SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - After a long, nail-biter of a vote count, former CHP Chief Rich Desmond was last week declared winner of the Sacramento District 3 Board of Supervisors race. Though several thousand ballots were still to be tallied, his lead over SMUD director Gregg Fishman had inched toward 2500 votes last Friday night. At that point Desmond received a call from his rival. “Gregg congratulated me and suggested I enroll for the California Counties’ New Supervisor Orientation Course,” says the winner. “I was grateful he called. It’s a wonderful tradition of our democracy that winning and losing candidates pledge to work together.”

The 2019/20 campaign – including counting processes – exhausted candidates, staff and families. “Everyone was worn out,” says the Supervisor-Elect. “It was an unusually long campaign -- almost a year and a half being unsure what our futures held.” Even after polls closed, the candidates endured ten more days on tenterhooks. Early election night scores had Fishman more than 2500 votes ahead. By next morning, a refreshed tally shrunk Fishman’s lead to less than 1400.

To escape the tension, Desmond and his wife Lisa left the youngest of their five kids with family and took a train to Denver. From there, they flew to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “We just needed time to decompress and focus on each other,” explains Desmond.  “By the time we got home to Carmichael, the gap between Gregg and I had not just closed – I’d flipped the lead and was 467 votes ahead. At that point, I started to realize that if the trend continued, I might win.”

By November 13 (ironically, Black Friday) victory seemed assured. Fishman’s telephone concession confirmed the prognosis. “I hardly got any sleep that night,” Desmond recalls. “I was too busy responding to calls from people congratulating me.  A huge load had been lifted from my shoulders. At last I knew the direction my life would take for the next four years.”

Victory came against tough odds. His rival’s candidacy was financially assisted by the Democratic Party and had endorsement from Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. Supervisor (board chair) Phil Serna, Congressman Ami Bera and Assemblyman Ken Cooley urged voters in Fishman’s favor. The Sacramento Bee, SMUD board directors, some Sacramento City Council members and many labor organizations promoted his campaign.

Though Desmond ran as an Independent, he was championed by Democrat Assemblyman Jim Cooper, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and by numerous public safety agencies. His supporters raised almost $750,000 to fund primary and runoff campaigns. “The majority of our donors gave small amounts -- $10 or $20 or less,” says Desmond. “The success of our fundraising shows I had broad support from ordinary people who cared.”

Desmond’s passion for the area where he grew up (he’s now raising kids in his old family home) was ignited when Supervisor Susan Peters decided to step down. “I found I cared deeply about who would be our next leader,” he recalls. “I decided I had the experience to address problems that were getting worse here. I felt I could make a difference.”

District 3 encompasses Carmichael and largely-unincorporated areas of Arden Arcade, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, North Highlands and a sliver of East Sacramento. Its supervisors have been female since Sandy Smoley’s historic 1972 election. With Peters’ retirement, District 4 Supervisor Sue Frost will be a lone lady on the five-person Board. “It’s important to have a balance,” considers Desmond. “Susan Peters would have loved to have a woman succeed her. I couldn’t meet that one criterion, but she took time to get to know me. We began having regular meetings and I learned about county issues. Once I’d made the decision to run, her insight was invaluable. One thing Susan told me was not to be discouraged by criticism. She told me if I worked l hard with an open heart and mind, I would succeed. Susan’s done much more for the District than many people realize. But she and I agree that after 16 years, it’s good to pass the torch.”

With less than two months still to serve, Peters last week applauded her protégé’s success. “Rich worked so hard to win this race,” she approved.  “I know he’ll approach his new position with openness and thoughtfulness. The Third District has got itself a winner.”

Desmond takes his Board seat undaunted by the prospect of grueling repeat-campaigns. He claims his ambition was never political. “As a CHP Officer, as an attorney, a junior sports coach, a Parkway and community volunteer and as a parent, all I’ve wanted was to help and serve people,” he explains. “If I do a good job on the Board and get re-elected in four years, that’s terrific. But I won’t be driven by the need for voter popularity – that’s a problem with too many politicians -- I’ll be driven to make decisions that are best for the community. And then voters can make their choice.”

To contact Rich Desmond, E-mail [email protected]