Among a slew of conservative candidates running for local nonpartisan offices, Shasta GOP endorses select few
The Shasta County Republican Central Committee recently made public endorsements of candidates in local offices, including supervisor and registrar of voters, both of which are nonpartisan positions.
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.
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Bruce Ross and Authu Gorman?? Bwahahaha! What’s the matter, couldn’t get Rudy Giuliani? Wackos and misfits endorsing same. Thanks for the road map of who NOT to vote for.
Yep, agree with you 100%.
Thanks Ross (aka Redding Skeptic) and Gorman for telling me who I shouldn’t vote for.
The Republican Central Committee is misreading the majority of voters who will reject Kevin Crye for D1 Supervisor, while Gallardo’s votes will help propel Ms. Resner over the victory line, hopefully by 51% to avoid a runoff in November. Erin Resner is by no means a MAGA Republican, but a pragmatic, saavy & sensible member of the party and will likely give the BoS a new and balanced POV. Ms. Francescut is a NPP, no particular party, which bodes well for the position of county clerk/ROV. The last day to register to vote is May 18, 2026, before midnight, online or on VR form. and a reminder that the American Independent party has nothing to do with being an independent voter, this party was formed in the 1940s by George Wallace, a dedicated racist. NPP is the closest to being an Independent voter in CA. But, be aware that you might not get to vote for a candidate in a Primary, ask a staff at the election dept. to explain this.
This endorsement by local GOP just seals the deal that these are candidates I will not vote for. These are nonpartisan jobs and local GOP and Democrats should stay out of these type of elections.
100%!!
The offices are formally nonpartisan. The parties are not. Both the local Republicans and the local Democrats routinely endorse candidates for local offices all over California.