Former Mayor Among Seven Candidates In Stockton's Mayoral Race

Part 1: Capital Public Radio profiles the candidates in Stockton's Mayoral Race.

Stockton voters will cast their ballots next week to decide who will be the city’s next mayor. There are seven candidates vying for that office and one held the same job more than 50 years ago.

Jimmie Rishwain, 85, was Stockton’s mayor from 1963-67.
 
His goal is like the city’s former slogan, to make “Stockton Someplace Special” again.
 
Rishwain says the city is a sleeping giant, but is brought down by crime, unemployment and foreclosures.
 
He feels that the direction the city is going could spell more financial problems.
 
"And I’m just concerned we’re headed for another bankruptcy and I’m concerned, I love my city," he says.
 
Gary Malloy has never run for any office but he’s no stranger to city politics.

Malloy regularly attends most city council meetings and says, if elected, his main priority will be crime.
 
"As far as I’m concerned we should not be doing anything until we hire and retain 120 officers so we got some police on the street doing something besides just chasing bad guys all the time,"Malloy says.
 
Any candidate with more than 50 percent of the vote would win the office, otherwise the top 2 vote getters would face a runoff in November.