Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Rudy Melendez
Current job title: Motion Picture Industry Union Technician
Age: 58
Political party affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: California Republican Assembly Board Member, CAGOP State Party Delegate, Republican Conservative Coalition Board Member, GOP Union Caucus Chair
City where you reside: North Hollywood
Campaign website or social media: N/A
From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)
The top three issues impacting Californians are:
1. Taxation, reducing taxes for working-class families.
2. Homelessness, addressing primary causes such as mental health and addiction.
3. Education, steering taxpayer dollars away from bureaucracy and back into the classroom.
Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The federal government shall ensure elections be free from bloated voter rolls and have fair Election Day outcomes with stringent integrity that outlaws ballot harvesting and requires proof of citizenship to vote.
Voting by mail must require a proper chain of custody and registered voter requests to do so.
What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The focus of Immigration and Customs Enforcement should prioritize deporting violent criminals, transnational gang members, and anyone who has entered the country illegally.
It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Federal supplemental disaster aid should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Federal supplemental disaster aid should not be in the form of a blanket check given to the California government, which has been unable to balance a state budget or hold itself accountable for the tremendous amount of documented waste, fraud and abuse of California taxpayers.
Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I absolutely support a ban on lawmakers engaging in insider trading.
Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I am an environmentalist and a conservationist.
California needs to stop operating in fear of climate change and start using common-sense approaches to clean air, water and energy independence.
President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, I would aspire to do so by serving on any related committees and through congressional oversight.
Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I am an isolationist and would prefer that we do not engage in war unless absolutely necessary.
I do believe that we achieve peace in this world through the strength of our military women and men who patriotically serve in our Armed Forces.
Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The president of the United States is the commander-in-chief of our mighty military forces and shall not need to seek congressional approval before engaging in military action.
Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
In my view, career politicians in Congress fail to serve the American people and did not fulfill their obligation to provide oversight in the previous administration, and many of them have fought the current administration’s effort to downsize and shrink government bureaucracy.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Age bans and or restrictions on social media use are the responsibility of parents and not the federal government.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Californians feel unsafe in their communities due to California state legislators’ progressive criminal justice reforms that failed miserably.
As a congressional member representing the San Fernando Valley, my commitment to stakeholders will be to address any public safety concerns in the San Fernando Valley, and the work that I intend to do while serving in Congress will always be rooted in public safety.
There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, I would advocate for term limits in Congress:
• 12 years for the U.S. House of Representatives
• 12 years for U.S. senators
• 24 years for Supreme Court justices
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
My wife tells me that my hidden talent may be my unselfishness and a generosity that is given to complete strangers and to those around me.