Nearly 100 people attended the Republican Club of the Foothills’ Political Pizza Party held at the La Cañada Thursday Club on April 24.

Ten candidates attended the evening event: Pete Peterson, candidate for California Secretary of State; Steve Stokes, candidate for U.S. Congress 28th District; Jack Orswell, candidate for U.S. Congress 27th District; Todd Royal, candidate for California State Assembly District 43; John Morris and John Wong, both candidates for Los Angeles County Assessor. There were three candidates running for Los Angeles County Superior Court judgeship: Donna Armstrong, Carol Najera and Steve Schreiner; and Rick Barnes, candidate for the Glendale City Council.

All candidates took time to meet with the concerned voters during the meeting’s social gathering period. After enjoying a pizza dinner, each addressed the group for four minutes before answering questions from the audience. Questions ranged from preserving the tax cuts resulting from Prop 13 to the new educational Common Core State Standards program to immigration to ObamaCare and how to stimulate badly needed job growth. The candidates’ responses reflected their determination to meet the issues head-on.

Longtime La Cañada resident David Wilcox spoke on behalf of Tim Donnelly, who is one of the leading candidates for California governor. Wilcox told the group that on May 10 from noon to 2 p.m., Donnelly will be holding a fundraiser at the Jeffers Estate in La Cañada. Attendance is expected to be 300 to 500 strong. For more information, visit http://www.electtimdonnell.com or call Wilcox at (818) 790-3844.

Phil Downs, president of the Republican Club of the Foothills (RCF), emceed the Political Pizza Party; RCF 1st Vice President Mary Owen, in charge of Programs, coordinated the candidate speakers’ forum.

Downs said of the importance of the evening, “As voters, it is our responsibility to select the best person to meet the challenges of reining in out-of-control spending and inefficiency.”