Nov. 2022 Election: Q&A with Joseph Rocha, California state Senate District 40 candidate – The San Diego Union-Tribune
There are two candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot running for this four-year state Senate term: Democratic Marine Capt./attorney Joseph Rocha and Republican state Sen./businessman Brian Jones. Here are Rocha’s answers to a 14-question survey The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board emailed candidates.
Q: Why do you want this job and what would be your top priority?
A: I’ve dedicated my life to serving my country and fighting for what’s right. My grandparents immigrated to California from Mexico to labor in tomato fields and canneries in the 1960s. Through hard work and determination, they climbed into the middle class to build opportunities for our family. My mother struggled with addiction, so I spent most of my childhood living with my father, who raised a family of five on a truck driver’s salary. But when I came out as gay at 17, I had to move out.
I joined the Navy on my 18th birthday because being a patriot meant fighting to keep our country safe. When I was forced out for being gay, I promised to fight to make our country better. I started speaking out against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and vowed to rejoin as soon as possible. And when we finally won that fight, I kept my promise and became a Marine Corps captain and judge advocate, where I prosecuted violent crimes.
I’m running for state Senate because our values and freedoms are under attack by right-wing politicians. I’ll fight for our ability to make personal health decisions and expand access to reproductive health and abortion care. I’ll close loopholes on ghost guns and require background checks, so families feel safe going about their daily lives and reduce crime. I’ll work to ensure California’s veterans have an easier time transitioning back to civilian life with free higher education, job training, better health care and housing support.
Q: What is the biggest accomplishment of your career?
A: Though my early years were marked by hardship, trauma and housing insecurity, I excelled in school and worked part-time as a dishwasher. I joined the Navy, quickly advancing to become a bomb dog handler, tracking down explosives in the Persian Gulf.
After I was discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I became an advocate for repeal. I moved to San Diego to further my education, and I graduated from San Diego City College, the University of San Diego and the University of San Francisco School of Law.
I had the honor of testifying before Judge Virginia Phillips as a principal witness in the federal court challenge that ultimately ruled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” unconstitutional. Judge Phillips would cite my case as evidence that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” violated the First Amendment by forcing me to choose between my career and my physical safety. I had always pledged to return to service if and when allowed to do so with honor as an openly gay man, and that’s exactly what I did.
Following the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” I kept my word, returning to the service after my commission as a Marine Corps officer. I served as a judge advocate and prosecutor, served a second deployment, this time to Central America, and rose to the rank of captain. The Corps teaches us “Ductus Exemplo,” or leadership by example. I have embodied this principle in my decade of military service, and it is what I intend to do from Sacramento.
Q: Assess what the state is doing now to address the changing climate. What would you support to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California?
A: I want to make it clear: Climate change is settled science. My opponent continues to deny the human impacts on climate change and voted against legislation that protects fresh water sources, addresses sea-level rise and prevents wildfires. I will push for commonsense solutions to wildfire and drought that create new jobs. We owe this to our firefighters who are faced with endless deployment cycles, our seniors who face deadly summer heat waves and our children’s future. Our state is a leader in taking bold climate action, and we must continue to do so. As senator, I will work to ensure that California remains a world leader in environmental protection. I will also ensure that research and development of world-changing technologies are adequately funded and supported so we can solve these challenges in the short and long term.
Creating jobs is at the forefront of my campaign. We must ensure that our transition to cleaner energy has workers and their families in mind. I support the phaseout of gas-powered vehicles, but we need an equitable transition to ensure our electric vehicle infrastructure is upgraded in all communities. With new housing and commercial construction, we have opportunities to build sustainably. I will work with local jurisdictions to advocate building methods that reduce our carbon footprint. My opponent’s refusal to lead on climate action is not only a moral failure, it’s an economic dereliction of duty. As senator, I won’t leave funding on the table in Sacramento that is critical to our communities.
Q: Assess what the state is doing now to address the drought. What would you do differently?
A: San Diego has set the bar for water conservation in California, and we need to work together to have the rest of the state follow. The state should continue to incentivize conservation through programs such as the drought-resistant landscape rebate.
San Diegans face paying higher water rates than other major metro areas, and we must find ways to reduce this burden on our residents and ensure we don’t replicate this problem for families across the state. Although future water use is unpredictable, we need to be careful about miscalculations that are affecting middle-class families.
Middle-class families are not the only population being affected. Our tribes are suffering due to land developments outside reservations which have caused massive diversions away from their lands — so much that some tribes don’t have enough water supply for daily use. California’s tribes need assistance to ensure they are taken care of for years to come.
Lastly, we must invest in ways to capture and store more water that can save California’s agricultural industry. Last year, the drought cost 8,700 farm workers their jobs. When California’s growers, farmworkers and vulnerable communities are negatively impacted by a lack of water, we all suffer the consequences. People all over the country rely in one form or another on the produce harvested in California — be it as food or as a major driver of the economy.
Q: The California Air Resources Board has adopted a policy that would ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. What would you do to ease the transition to electric vehicles and ensure affordability, equity and practicality?
A: As we look toward an ambitious, greener future, we are also obligated to find commonsense solutions that tackle the environmental crisis and deliver high-paying, sustainable jobs to our community. In order to reach California’s greenhouse gas emission goals, we must start early investments into our infrastructure and technology to foster this transition. This means investing in more clean energy vehicle-charging stations, diversifying our power sources, and making meaningful and major upgrades to our power grid. Investing in these now will create more jobs and is a step toward a greener economy.
Next, we must not leave out public transportation and building affordable homes so workers can live in the communities they serve to reduce out of control commutes. Having fewer people and families on the roads is also a huge contributor to reducing emissions that are harming our environment.
Our institutions are conducting the necessary research we need to work toward our goals and achieve them. Funding this research will help our state look for other areas in which we can make more changes and achieve a clean energy future.
Q: What can the state do to get more people to use public transit?
A: I support the governor’s initiative to phase out gas-powered vehicles. In order to do this efficiently, we need to consider the impact this will have on low-income and rural residents, as in many of these communities public transportation is not feasible. In order to accommodate these areas, we must invest in rural broadband to allow a hybrid or work-from-home solution so that they are not forced to travel.
For those who have access to public transportation, we must expand lines so that neighborhoods, workplaces and schools are accessible, and these routes accommodate families that wish to invest in greener ways of transportation. We must also make sure that public transportation is affordable and safe. We want to make sure that public transportation is convenient — not a burden that families must endure to achieve a green economy. There are alternatives to public transportation that are low-budget, high-impact projects that increase walkability and cycling access. This means protected bike lanes and connected paths and trails. Giving San Diegans more attractive options for transit means residents will reduce their carbon footprint in ways that meet their needs. In turn, we will be building safer, stronger, greener communities.
Q: Housing affordability is a huge issue in California. What can you do to help renters or homeowners who are struggling now?
A: San Diego faces one of the most unaffordable housing markets in the entire country. The American dream is becoming further and further out of reach for middle-class families.
In order to keep economic independence from slipping through the cracks, we need rent and mortgage relief for families, and we must find ways to build more housing supply now. I support Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins’ first time homebuyer pilot program that will provide down-payment support in return for a portion of the home’s equity. This is an excellent example of the smart, pragmatic and self-sustaining solutions I hope to contribute to our district from Sacramento. I look forward to supporting this effort and exploring the possibility of expanding it in ways that will help provide relief for our renters.
For families who are struggling today, we must crack down on discrimination of any form that prevents hard-working families from finding affordable housing options. This includes anti-discrimination statutes that must have the teeth they need to fight those breaking the law.
We aren’t building enough affordable housing units, leaving middle-income families with a shortage of options. State and local governments must work together to incentivize new housing development across all income levels, and cut red tape and weaponized environmental laws that only prolong the building of new housing and hurt our middle-class.
California will not survive without the middle class that has built it. If workers don’t have a place to live, then none of us will.
Q: More and more resources are being dedicated to the homelessness issue, yet California has more homeless people than ever. Do you see progress? What solutions are working?
A: I know what it’s like to be without a stable roof over my head. As a kid, my mother moved us from motel to motel as she struggled with addiction. Later, when I was kicked out for being gay in high school, I couch-surfed in friends’ homes and slept in my car as I lived paycheck to paycheck. When I turned 18, I finally pursued my dreams to join the military.
Early on as a Navy veteran, I developed military service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, and I am a firm believer in “post-traumatic growth.” I believe that survivors can emerge from trauma stronger than before — with the right support. We must approach the care of our unhoused neighbors with the same mindset.
There has been some progress during the COVID-19 pandemic as lawmakers have realized that the one-size-fits-all shelter model has not helped us progress. We must be willing to consider more innovative ways to get people off the streets.
As senator, I will prioritize creating rehabilitative, permanent supportive housing with access to services such as mental health care and work opportunities that create pathways for those who are struggling. Any future developments should be built with an emphasis on safety and green spaces so they are a net positive to the communities around them.
Q: California’s crime rate is going up. Do you blame recent criminal justice reforms, other factors or some combination? How would you keep Californians safe?
A: The greatest way to decrease crime is to increase opportunity. I lost my mother to addiction, saw my brother recycled through the prison system and lost my grandfather to gun violence. It drove me to a life of service and dedication to the law as both a veteran and prosecutor. That’s why I am deeply committed to offering kids like me a way out and a way up, while ensuring that our communities remain safe from those who choose to do harm.
Because I was both a military police officer and prosecutor, I am committed to ensuring that those who put their lives on the line for us have the resources they need to do their jobs and the pay needed to provide for their families. I am sick and tired of politicians using law enforcement, first responders and veterans in their political theater but failing to deliver for them.
When those who are supposed to “protect and serve” lose the trust of their community, this leads to an inability to enforce the law. I strongly support the community policing strategy. We must make investments to expand on what works and provide opportunities for our community to come together and thrive. I would propose data-driven public safety programs that have delivered results in other communities. By putting such policies in place, we can keep San Diegans safe.
As senator, I will ensure we never return to previous laws that only accelerated the schools-to-prison pipeline and lined the pockets of for-profit prisons the way the “war on drugs” and “three-strikes laws” did.
Q: How would you help California students who suffered from learning loss associated with the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: In order for our education system to thrive, we must recruit and retain qualified educators. As senator, I will make sure that California schools have the resources to incentivize teachers and school staff so our children only have the best. I know students and teachers are tired. Our biggest concern should be the well-being of our students: physically, mentally and emotionally. We’re on the right track — San Diego Unified has a three-year, $30 million plan to expand mental health services.
We need to invest in teachers or aides who can tutor students who have fallen behind due to a lack of help at home, internet inaccessibility or any inequalities that the pandemic brought to light. Despite being the fifth-largest economy globally, California spends less of its budget on K-12 public education and per-pupil spending than most other states. It is vital we adequately fund our K-12 schools for our educators’, students’ and state’s future. Smaller class sizes and better technology will help prepare our students for the future.
I am a first-generation community college, college and law school graduate. Throughout my childhood, I relied on public schools for an education, but also for food, health care, counseling and a safe place away from home. I would not be where I am today but for our public school system and the incredible educators and staff that comprise it. While my opponent has spent his time in office aggressively chipping away at the public school system in favor of special interests, I look forward to giving back to it and ensuring it endures for generations to come.
Q: The state has had giant surpluses in recent years yet there are worries about a potential recession. How would you ensure the state is prepared to weather an economic downturn? What will you do for Californians who are struggling economically now?
A: We can’t afford to go back to the days when our budget boomed and busted with the economy. Since the last downturn, California created a new rainy day fund spearheaded by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. In the most recent budget — which my opponent voted against — $34.6 billion is dedicated to budget reserves. Our rainy day fund is now at our constitutional maximum. I’ll be a state senator who collaborates toward budget solutions that work for families and ensure we are minimizing the impact of a slowing economy on their family budget.
I know too many families who are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing costs of living. We are paying more for everyday purchases like groceries and gasoline as well as bigger ticket items like housing, childcare, college and health care. My opponent sits on the sidelines in the state Capitol. I’ll get in the game and ensure we are delivering resources that help bring solutions to affordability.
We also need services and investments in our health and safety. With our budget surplus, there are many important investments that California must make to ensure that we can solve the problems of today, like homelessness and housing affordability, and set ourselves up for the future.
Q: California has the nation’s most strict gun laws and among its lowest gun death rates. What is your philosophy toward gun legislation? Have you or your family been directly affected by gun violence?
A: I carried a badge, a service pistol and a service rifle while serving as a bomb dog handler overseas. Later, in the Marines, I again earned “expert” qualifications on both my pistol and rifle. Today, as a veteran, I own a registered and properly stowed pistol. My experience of responsible gun ownership encourages me to support efforts to reduce the amount of violence perpetrated with guns in our state. I also have experienced the devastation gun violence can bring to a family. My grandfather was killed while sitting on his porch by a mad gunman when I was a teenager.
Too often, politicians react to crises and don’t prepare for the next one. We must adapt to trends in gun violence. Banning ghost guns and serialized parts is a good start. Legal loopholes that allow ghost gun manufacturers to operate must be closed. Without these crackdowns, illegal, untraceable guns will increase, making all our communities less safe. When my opponent had the opportunity to restrict ghost guns further, he declined to take a vote. We need a state senator who will take action and work to keep our communities safe from gun violence.
I will work on commonsense reforms like background and mental health checks and requirements for gun owners to exhibit basic gun safety competence.
Q: What is your position on Proposition 1, which would establish the rights for Californians to an abortion and to contraceptives in the state Constitution?
A: I will be voting “yes” on Proposition 1. My mother was a grocery store worker and my dad is a trucker. When politicians limit access to abortion and birth control, that has a disproportionate impact on families like mine. I will ensure California continues to protect the right to access reproductive health and abortion care.
State legislators are the most important protectors of abortion rights. People deserve autonomy over their bodies and should make their own health decisions. With Proposition 1, California will enshrine reproductive rights into our Constitution. We must continue making reproductive health care more accessible, especially in low-income communities.
My opponent opposes abortions in the event of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother. His votes earned him a zero percent score from Planned Parenthood in 2020 and 2021. After the fall of Roe v. Wade, he voted against putting Proposition 1 on the ballot, protecting women from prosecution for nonviable pregnancies and protecting the data of out-of-state persons who seek safe abortions in California. He has been silent on the issue since voters across the country started holding anti-abortion lawmakers accountable at the ballot box. If he had the nerve to vote down our rights, he must have the integrity to run on his record.
I’m proud to be endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest and NARAL Pro-Choice California Privacy PAC. In the state Senate, I will be a champion for reproductive rights.
Q: Why should voters elect you over your opponent?
A: San Diego County families are not being served well by the incumbent. We need someone who is dedicated to service over self. Sen. Brian Jones has repeatedly demonstrated that he stands with corporate special interests over California families. He’s received more than $242,000 in campaign contributions, lavish vacations and gifts from Big Pharma and Big Oil companies. In Sacramento, Jones voted against lowering the cost of prescription drugs, regulating the oil and gas industry and stricter gun laws.
I value service, equity and justice, and will bring these values to the state Capitol to deliver for San Diego County families.
I will ensure we are protecting access to reproductive health and abortion care. I will fight for safer gun laws and invest in proven solutions to reduce crime. I’ll honor our promises to service members and veterans and work to expand access to housing and health care. I’ll work to create good-paying jobs, expand opportunities for first-time home buyers, and make childcare more affordable.
We must ensure that California remains a place where working families have opportunities for upward mobility into the middle class.
I ask for the vote and trust of San Diego County residents, and I hope they will provide me an opportunity to serve them again, this time as their state senator.