The Chair of the California Democratic Party launched a bid for State Assembly this week (Tuesday). It raises questions about how the party will operate while he campaigns. CapRadio's Nicole Nixon reports.
Rusty Hicks says he'll run for a sprawling North Coast seat currently held by Democratic Assembly member Jim Wood, who announced he'll retire next year.
Hicks was first elected chair of the state party in 2019 and just wrapped up a contentious convention in Sacramento, which was punctuated by protests calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
It's unclear whether he'll step aside from party leadership to campaign. He told reporters the organization is run by a capable team.
Hicks: "I have full faith and confidence, whether I'm here or not here, that the work of this party will continue into the future."
Hicks is a veteran with roots in the LA labor movement. He moved to the North Coast a couple years ago.
Other candidates are also jumping into the race, including the mayor of Healdsburg, a Santa Rosa city council member and a GOP School board trustee in Del Norte County.
