I’d like to officially announce my strong, enthusiastic support for and endorsement of firefighter/harbor commissioner Jason Hodge for State Senate.

I’ve known Hodge for the last 10 years and have worked with him when he was advocating legislation to keep the community safe, keep criminals off the streets and protect our children.

There are many reasons to support Hodge, and here are three that show why he stands out in this race:

» 1. Hodge is a true public servant, not a career politician. He has dedicated his life to serving people, not just from the fire engine but working hands-on with groups like the Boys & Girls Clubs, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and many other community nonprofits.

» 2. Hodge is honest. He doesn’t always tell people what they want to hear, but he does tell it like it is. He doesn’t make excuses. He solves challenges in a bipartisan way and has earned the respect of a diverse spectrum of the community. He puts people above politics. We are tired of partisan gridlock. Now more than ever, we need people who build bridges and bring people together. Hodge had done that and will continue to do that as our senator.

» 3. He opposes any new offshore oil drilling. Hodge agreed with me, then-Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and Controller John Chiang that allowing the first new drilling in 30 years off the coast of California would be dangerous and potentially disastrous. Hodge is the only candidate who hasn’t worked on behalf of an oil company to open up our coast to new drilling. The two other candidates both support new drilling — one was even paid to promote it.

As your former assemblyman in this area, I know Hodge is the best person for the job. He puts the public’s interest first and will represent us well. Please consider working as a volunteer on this race or make a small donation to his campaign.

— Pedro Nava is a former California assemblyman representing Santa Barbara County.