LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After becoming the first person to officially throw his hat into the ring to succeed Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, Lake County Supervisor Anthony Farrington said he is withdrawing from the race for the Fourth District Assembly seat.
“Even though my family, friends, and supporters, in particular my wife, have been supportive of my candidacy, I have decided that the time is not right for me to seek higher office,” he said.
In March the 43-year-old Farrington – who has represented District 4 on the Lake County Board of Supervisors since 2001 –announced his plans to seek the Assembly seat in the 2014 race, when Yamada is termed out.
The seat covers all of Napa and Lake counties, most of Yolo County, and portions of Solano, Sonoma and Colusa counties.
Since Farrington announced his plans in March, a number of candidates have joined the field, including Napa County Supervisor Bill Dodd, Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza, Napa County Planning Commissioner Matt Pope and Davis Mayor Pro Tem Dan Wolk.
Farrington said Wednesday that he's decided it's time to leave the race, and he plans to continue to dedicate time to addressing local issues.
Those local issues Farrington wants to concentrate on include the need to find ongoing revenue to better manage Clear Lake and the watershed, and moving forward with the Board of Supervisors' current application to secure surface water rights to Clear Lake.
Farrington said he also wants to continue serving on the Marymount University Advisory Committee – Marymount is opening a new campus at the Lucerne Hotel – and see Konocti Harbor Resort reopened.
There also is the work of upgrading the county's antiquated infrastructure, completing the $15 million road project in the South Main/Soda Bay corridor and continuing to represent the residents affected by the landslide in the Lakeside Heights subdivision in north Lakeport.
Farrington said his campaign hadn't begun fundraising but he nevertheless received generous donations from residents and businesses, and he said he will return the funds.
He thanked everyone who believed in, and supported, his candidacy for state Assembly.
“I will forever be grateful for your faith in me,” Farrington said.
To read Farrington's full statement on his reasons for leaving the race, click here: http://bit.ly/1g9BZ1v .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.