###

Hard as it may be to believe, we’re just 85 days from California’s March 2024 primary election, and here in Humboldt the stage is set for three contested county supervisor races.

Friday was the deadline to submit nomination paperwork to the Humboldt County Elections Office, so the faces you see above represent the full roster of eight candidates vying for the three county supervisor seats. That includes the three incumbents along with five challengers.

Map of the county supervisorial districts, cropped to highlight those in contention this cycle. | County of Humboldt.

Politically, at the county level, the past three years have been largely dominated by issues related to cannabis regulations, including the temporary suspension of Measure S taxes as a sop to growers struggling to survive in the collapsing legal market. That downturn contributed to the county’s recent budgetary woes, including a $17.7 million deficit as staff sought to emerge from a period of fiscal chaos and confusion. 

Meanwhile, development projects — including a $650 million land-based fish farm alongside the federal push to construct massive floating wind energy infrastructure 20 miles off our coast — promise the kind of economic boost this region hasn’t seen in decades, though critics continue to question the potential environmental costs.

With that backdrop, below you’ll find a quick rundown of the three county supervisor races for Humboldt County’s March 5 primary. The Outpost is also relaunching its heralded LoCO Elections page, where readers can submit questions directly to candidates, who are invited to reply.

One quick logistical note: With three candidates in both the 1st and 2nd District races, there’s a distinct possibility of November runoffs. If none of the three contenders earn 50 percent of the vote plus one then the highest two vote-getters will advance to a showdown in the big Presidential Election on Nov. 5.

District 1

Bohn

Incumbent Rex Bohn is Humboldt County’s longest-serving supervisor, and he’s running for a fourth term, which he says would be his last. At his campaign kickoff event in August, Bohn highlighted this experience as a big plus, noting his service as chair of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), vice chair of the Rural Action Caucus and an appointment to the National Association of Counties. 

“I like servin’ the people,” Bohn said at the event.

Bohn found himself in unfamiliar territory over the past two years as the election of progressive Natalie Arroyo to the 4th District seat in 2022, replacing Virginia Bass, meant that he’s found himself in the minority on quite a few votes.

He’s also faced some controversy, including fallout over inflammatory comments made by his Planning Commission appointee, Alan Bongio (who later stepped down) and questions about his judgment after he included a handgun among the “Humboldt County”-themed items in a charity auction basket. 

Clatworthy

Bohn’s first challenger, Coast Guard veteran and comedy show co-host Gordon Clatworthy, tossed his hat into the ring in August, and in a pair of interviews with the Outpost he said he’d like to address the county’s homelessness and mental health problems and re-evaluate county spending priorities. 

He also vowed to “replace or repeal” the controversial Humboldt Cannabis Reform Initiative, a ballot measure that has not yet passed and, if it does, could only be repealed by voters. And he made reference to an ongoing investigation into Bohn, though he declined to offer specifics. 

Clatworthy has launched a campaign website, which refers to him “the progressive voice of the 1st District,” and a couple weeks ago he participated in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) forum on Reddit.

McGuire

Bohn is also being challenged by Fields Landing resident Gerald McGuire, though there’s not a whole lot to say about his candidacy thus far.

McGuire submitted his candidate intention statement to the county elections office on Nov. 13, but he has not answered phone calls from the Outpost, and we’ve been unable to leave him a message as his voicemail box is full. Nor did he reply to a text, and we’ve been unable to locate any website or Facebook page for his campaign.

McGuire did appear before the Board of Supervisors in September to protest the revocation of a Coastal Development Permit for his property.

The board vote unanimously to revoke the permit, citing notices of violation and nearly two decades’ worth of complaints from neighbors over the substandard conditions of his property, including “accumulation of junk, solid waste, scrap, miscellaneous items and debris,” according to a staff report.

District 2

Bushnell

Incumbent Michelle Bushnell is partway through her first term representing the 2nd District, having replaced former Supervisor Estelle Fennell.

Owner of a clothing and Western-wear store in Garberville, Bushnell is also a licensed cannabis cultivator who won her seat largely by promising to be a voice for the industry. Because of her involvement in the industry, Bushnell followed the advice of the Fair Political Practices Commission and recused herself from a 2022 vote on Measure S tax relief. However, despite “conflict of interest” grumbling, Bushnell has participated in other weed-related votes, saying she’s only required to recuse herself when there’s a direct financial interest involved.

Her fervor in advocating for growers has not been questioned, though in 2022 an employee from the county Planning and Building Department complained about her methods, accusing her of inappropriately interfering in the cannabis permitting process by advocating (quite passionately) on behalf of an applicant while disregarding evidence that the applicant had violated a number of county codes. 

An outside investigation sustained the allegation that she’d violated the county’s code of conduct by mistreating that staff member, and Bushnell apologized. 

Bushnell announced her re-election campaign in October, citing her hard work, open lines of communication and responses to recent natural disasters. She has a campaign Facebook page and website, which features a list of endorsements.

Roberts

Challenger Brian Roberts lives on 44 acres outside of Blocksburg in a very rural part of Southern Humboldt. When we reached him by phone this morning he said he and his wife had been up late dealing with feral pigs tearing up their field in the night.

“I’m pretty much running for District 2 to change the status quo from the last several years,” Roberts said. He filed to run four years ago, too, but dropped out amid a crowded field.

“Michelle said the right things at the time, [saying] she’d advocate for small farmers … ,” Roberts said. “Unfortunately, in the last four years I think none of [her promises] came true.”

Roberts has his own 10,000-square-foot grow operation, and this past summer he clashed with county staff and supervisors over disputed inspection and permitting fees.

Roberts said the county tends to prioritize certain applications (namely, those of large, well-funded folks) while de-prioritizing others, and he described American politics as a one-party corporate system.

“I offer honesty above all else, respect for all people and integrity to serve the entire county,” Roberts told the Outpost. Formerly the owner of a Los Angeles-based clothing company, he has a campaign page up and running on Facebook. 

McClendon

The other 2nd District challenger, Jeana McClendon, submitted the necessary paperwork last Thursday, and in a phone conversation with the Outpost this morning she said people have approached her for years asking her to run for various elected positions.

“I feel I have a calling for public service,” she said. “It inspires me; it’s what makes me tick. … I’ve been asked to run and I’ve answered the call.”

McClendon and her husband own George’s Glass, a longstanding windshield replacement and repair shop in Fortuna, and over the past two decades she has owned several other local businesses, including a coin-operated laundromat, a sub sandwich restaurant and, currently, Main Street Coffee Co. in Ferndale. 

McClendon described herself as upbeat, with a reputation for being diplomatic and getting things done. In a candidacy announcement posted to our LoCO Elections page, she says the county faces urgent challenges.

“Our housing crisis has exacerbated homelessness, internal conflicts plague our county government and cannabis growers need clarity on rules and regulations that are evenly enforced,” the statement reads. “We will not fix these problems … with division and performance art. I will bring a new leadership style to the Board, one devoid of negativity, false promises and political posturing.”

District 3

Wilson

Up in the 3rd District, incumbent Mike Wilson is seeking a third term, following nine years on the board of the Humboldt County Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District.

An environmental engineer by trade, Wilson was appointed to the California Coastal Commission in 2019 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had previously rejected all four nominees who’d been put up for the seat, including Eureka City Councilmember Natalie Arroyo, who would go on to win the 4th District seat on the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. 

In 2019 Wilson was one of four supervisors to reject a controversial proposal by energy company Terra-Gen to build 47 wind turbines atop Monument and Bear River ridges, south of Rio Dell. 

In his re-election campaign announcement, Wilson cites his work “to increase safe and walk-able neighborhoods, protect cherished open landscapes, create affordable housing, increase renewable energy production, and expand emergency and long-term mental health services.”

Gomez

Wilson’s lone challenger is Rogelio “Roy” Gomez, owner of Eureka cannabis dispensary Heart of the Emerald and a frequent commenter at Eureka City Council meetings, where he has accused several members of being “undemocratic anarchists” out to dismantle capitalism. 

Reached by phone this morning, Gomez described himself as a “defector” from the Democratic party who’s frustrated by the country’s binary political polarization.

He said this division “sometimes restricts candidates from voting their conscience, as opposed to [following] party lines,” adding that he’s running as an independent.

The position of county supervisor is non-partisan, of course, but Gomez said the two-party system still influences county politics, with Wilson having connections to the Humboldt County Democrats. 

Gomez said he looks forward to having a good conversation, rather than a debate, with Wilson, explaining, “As much as I want to call it a debate, I think Mike and I could discuss the issues [and] have a good community discussion about where we see our future.”

In his campaign announcement Gomez says “governing from the middle will allow me to build the consensus needed amongst my constituency to make decisions on behalf of ALL the people. If elected, I will promote the use of diplomacy, transparency, and ethical standards in our local government.”