Race for Shasta’s District 5 gets crowded as Anderson council member Mike Gallagher announces candidacy
Gallagher, who’s in his second term on the Anderson City Council, joins former Supervisor Tim Garman and current Supervisor Chris Kelstrom in a race for the seat. The three will face off during the primary in June.
Business owner and current two-term Anderson council member Mike Gallagher has announced his campaign for Shasta County supervisor.
He hopes to take the seat currently held by Supervisor Chris Kelstrom, who is representing an area of the county known as District 5, which encompasses southern and eastern parts of the county including Cottonwood, Anderson, Happy Valley and Shingletown.
Tim Garman, a former Shasta County supervisor who stepped down from his seat last after moving out of the area he was originally elected in, is also running to represent Shasta’s District 5. The three will face off this summer during the June 2 primary. If any one of them receives more than 50% of the vote, they’ll automatically advance to hold the seat beginning in January 2027. If not, the top two vote-getters will face off again in November. Gallagher’s entrance into the race makes that possibility more likely, by further dividing the local vote.
In a press release sent out today, Galllagher said he’s called Shasta County home for nearly four decades, referring to himself as a small business owner, blue-collar tradesman, outdoorsman, husband, father and grandfather.
“I’m running because I believe our county government needs to get back to basics,” Gallagher said, “and better reflect the realities facing our working families, seniors and small businesses.”
Gallagher emphasized his belief that governments should have to live within their budgets saying his campaign is focused on fiscal responsibility, transparency and an end to what he called the “waste of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”
“This isn’t about politics,” Gallagher continued, “it’s about stewardship and respect for the people who fund county government.”
He listed his campaign priorities as stopping wasteful county spending and increasing public safety, including better responses to homelessness and domestic violence. On the complex problem of homelessness, Gallagher used his press release to call for “practical compassionate solutions that help people stabilize and recover while also protecting neighborhoods, businesses and rural communities. That means supporting law enforcement and first responders, focusing on what works, and making sure rural and unincorporated areas aren’t left behind, Gallagher said.
He was originally appointed to the Anderson City Council to fill a council vacancy, taking his seat in August 2019 and successfully winning his campaign to maintain that seat in 2022. He’s also previously been a member of the Anderson Planning Commission.
According to biographical information shared by Gallagher on his campaign site, he has lived in the North State all his life. He was born in Los Molinos and moved to Redding in 1968 before relocating to Anderson in 2013. He says he worked in the HVAC industry for over 13 years before “taking the leap into small business ownership, earning my California contractor’s license and founding my own metal roofing company.
“Running a business taught me firsthand what it takes to meet payroll, manage rising costs, and make responsible decisions—lessons that have stayed with me throughout my public service,” Gallagher said.
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Re: “The three will face off this summer during the June 2 primary.”
Technically there are no qualified candidates for this election even if they have announced they are running. A Declaration of Candidacy and other nomination documents cannot be issued until Monday, February 9. And, a candidate must pay the filing fee for this office at the time they are issued the candidate documents. Then they must file the documents, including the required number of valid voter nomination signatures, by Friday, March 6.
Bob: I appreciate this reminder.
I would expect though that some or all of these candidates have previously filed a campaign Committee Statement of Organization Form 410 and a Candidate Intention Statement Form 501 with the County Clerk/Registrar of Voters in order to start raising money for their campaigns.
you’ve not heard that Gary Oxley has filed to run for D5????
Our email is editor@shastascout.org if he issues a press release.
Oxley, one of the leaders of the ‘right to carry a pistol group’ in public, we certainly want more Sups carrying concealed weapons into the chambers. This is one amendment that needs to be amended.
If I am correct in my memory, I think it is important to note that Tim Garman did not move out of his district. His district boundary lines were re-drawn, and that subsequently put his residence out of District 2 at the time. His residence is now in District 5, and I hope that he is successful in his bid for Supervisor District 5.
I hope Tim Garman loses. He is not a trustworthy candidate.
Certainly more reliable than those running. The addition of Gallagher is a long time Republican campaign trick. He knows he’s not going to win, but his votes from the Primary will help Kelstrom over the line in the General. I’ll never forget the time when Gallagher was running for Anderson City Council and he opened his speech with ‘I recently saw Jesus walking down North St.’
I’m glad there will be another candidate as another option. I don’t know Mr Gallagher but if he’s not part of the Jones gang accepting Anselmo cash, that’s a real advantage. I’d be interested in hearing him speak and hearing all of them in a debate forum moderated by a non-partisan outfit. I do remember he was the speaker for the group when he joined local govt officials at the BOS meeting regarding the closing of the third floor of the jail a few years ago.
Don’t count Gallagher out as one of PJs Buddies.