served three two-year terms when he leaves office. As a moderate Republican running in a district that used to be fairly purple, he won his three elections decisively.
In his statement, Cunningham cited numerous accomplishments from his time in office, including securing funding to fix the Cholame “Y” intersection, passing laws to combat human trafficking, bolstering Career Technical Education, pushing offshore wind development on the Central Coast and planning for Diablo Canyon’s closure.
Cunningham also said he’s “particularly proud” to have helped residents get unemployment checks that were stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I will continue to fight for the Central Coast in the state Assembly for the remainder of my term,” Cunningham said in the statement. “While I suspect my time in politics is not done, I look forward to spending more time with my family and coaching youth sports, and growing our businesses.”
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 9:59 AM.
