David Fennell, a republican politician from Chico, is running for California State Senate District 1. 

As current senator Brian Dahle leaves office, Fennell is running against the republican candidate, Megan Dahle. The general election will take place Nov. 5. 

Fennell was raised in Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County and attended Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley. There, he majored in science in commerce with a degree in marketing. He now lives in Chico with his wife. 

He has previous experience as a businessman and working in technology. According to his former campaign website, he has worked for and founded several tech companies.

“Unlike outgoing State Senator Brian Dahle, I have a college degree and 30 plus years of real-world business experience and will bring practical solutions to Sacramento,” Fennell said in his candidate statement. 

His campaign site states if elected for state senate, Fennell plans to increase business opportunities, promote tourism, assist farmers, protect forests and expand educational opportunities in District 1. 

Fennell has worked to address jurisdictional issues with the Redding Police Department and has been endorsed by the Nevada County Republican Party Central Committee.  

He is in support of Proposition 36 which, according to The California Voter Information Guide, allows for felony charges for theft under $950 and charges for possession of certain drugs if the defendant has two prior convictions of drug possession or theft. In his candidate statement, he stated his concern with crime and asked, “Why are violent criminals allowed to rob at will?”  

Fennell has previously served as chairman of Oakland’s Crime Prevention Council. He has also ran for California Lieutenant Governor three times but has never been elected. He stated on his former campaign site in 2022 when running for governor that he was the first statewide candidate to spend three years campaigning in all of California’s 78 district and county fairs.

His former campaign website states that as well as being a local politician, Fennell is an avid traveler. He has lived in Asia and worked in more than 30 countries, giving speeches at the United Nations Development Program in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Mongolian National University in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He has also traveled extensively in California, visiting all 58 counties. 

Fennel stated in his candidate statement that Northern California is being outvoted by Los Angeles, which doesn’t share the same values or comprehend Northern California’s problems. He said there is currently a lack of leadership in Sacramento. 

The election between Fennell and Dahle for State Senate district one will be held on Nov. 5.

Bea Williams can be reached at [email protected].