The field is set for next month’s special election to fill the vacant seat in the State Assembly that had been held by Brian Dahle until he was elected to the Senate in the last special election. The Secretary of State’s office has certified the list of five candidates. Dahle’s wife Megan is running along with three other Republicans and one Democrat. Elizabeth Betancourt is the lone Democrat. The 39 year-old is from Shasta County and serves on the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board specializing in cannabis permitting. Former Redding mayor and gun shop owner Patrick Jones and 24 year-old former Ted Gaines staffer Lane Rickard are also from Shasta County. Retired soldier Joe Turner is from Lassen County, as is Dahle. The election is August 27. If no one candidate gets a majority of the votes, the top two will be in a runoff election on November 5.

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