Baker Withdraws From Menifee City Council Race

Story updated at 5 p.m. with quotes from Tom Fuhrman:

John Baker confirmed today that he has withdrawn from the race for the Menifee City Council District 2 seat, saying he is urging his supporters to vote for incumbent Tom Fuhrman.

Baker surprised residents by announcing during the public comments section of Wednesday's City Council meeting that he was suspending his campaign. Asked today which of the remaining three candidates he now supported, Baker said Fuhrman's campaign platform is most closely aligned with his.

"We need to stick with the rural community, so we need to stick with Tom Fuhrman," said Baker, who like Fuhrman had championed the rights of rural property owners in his district. "Why should Tom and I split votes and have the election go to somebody who says they're for rural when they're not? They're for tract housing."

Baker's reference was to District 2 opponents Matt Liesemeyer and Sue Kristjansson. He accused Liesemeyer of doing little to protect rural land owners during his five years on the Planning Commission and raised concerns about what he considers excessive campaign spending by his opponents.

"There's a lot of money being spent," Baker said. "Ads, signage ... just a lot of money being spent on this campaign. There's an agenda somewhere."

Baker said he decided to withdraw from the race because "there's a lot of bad stuff around" the campaign and he didn't want to be involved any longer. He said none of it was directed at him, however, and he didn't give specifics on negative campaigning.

Asked for a response to Baker's comments, Liesemeyer and Kristjansson both said they will work to help and support all Menifee residents -- not exclusively or primarily rural property owners over anyone else.

"I understand John's reasons for withdrawing," Liesemeyer said. "It's a lot of work and a lot of commitment to the community. I commend him for his efforts in the campaign.

"During my time on the Planning Commission, I've done the best I could for rural property rights. But my focus is not only on the community as it pertains to rural property owners; it's on the city as a whole as it moves toward the future."

Kristjansson expressed similar sentiments.

"It's unfortunate that John has decided to withdraw from the race; voters deserve a selection," she said. "I am not surprised that he is supporting Tom. They have been aligned conceptually all along and on most issues I continue to disagree with them.

"The rural community is integral to the future success of Menifee and under my watch I will protect that, but not to the exclusion of the other areas of District 2, like Quail Valley and the single family residential communities. The one thing that I do agree with John about is that we absolutely need a change of representation in District 2 and I have the experience and ability to drive change at City Hall."

Fuhrman agreed with Baker that their campaign platforms emphasizing the rights of rural property owners are very similar.

"He felt the votes in the rural community would be split bad enough that maybe neither of us would win," Fuhrman said. "He also concurs that my problems in the past are just a battle to protect my own property."

That comment was in reference to issues Fuhrman has had with city code enforcement on his Wooden Nickel Ranch.

The city election is Nov. 4. Some residents have already voted via mail-in ballot.