Politics & Government

Lake Elsinore's Melissa Melendez Takes To The Airwaves

Lake Elsinore City Councilwoman Melissa Melendez sat down to talk politics and her bid for the State Assembly with conservative talk radio host Lou Desmond.

State Assembly candidate and Lake Elsinore City Councilwoman Melissa Melendez is on the campaign trail, and today she took her message to the airwaves with conservative talk radio host Lou Desmond.

Melendez, who is running next year for State Assembly, 67th District, took on topics ranging from taxes to why she stepped into politics during the brief radio interview with Desmond. (Hear the show at 8 p.m. tonight and 5 a.m. tomorrow on 590 KTIE AM.)

As a Republican, Melendez swam in friendly water with the verbose right-leaning Desmond.

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“AB 350,” Desmond said, “what do you think?”

“My personal favorite,” Melendez answered with sarcasm and went on to explain why she’s against the bill’s employee retention mandate.

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Together, Melendez and Desmond merrily took on Sacramento policies and liberals. But the Navy veteran, mother of five and military wife is relatively new to politics. When she ran for the Lake Elsinore City Council in 2008, it was her first campaign, she told Desmond.

Despite her political inexperience, however, Melendez was quick with comebacks.

“Why did you do it?” Desmond asked of her 2008 run.

“I had five minutes to spare,” she said jokingly, but explained that she wanted to represent her demographic: “Young families raising children.”

Her natural political savvy has been evident during her tenure on the Lake Elsinore City Council. She has successfully weathered local fights at home, such as a failed attempt to bring medical marijuana to her city when she served as mayor in 2010.

Expect Melendez, the only woman to enter the Assembly’s 67th District race to date, to continue polishing her campaign skills in months to come. She has retained the services of the political consulting firm Premiere Strategies for her 2012 Assembly bid.

But the outspoken, accessible, and MBA-holding candidate already has an advantage: She knows how to use the spotlight -- and the media – to her advantage.

If you miss the KTIE interview, you can download a podcast of the show from the radio’s website at www.590ktie.com beginning Aug. 15.

Read more about Melendez at www.melendezforassembly.com.


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