Poythress makes a bid for senate

Madera County Supervisor Rob Poythress, R-Madera, has announced his candidacy for the 12th Senate District.

Poythress’ supporters include: incumbent Sen. Anthony Cannella; Senate Republican Leader Pat Bates; Rep. Jeff Denham, and 12 of the 13 members of the Senate Republican Caucus.

He and his brother, Roger, own a Madera County farm as well as a local hardware store that specializes in products used in agriculture.

Poythress said that, as a state senator, he would “use his business, agriculture and local government experience to build a better future for all of us.”

He said he supports construction of Temperance Flats and said he’d lead the fight to ensure the district has clean, reliable water supplies. He also claims he’d have “opposed the recently enacted gas tax that will cost the average family $400 a year because our families and farms simply can’t afford it.”

A member of the Madera County Farm Bureau, Rob is married to Carol Poythress. Together, they have three children and one grandchild.

The 12th Senate District includes all of Merced and San Benito counties as well as parts of Fresno, Madera, Stanislaus and Monterey counties.