Meet Jim Garrity, Candidate For 15th Congressional District Seat

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — Jim Garrity, a former police officer and a San Carlos resident, is running to represent the 15th Congressional District, a redrawn district held by the outgoing Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo).

Speier announced that she wouldn't be running for reelection after representing most of San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco since 2008. Her predecessor, Tom Lantos, had held the seat from 1991-2008. The redrawn district stretches from San Francisco down to East Palo Alto, with parts of Menlo Park and Atherton included.

Garrity is one of six candidates running for the open seat. The primary is June 7, narrowing the field to two candidates before the Nov. 8 general election.

Learn more about Garrity and his goals for the district as voters cast their ballots before and on Election Day June 7th in the following exclusive Q&A with Patch.

Jim Garrity

Age (as of Election Day)

60

Party Affiliation

None

Family

Wife Lorrie Kids: son Michael, daughter Katie, and son Sean

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

I hold a bachelor's degree in Business Management and a master's degree in Public Administration from San Francisco State University

Occupation

I was a Police Officer for 33 years and retired as a San Francisco Police Department Inspector (Detective). During my last 15 years of employment with SFPD, I worked in the Night Investigations Major Crimes Unit as an Inspector.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

jimgarrityforcongress.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for Congress because I know I would do a great job at representing District 15. I have lived in the district for over 32 years and understand that the people of our unique and diverse district want a congressional repressive who truly represents their interests, not a one-sided political activist pushing state and national party agendas.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Great question – the answer is simple. The difference between me and the prominent candidates is that I am not a career politician. Meaning, I have had a career in the real world where policies passed by politicians have impacted my job and daily life. I believe this perspective is relatable to most people in District 15 and important to representing the community effectively.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Besides the health of the current economy, my priorities for District 15 in Congress include: Reducing the rising crime rate, combatting the opioid fentanyl epidemic, and reducing the homelessness rate. See my website for more information.