Meet the 2024 candidates for District 2 supervisor: Pete Graff

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, 17 News will profile candidates for federal, state and local offices.

We begin with the Kern District 2 Supervisor race to replace Zack Scrivner.

In this race, six candidates are battling to represent the county district of about 177,300 residents.

17 News political reporter Jenny Huh spoke one-on-one with one of the candidates, former police officer Pete Graff.

In 2022, Graff ran directly against Scrivner. Graff said many of the district’s concerns remain from then, such as underrepresentation.

The Kern County Board of Supervisors is a nonpartisan office.

Below is a recap of 17 News’ conversation with the candidate.

“We just need to really focus on the folks in the rural areas that aren’t receiving the love, if you will,” said Graff. “For years, they haven’t had it.”

For Pete Graff, it’s a second try for District 2.

The 53-year-old in 2022 placed third in the three-person race.

Law enforcement runs in the family — Graff said his father is a former Los Angeles Police Department officer, and he himself is a former Tehachapi Police Department officer.

Graff said while he formerly ran a family business, it went under with the economy. Now, he said, he is a watch commander for a contract federal agency out of the Edwards Air Force Base.

The former businessman and police officer repeated that he wants to eliminate taxes and instead just generate more revenue through what he views as Kern’s top industries — oil and agriculture.

“This is our source of revenue without taxing our citizens to death,” Graff said. “Taxes don’t need to be implemented.”

Graff emphasized he is “absolutely opposed of current or future taxes.”

17’s Jenny Huh: “The taxes generated from the oil and gas companies is what the county then uses for our various county services. So, is it those taxes you say we don’t need?”

Pete Graff: “Absolutely. If we can start more fracking and more oil drilling, then [we can generate that revenue]… I would love to dissolve Measure K so we don’t have to pay these taxes.”

Measure K is a county tax increase passed in 2022 to help Kern’s unincorporated areas.

17’s Jenny Huh: “How much government interference are you for?”

Pete Graff: “Government can be a good thing. In our current status, it is not… We the people don’t have a voice.”

But to retain the very industries he’s a fan of, Graff said, companies must comply to ensure they have “no speed bumps” and can maintain “a good record.”

“Without beautification, without dust restrictions.”

District 2 is geographically the largest in Kern, stretching east from Taft and Maricopa to portions of south and east Bakersfield and through the mountains of Tehachapi through most of the Kern Desert.

District 2 was added last-minute to the November ballot when former supervisor Zack Scrivner resigned in August.

That left the seat vacant.

Born in Artesia, Graff has lived in Tehachapi for over 40 years now.

Crime and public safety, he noted, remain top issues.

“We need to address more rock bottom, where it begins, the catalyst,” Graff said, adding that those root causes are drugs and alcohol.

The supervisor hopeful added that in order to feed that craving, “They venture out into the community. That’s where the door checking begins, the simple thefts.”

And the addiction, Graff said, ties into homelessness.

“You’ll see out in the rural areas, it’s more of an encampment,” the candidate said. “They take over properties, they take over land.”

Graff said county funds must be redirected to prioritize services for drug and alcohol relief, which, he said, should include support for veterans and first responders.

Graff said he envisions better law enforcement and county employee retention, which he suggested can be done through incentives.

“[I suggest] that we offer Medical and County insurances for everybody, even you know people who live here, undocumented people.”

The appeal there, Graff stated, is that employees can pocket what would’ve been a cost.

Graff also noted he has a soft spot when it comes to seniors.

Social security, the candidate said, is a “trainwreck.”

He also said he’d like to work on a rural transit system upgrade for residents.

And when it comes to east Kern’s aerospace industry, Graff stated he holds an additional vision.

“I see adding warehousing, logistical companies and utilizing these freeways and these mass areas of land where we can put in warehouses, create jobs and bring those jobs to east Kern,” Graff stated.

When asked how the current Board of Supervisors make up — though nonpartisan, the current Board is known to consist of three Republicans and one Democrat — would be persuaded of Graff’s priorities, he confidently responded, “Who’s going to deny that?”

Graff, referring to his priorities of improved resources on drug and alcohol addiction.

While he described himself as a conservative Christian Republican, Graff said, “When I’m on that seat, adding the fourth conservative, I won’t be partisan.”

Click here for the full interview with Graff.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.