Kalmick, who owns the Seal Beach consultant firm Flashlight Technologies, ran for Congress and City Council in 2008, losing both races. Only 25 when he ran against Cook, he would have been the youngest member of the House of Representatives had he won.
Even though his back-to-back campaigns were unsuccessful, Kalmick said, he learned enough from them to opt for a third try. He supports expanding public transportation and preserving the city’s open space. Also, like Speaker, he wants the city to put less emphasis on downtown and more on other problems that need attention.
“Yes, we are a tourist destination,” Kalmick said. “But there’s about 200,000 people who have to live here.”
New to the race
Even newer on the political scene are Peterson and Rorick, both of whom are making their first runs for council.
Peterson, a graduate of Huntington Beach High School, owns communications company MergedNet. He favors preserving the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and opposes annexing Sunset Beach, which he considers a tax grab for the city.
