Menifee City Councilman Ben Diederich said he is running to continue representing District 2, with priorities that include public safety, managing the city’s growth and bringing more amenities to Menifee.
Diederich, who was appointed to the city council in 2025, previously spent six years on the Menifee Planning Commission and ran for the District 2 council seat in 2022, losing to Mayor Ricky Estrada.
“Serving this community was never just a one-election project for me,” Diederich said.
Diederich grew up in the area, attended Mt. San Jacinto College and later left for college and law school before returning and establishing a small law firm, which he said has operated locally for more than 10 years.
“Now I’m running for a full term because we’ve got important work that we have going on, and District 2 deserves an experienced representative that can keep it moving,” he said.
Among Diederich’s priorities are completing the city’s amphitheater and expanding recreational opportunities. He said he has been pushing for a regional park and wants the city to look at adding amenities to existing parks.
“I love Menifee, but most people have to leave Menifee to go do something fun,” he said. “So, just additional amenities to keep people here.”
On growth and infrastructure, Diederich acknowledged concerns from residents that development has outpaced infrastructure in some areas of the city.
He said addressing the city’s infrastructure backlog will require prioritizing projects, pursuing state and federal funding and requiring new development to contribute toward infrastructure improvements.
When asked what he is proud of accomplishing during his time on the council, Diederich pointed to the nearly 400 acres acquired by the city, which he said will remain open public space.
Diederich has also voted in favor of several warehouse projects that have come before the city council in recent months.
“I don’t cast blanket votes for or against warehouses,” Diederich said. “I look at the location, the existing land use designation, the environmental impacts, the homes around, the infrastructure improvements they’re going to bring, any potential job quality or long-term benefits.”
Diederich said he supports the Menifee Police Department’s use of Flock license plate reader cameras. He said the technology can play a role in public safety if safeguards remain in place.
“Public safety and privacy are not mutually exclusive,” Diederich said.
He said he would reconsider his support if safeguards changed or evidence showed the technology was being used improperly.
When it comes to representing residents, Diederich said listening to concerns is only part of a council member’s responsibility. He pointed to meetings with Quail Valley residents following a house fire and a District 2 town hall he hosted at Kathryn Newport Middle School as examples of his outreach.
Diederich said voters do not have to choose between experience and a vision for the city’s future.
“I think I offer both,” he said. “I know where Menifee needs to go. I understand how to turn those priorities into actual city action, and I think I’ve shown that I have and will remain accessible and accountable.”
