Saratoga News


Democrat Elaine White Alquist	Republican Karin Dowdy

Alquist, Dowdy are more alike than not

How the candidates in 22nd Assembly District stack up

By Cecily Barnes

Republican Karin Dowdy, 54, and Republican-turned-Democrat Elaine White Alquist, 52, are engaged in a match of accusations and credential flashing to win access to the 22nd District seat in the Assembly.

The seat has been held for the past 30 years by John Vasconcellos, a highly regarded Democrat who is running for state Senate. Given the history of the seat, Alquist seems to be holding high hopes that her newly Democratic image can fit the mold. Meanwhile, opponent Dowdy argues that Alquist has unjustly used the status of her husband, state Sen. Al Alquist, to gain name recognition and to collect campaign funds.

But even so, Dowdy thinks she may have the advantage. "This district is not nearly as liberal as some people want to think it is," she said.

On some issues, there is little to distinguish between the two candidates: Both are pro-choice, pro-education and tough on crime. On other issues, there are notable differences.

Republican Dowdy supports the California Civil Rights Initiative, Three Strikes and state Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle. Alquist opposes this trinity, listing her "big three" concerns as public education, crime prevention and economic development.

Dowdy is not to be outdone on education. A West Valley College trustee for the past four years, Dowdy reminds voters that she's the candidate who has lived, taught and raised a family in this district for the past 30 years. She points out that she's the one who has a concrete plan for improving education, business and public safety. And that she's definitely not the one who has accepted $1,250 in campaign contributions from Pacific Lumber Co., the firm that controls the environmentally sensitive, old-growth Headwaters Forest near Humboldt, Calif., the object of recent anti-logging protests.

Alquist responds that she's lived in the area for 18 years and served for eight years on the Cupertino Union School District board, setting K-12 education policy. She also cites her business experience. She worked as a finance analyst for Stanford University and started a small marketing research and consulting firm. She tries to downplay accusations that she's riding on husband Al's coattails by saying she has strong business experience and her own relationships with legislators.

However, the two are similar in their postures on mainstream issues. Both echo the other's campaign stump speeches emphasizing education, crime prevention and economic development. Dowdy has proposed an innovative plan to restructure K-12 districting policy to one that resembles the community college system.

Alquist, who is supported by San Francisco Mayor Willy Brown, says we need to better prepare kids for the work force by funneling more resources into the schools and initiating competency tests.

Dowdy holds a bachelor's degree in English, taught school in the Fremont Union High School District and later worked as a real estate agent. She became politically active in 1988, when she pushed to build an interchange at Saratoga Avenue and Highway 85.

Alquist holds a bachelor's degree in math and a master's degree in guidance and counseling. She also taught high school in St. Louis public schools and sold real estate before moving to California.