Gubernatorial candidate Toni Atkins, a longtime leader in San Diego and throughout California, announced the launch of her statewide tour at the opening of her new campaign headquarters last week.
The “Toni in Your Town” tour will begin on August 20 in Red Bluff in the northern part of the state. It is set to wrap up on August 28 in Riverside, with stops across the state in between.
“California isn’t just its big cities,” Atkins said in a statement. “It’s 482 cities, towns, and villages – and that’s not counting our unincorporated areas – and 58 counties. It’s buildings in downtowns and fields that feed our country.”
Atkins said that she plans to meet as many Californians as possible and hear out their needs, wants, and concerns. The tour is also intended to shine a light on the diversity of Californian communities and the voices of the people who live in throughout the state.
“This tour isn’t about photo ops or sound bites. It’s about sitting down with folks in coffee shops, union halls, firehouses, and community centers – to hear what’s working, and what isn’t,” Atkins added. “Because good governance doesn’t come from the top down. It comes from the ground up.”
More details will be released in the coming days.
Atkins is a well-known face in San Diego politics and has already received key endorsements from local officials for her gubernatorial candidacy. She first became the director of clinic services at San Diego’s Womancare Health Center and from there she moved to City Hall, becoming a member of the San Diego City Council in 2000.
She moved on to the state Assembly, then was elected to the state senate in 2016.
Just one year later, she made history by becoming the first woman and openly LGBTQ person to serve as the Senate President pro Tempore.
