Developer Jon Bagatelos, who is Mayor Kevin Johnson's chief fundraiser, appears certain to run against Councilman Kevin McCarty in District 6, which includes Elmhurst, Tahoe Parkand several other neighborhoods on the southeast side of the city.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Bagatelos owns a home in the 6th District where he has said he will challenge Councilman Kevin McCarthy for his seat but lives outside the district in east Sacramento. Bagatelos however told the Bee that he would move if he joins the race, which is highly likely.
"I'm definitely going to run unless someone gives me a reason not to run," Bagatelos reportedly said last week. He’s running with the support of the police union, the business community and the mayor (although he hasn’t given an official endorsement).
"He's a person I know is a problem-solver and he likes to get things done, so that potentially could be a fun race to watch," said Mayor Kevin Johnson, who also remarked that Bagatelos “understands District 6.”
His potential opponent’s staff however, is using Bagatelos’ living situation as a point of criticism.
"It's pretty sad that the only candidate that the mayor's high-powered political machine can recruit is his campaign fundraiser who doesn't live in the district," said McCarthy’s political consultant Andrew Acosta, according to the Bee.
Bagatelos faced a similar issue in 2002 when he ran for (and lost) the 10th Assembly District, where he rented a room that he did not live in, the Bee reports.
