BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Of the three candidates running for the 16th State Senate District, two will be facing head-to-head in a debate Wednesday. One of them is currently serving as the vice mayor of the city of Bakersfield.
Manpreet Kaur, a Democrat, is competing against incumbent Democrat Sen. Melissa Hurtado and Republican Guillermo Gonzalez. The three candidates’ names are on the June 2 primary election ballot.
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Kaur says she is running for the seat to safeguard the dreams and aspirations of Central Valley communities.
In November 2022, Kaur was elected to serve as vice mayor for Bakersfield and represent Ward 7. She was the first Sikh Punjabi woman to be elected to the Bakersfield City Council.
Kaur is also a professor in the Political Science Department at CSU Bakersfield.
On her campaign website, Kaur said she is working to strengthen neighborhood communities, expand affordable housing, invest in youth and make Bakersfield City Hall more accountable.
Her campaign lists several priorities such as providing free child care, lowering prices for groceries, protecting veterans and seniors, creating well-paid jobs for oil and field workers, building more homes and more.
Kaur also spoke out against “unfair redistricting” that threatened to “divide Punjabi, Latino and Black communities.”
As she addressed the community about her candidacy for the state senate seat in March, Kaur said Hurtado was not doing enough to represent her constituents in District 16.
Kaur is set to go up against Gonzalez in the Nexstar KGET debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, in Bakersfield. The debate will air on Channel 17 and the KGET+ streaming app.
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