Michael Eggman, a Turlock farmer, will run for a seat in the U.S. Congress.
“I am running for Congress in the community where I grew up, went to high school and where I work every day on the family farm,” Eggman wrote in a letter to announce his candidacy.
Eggman, a Democrat, is the younger brother of State Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). He would face off against second-term U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) in 2015.
Eggman stresses his “farmer's common sense” and contrasts himself with Denham, whom he paints as a “career politician.”
“As a farmer and a beekeeper I drive up and down the Valley hundreds of miles every day,” Eggman wrote. “I see the challenges facing our community every day.”
Denham owns a small almond ranch in Merced County and operates an agricultural plastic container business, but has predominantly been a politician since he joined the State Senate in 2002.
Eggman has worked on the family farm, mainly handling finances, for the past 10 years. During that time, Eggman says he has seen first-hand the challenges the Valley faces.
“Farmers, small businesses and our Valley families are hurting and we are really disgusted about the inability of our elected leaders to work together on the issues facing us, I’m a small family farmer and that perspective helps put the people and community I live in first,” Eggman wrote.
