CALIFORNIA CITY, Calif. (KERO) — Marq Hawkins, California City's mayor-elect, owns a big enough lead in votes that he's already gone to work with some duties as the mayor.
- Marq Hawkins expects to officially begin work was California City Mayor on December 5th.
- Hawkins leads by nearly 23 percent against incumbent Kelly Kulikoff to be Cal City's next mayor and is up by almost 8 percent on candidate Duane Vasquez.
- Hawkins is promoting a parade that is scheduled to take place on December 7th.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Officially, Marq Hawkins is not the mayor of California City but the gap between himself and the other candidates is so large he's already gone to work as the man in charge.
He met with the fire department recently and he's promoting a Christmas parade among other duties.
Virgen: "How does it feel to sit there as Mayor of California City?"
(Marq in captain's seat of Cal City Fire Engine 19)
"Actually, it humbles me."
Cal City's Mayor-elect Marq Hawkins recently took the captain's seat of Cal City Fire Engine 19. In a couple weeks, he'll take the Mayor's chair at the council meeting.
"What it took to become mayor was just really listening to the people. ... Knockin' on about 5 - 600 doors. Talkin' to folks. I got shoes, the soles are worn out. My feet were hurting for about two weeks after that," Hawkins says.
Hawkins leads by nearly 23 percent against incumbent Kelly Kulikoff and his lead over candidate Duane Vasquez is just under 8 percent per Kern County Election numbers.
"I never presented myself as running against anybody. I was running for the office and it was about presenting myself. And, I think I did well at that. The voters voted and you have to accept how they voted," Vasquez says.
Vasquez is an active community member, in charge of I Love Cal City with his family.
Kulikoff was not available for comment after not returning phone calls or text messages.
Hawkins, a college professor, is originally from Compton with Hip Hop roots that include Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. But he says his home is now Cal City. He says he visited the desert town as a child and has family in the city.
He told voters he's passionate about improving the quality of life in Cal City.
"That passion comes from just getting up every day with a purpose, and knowing that as a humanist, as someone who cares about the quality of life of every single human being, you gotta put in the work," Hawkins says.
Hawkins believes the first 100 days of his office will be crucial. He says that starts December 5th. But he's already starting to work now. In Cal City, I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter.
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