Whig Governor Endorsements

Last night, the Whig candidates for Governor made their case to Whig voters as to why they are the best to lead the state forward. In the Whig system, two endorsements were made, and all candidates will still appear on the ballot today. Here they are:

Paul Grazzini Jr. - WON endorsement

Pictured: Paul Grazzini Jr.

The very first speaker of the night, Paul Grazzini stepped up to the podium in a cowboy hat. In his speech, Grazzini said he believed in unity and acknowledged the need to compromise with some ideas of the Federalists. He hopes to act as a representative of the people and embody what it means to be a Whig.

Emma Quintero- WON endorsement

Pictured: Emma Quintero

A founder of a literary magazine, Emma Quintero’s speech pushed empathy as its main emphasis. Throughout, she referenced empathy as a pillar of democracy and something that has helped her foster connection. As governor, she wants to hear what matters to everyone and their passions.

John Han

Han focused mainly on mental health, opening with a story of a Chinese immigrant family that declined mental health support due to the stigma around mental health. His plan is to meet communities where they are with culturally surrounded mental health services. 

Elizabeth Hoffman

Elizabeth Hoffman began her address by discussing the overlapping nature of policies, explaining that she strongly believes in facilitating justice for all and various environmental issues. Her primary imperative is to make sure everyone is heard, and promised to hold Whig causes as her main focus.

Andrew Metz

Andrew Metz began his speech with an energetic chant, centering his platform on uniting under one goal; bringing the Federalists to the Whigs. Shouting out various people in the crowd and their nicknames, he emphasized the importance of identity and how our thoughts and actions define us. He is an advocate for the mental health crisis, teacher pay, and for a secure state future. 

Nawid Samim

In his address, Samim addressed the issues of both the Whigs and Federalists that he hoped to solve, listing off problems such as; affordability, mental health, prison reform, protection of queer rights, and legalizing sports betting. He emphasized that everyone has their own story that has led them here.

Isabel Shen

Isabel opened by discussing the importance of each person’s own stories. She also expressed her interest in advocating for a Boys and Girls Nation, which led to her wider theme of accessibility in funding and supporting community organizations.

Nathanael Thomas

Thomas opened on the rich diversity of California, including the people, geography and economics. He brought up the energy crisis, an issue many Californians have been facing recently, and proposed bringing back nuclear energy to California.

Once again, every candidate mentioned had an excellent campaign and is still on the ballot to vote, but only Paul Grazzini Jr. and Emma Quintero earned the Whig Party endorsement for their platform. 

Written By: Cole Bitterlich

Edited By: Shouryan Mohammed, Talia Meyer

Published By: Faid Kassim