Among a slew of conservative candidates running for local nonpartisan offices, Shasta GOP endorses select few

Last week, the Shasta County Republican Central Committee publicly announced its endorsements for local candidates in the upcoming June election. 

In the context of local elections, the committee threw its weight behind incumbents who have held office since being elected in the wake of COVID mandates, including Supervisor Kevin Crye who’s running for reelection in District 1 and Supervisor Chris Kelstrom who’s running for reelection in District 5. 

The committee also endorsed Registrar of Voters Clint Curtis who’s running to maintain the seat he was appointed to last year by votes from both Crye and Kelstrom as well as Supervisor Corkey Harmon.

Left out of the Shasta GOP endorsements were other conservative candidates including Erin Resner, a business owner and current Redding council member and Richard Gallardo, a militia member and commercial driver — both of whom are running against Crye for supervisor. Asked about her political identity, given that she wasn’t tapped by the local GOP, Resner told Shasta Scout she’s a conservative noting that she’s been a registered Republican since she was 18.

Anderson city council member Mike Gallagher, who’s announced a run against Kelstrom for the District 5 supervisor seat, was also passed over by the GOP, as was Joanna Francescut, the former assistant ROV who’s challenging Curtis. 

The local GOP did not endorse a candidate for the Shasta County Office of Education Superintendent. Mike Freeman, who’s currently holding the office, is currently running unopposed. 

The GOP committee is an elected body with 21 members from five districts, chosen by registered Republican voters every four years. The current body was elected during the 2024 primary, and is composed of some of Shasta’s central political players, with connections to either county government, state government, or national conservative organizations. 

Members include State Senator Megan Dahle’s press secretary Bruce Ross, Shasta County Office of Education board member and local Moms for Liberty Treasurer Arthur Gorman, and Brenda Haynes, the District Representative for the recently deceased U.S. Congressman Doug LaMalfa. 

Their endorsements related to local offices were made for positions that are inherently nonpartisan, as defined under the California Constitution. But some of the candidates endorsed by the GOP Committee, including election official Curtis, have used their local positions to signal alignment with the Trump administration’s goals when it comes to national issues with state and local ramifications, including voting. 

Meanwhile, Curtis’ campaign opponent, Francescut, has consistently expressed a nonpartisan position regarding the role of a local election official.

---

Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.