Healdsburg resident joins growing field of candidates
He has spent time in Bolivia with the Peace Corp and Washington D.C. as a Presidential appointee, but now that he’s back home, James Gore is running to replace Mike McGuire as the 4th District’s next Supervisor.
“Two years ago, my daughter was born and my wife and I decided it was time for her to be raised at home, and this has always been my home,” Gore said. Gore, his wife Elizabeth and daughter Opal, moved back to Healdsburg and he began consulting on conservation issues when he heard that McGuire was going to run for State Senate, leaving the Supervisor’s seat up for grabs.
“As with life, you don’t always choose your timing. But, I look forward to working my tail off and learning from the people in this district what the most important issues are to them,” he said.
Gore, 35, currently lives in Healdsburg near the Russian River. He was born and raised between Cloverdale and Santa Rosa. His father ran a successful vineyard management company and owned a vineyard between Geyserville and Cloverdale.
“My dad was an outdoorsman and I grew up out on the land. It defines what I do as a career and my activities like fishing and hunting,” he said.
He also followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Peace Corp out of college. He was placed in Bolivia, where he worked for two years on ag and natural resources issues, as well as health and hygiene.
“In the Peace Corp, it’s all grassroots and community-based,” he said. And when he worked for the government, “it was about working with conservation districts and local elected leaders who have the hands on the pulse of the community and are able to get things done. That’s what inspires me about living back here and giving back.”
Sonoma County’s 4th Supervisorial district includes the entire north county, from Cloverdale to the northwest portion of Santa Rosa that includes Fulton and Larkfield-Wikiup. Mike McGuire has served as the north county Supervisor since being elected in 2010, but announced plans a few months ago to run for State Senate.
Two other candidates have officially launched campaigns for the seat: Pete Foppiano, a former councilmember from Healdsburg and Deb Fudge, and Windsor Town councilmember. Several others are considering a run, including Keith Rhinehart from Wikiup and Tom Chambers from Healdsburg.
Though Gore hasn’t held elected office, he said his time serving with the Peace Corp and working for the government has prepared him for public office.
“I want to be the kind of candidate that I want to vote for, who looks you in the eyes and cares about you’re telling me, and responds to it,” he said. “I am focusing my efforts on collaboration and bringing different sides to the table and being fair when you have to make decisions. That’s how I have managed my life and my career, and that’s how I will manage this campaign.”
Gore, who is fluent in both Spanish and Italian, is the co-leader for the Working Landscapes team of the California Economic Summit. He is also leading initiatives in Northern California on conservation, ending food waste, and building a stronger intersection between agriculture and the environment. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a Master’s Degree from George Washington University.
