John Vogel is the Republican Party of San Diego County’s endorsed candidate running for State Assembly in the 80th district. He’s challenging incumbent Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who is most known for her highly contentious and debilitating AB 5 legislation.
Vogel was born in San Diego, but moved early in life to Virginia Beach where his father was stationed in the military. His family subsequently moved to Charleston and eventually Tucson, before he earned a degree in computer science at the University of Houston. After graduating, he returned to San Diego and began working with a local Naval contractor.
During the transitional years between graduating college and moving into his career, Vogel endured some financial difficulties that pushed him into bankruptcy. Although this was a very difficult time, it forced him to mature and get his life together quickly—and that’s just what he did. John married his longtime girlfriend, Daphne, and the couple overcame their financial struggles to develop successful careers and start a family.
John landed a position with the City of San Diego as an information systems analyst while Daphne became a public school teacher. They have two children together, both of whom are now in their teenage years. The family belongs to the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, with John also being a member of the Knights of Columbus organization. Faith plays a huge role in the Vogel family, to say the least.
While most of Vogel’s free time is dedicated to his family and church, he has also served on the Chula Vista Parks and Recreation Commission and was the Chairman of the Otay Valley Regional Park Citizen’s Advisory Committee. Additionally, he is a Charter Organizational Representative for the Boy Scouts of America through his church.
For the last several years, Vogel has continued working with local government. His work requires him to coordinate with local service agencies, integrating data to address the needs of struggling San Diegans regarding issues like eligibility, housing, child welfare, veterans services, public health, aging and dependent services, and other areas. Ultimately, the goal of Vogel’s work is to effectively streamline government to better serve San Diegans in need.
It’s also worth noting that Vogel worked as a web designer and developer for several months before taking on his current position. During this time, he was classified as an independent contractor—precisely the kind of work that is now being eliminated by AB 5.
As it pertains to his campaign for Assembly, Vogel is focused on fighting for families and hard-working taxpayers who have been left in the dark as a result of failed Democratic policies. There is perhaps no better evidence of this fact than the newly enacted AB 5, which was sponsored by Vogel’s opponent, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez. The bill severely curtails many industries, forcing thousands of independent contractors to lose their jobs and businesses to downsize or close down entirely.
Vogel is committed to repealing AB 5 and replacing it with legislation that enshrines the rights of Californians to control their careers and reap the fruits of their own labor. He, like most other Californians, has had enough of endless taxes, regulations, and government intrusion in our lives. His goal is to shift power away from Sacramento and into the hands of individuals, families, businesses, and communities.
Vogel’s experience in making government work better for the people has prepared him to bring a bold, fresh perspective to the State Legislature and create much needed change. If we want to change how Sacramento operates, then we must change who we’re sending there. That change starts with ousting power-hungry politicians like Lorena Gonzalez and replacing them with leaders committed to freedom and limited government, and that means electing John Vogel.
To learn more about John Vogel, visit Vogel4Assembly.com and connect with him on Facebook or Twitter.
