By Cris Alarcon, InEDC Editor. Oct 5, 2026
Endorsement: Ted Gaines Has the Experience El Dorado County Needs
In a five-member majority vote county government, knowing what you want is only the beginning. Knowing how to make it happen is the job.
There is plenty of enthusiasm in the race for El Dorado County’s District 4 seat. There are also legitimate disagreements about growth, wildfire preparedness, property rights, government spending and the future character of the county.
But elections for the Board of Supervisors should ultimately be judged on a more fundamental question:
Who has demonstrated that he or she can turn policy objectives into actual government action?
For that reason, we endorse Ted Gaines for El Dorado County District 4 supervisor.
This is not an endorsement based simply on party affiliation, campaign slogans or personality. It is an endorsement based primarily on experience, institutional knowledge and a demonstrated history of working within legislative government.
Gaines has held elected office at the county and state levels and served 12 years in the California Legislature — five years in the Assembly and seven years in the Senate. His background also includes service on the California State Board of Equalization. That gives him something his opponent cannot yet possess: firsthand experience with the mechanics of elected government and the relationships required to move legislation from an idea to an adopted policy.
That distinction matters enormously at the county level.
Ideas are not legislation
A candidate can identify a problem. A candidate can propose a solution. A candidate can even have a better idea than everyone else in the room.
None of that guarantees a vote.
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors has five members. Major policy decisions require a governing majority. In practical terms, a supervisor must persuade colleagues, work through county staff, understand the applicable statutes and ordinances, negotiate competing interests and ultimately obtain the votes necessary to act.
That is where institutional experience becomes more than a campaign talking point.
Gaines has spent decades learning how that process works.
His supporters can reasonably argue that he would not arrive at the Board of Supervisors needing to learn the basic mechanics of government, legislative negotiation or Sacramento’s bureaucracy. His previous service gives him an understanding of how local government connects with state government and how county priorities can be advanced beyond the county line.
That experience is particularly relevant in El Dorado County, where many of the issues confronting District 4 — wildfire, roads, infrastructure, public safety, development and property rights — do not stop at the county boundary.
The General Plan is a good example
The debate over growth demonstrates why experience matters.
The county’s General Plan is not simply a “growth” or “no-growth” document. Its open-space strategy directs development toward areas where infrastructure already exists or can be developed efficiently, limiting pressure to extend development into rural areas.
That distinction is important.
The question facing future supervisors is not merely whether they support the General Plan. It is whether they understand how the plan is implemented through county administration, planning decisions, ordinances and the people responsible for carrying out those policies.
The Board of Supervisors has substantial influence over the direction and administration of county government. Consequently, a supervisor’s understanding of that machinery matters just as much as his or her campaign promises.
Gaines brings previous experience as an elected county official as well as extensive state legislative experience. Posey brings a different set of qualifications, including business experience, Civil Grand Jury service, Firewise leadership and LAFCO involvement. Her record deserves respect.
But those experiences are not interchangeable.
One candidate has spent years participating in elected government.
The other is asking voters to give her that first opportunity.
For an editorial board making an endorsement, that difference is consequential.
This is not an argument that Posey lacks qualifications
Gina Posey has a substantial résumé.
She has lived in District 4 for more than 20 years, has extensive business and executive experience, served two terms on the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury and has been involved in local wildfire-preparedness organizations. She has also served as an alternate public member of LAFCO.
Her campaign has raised legitimate issues, particularly concerning wildfire preparedness, insurance, permitting and rural development.
Her enthusiasm for those issues is evident.
But enthusiasm and administrative experience are different assets.
A Civil Grand Jury member investigates and evaluates government. A community leader organizes people around an issue. A business executive manages an organization.
A supervisor must do something additional: govern.
That means persuading four other elected supervisors, working with county departments, negotiating with competing interests and accepting responsibility for the final vote.
That is precisely where Gaines’s background becomes the deciding factor for this endorsement.
Gaines is not without weaknesses
An honest endorsement should acknowledge them.
Gaines has been criticized during this campaign for declining to participate in candidate forums, including a forum whose cancellation was reported after he opted out. That criticism is legitimate. Voters deserve opportunities to question candidates directly, and accessibility to constituents is an important part of public service.
His opponents have also challenged portions of his legislative record, including his votes on wildfire-related legislation. Those questions deserve examination rather than dismissal.
And his long political career can reasonably be viewed in two different ways.
Supporters see experience.
Critics see establishment politics.
Both interpretations are fair arguments for voters to consider.
But a long record has one advantage: it can be examined.
Look at what a candidate has done
Campaigns are built around promises about what candidates will do.
Voters, however, have the opportunity to examine what candidates have already done.
That is especially important in a county supervisor race.
Gaines has a record spanning county government, the California Assembly, the California Senate and the Board of Equalization. His political philosophy has consistently emphasized fiscal restraint, taxpayer protection, economic growth and limited government intervention.
He also describes his public service in explicitly religious terms.
In an April 2026 interview with the Mountain Democrat, Gaines described approaching public service with a “servant’s heart” and said he asks himself, “How does God want me to use the talents I have and where can I use those most effectively?”
For voters who share those conservative Christian values, that statement provides insight into how Gaines says he views public service.
But ultimately, voters should judge the statement against the record.
That is the proper test.
Experience does not guarantee agreement
An endorsement of Gaines should not be interpreted as a blank check.
Experience does not make a politician infallible. It does not make every vote correct. It does not eliminate the need for constituent accessibility or accountability.
Nor does it mean every voter should agree with Gaines on property rights, development, public safety, taxation or any other issue.
It means something narrower and, in our view, more important:
Ted Gaines has already demonstrated that he understands the machinery of government from the inside.
In a five-member governing body, that matters.
A supervisor does not govern alone. The ability to identify three votes, build four-member coalitions when necessary, work with county staff, communicate with Sacramento and negotiate toward a result is part of the job.
Policy desires are easy to announce.
Legislative action is harder.
The choice
Gina Posey offers energy, professional experience and a demonstrated commitment to several important El Dorado County issues.
Ted Gaines offers those things voters can debate — along with something uniquely relevant to the office: a lengthy record of elected legislative service.
For this editorial board, that experience is the difference.
El Dorado County does not need a supervisor who merely understands what voters want to accomplish.
It needs someone who understands how to accomplish it within the complicated machinery of county and state government.
That is why we endorse Ted Gaines for El Dorado County District 4 supervisor.
Voters should examine his record, examine his opponent’s record and make their own judgment.
Our judgment is that, at this particular moment in El Dorado County, experience is not an incidental qualification. It is the qualification that separates knowing what should be done from knowing how to get it done.
| Vital Stats | Gina Grieco Posey | Ted Gaines |
| Gender: | Female | Male |
| Age: | 65 | 68 |
| Occupation | Sales/Marketing | Small Business Owner |
| Political Leaning | Politically Closeted | Conservative |
| Hometown | Chicagoland, Ill | Roseville, CA |
| Time Lived in EDC | 20+ years | 21 years |
| Wildfire & Safety | Actively opposes massive subdivisions and urban sprawl to protect rural character. Focuses on amending the Vacation Home Rental Ordinance. | Focuses on protecting rural land and open spaces while preventing overdevelopment. Advocates for standard infrastructure repairs using a competitive bidding process. |
| Law & Order | Prioritizes wildfire mitigation and homeowners insurance reform. Proposes structural changes like splitting fire coverage policies, expanding defensible space grants, and county chipping programs. | Centers on fully funding the sheriff, rural EMS, and fire services. Platforms public safety from a law-enforcement and emergency responder resource approach. Strict enforcement. Emphasizes strong policing, harsher penalties for crime, and robust support for the military. |
| Institutional Experience | Elected Office – None | Elected Office – 26 years |
| Education | Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MBA from Santa Clara University | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Business Administration |
| Legislative Focus | Founded and chaired the Sierrama Firewise Community (2022), Civil Grand Jury, LAFCO alternate public member | During his 12 years in the California State Legislature (serving in the Assembly from 2006 to 2011 and the Senate from 2011 to 2019), Republican Ted Gaines maintained a reliably conservative legislative record. Leveraging his background as a small business owner, his policy focus centered primarily on fiscal conservatism, economic growth, and limiting government intervention. |
| Campaign Operations & Strategy | Leverages her corporate background to balance budgets and audit spending. Focuses heavily on streamlining permits for local small businesses, homes, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to reduce red tape. | Operates as a traditional taxpayer advocate. Pledges to eliminate government waste, heavily scrutinize spending, secure state grants, and strictly oppose tax hikes or unfair assessments. |
| Religiosity | Details about her personal faith or spiritual practices have not been disclosed | Faith as a Motivation: In an April 2026 profile with the Mountain Democrat, Gaines stated that he approaches public service with a “servant’s heart” rooted in his faith, asking himself, “How does God want me to use the talents I have and where can I use those most effectively?” |
| Family: | Withheld | Married to Beth Gaines. The couple resides in Shingle Springs and have six children and 13 grandchildren |
Other Endorsements:
Gina Posey’s local backing for the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors (District 4) race includes several key regional leaders and organizational alliances:
Additional Key Endorsements
- Brian Veerkamp: The former El Dorado County District 3 Supervisor formally endorsed her campaign.
Strategic Group Support
- El Dorado County Chamber PAC: Beyond giving her their formal seal of approval, this business group’s backing has drawn public attention to her stance on development. Posey publicly clarified that while she values supporting local small businesses, she explicitly declined meetings with groups like the Building Industry Association to maintain her commitment against rapid, rural-destroying development.
- GoodParty.org Pledge: Posey took this official pledge, which emphasizes running a people-powered, non-partisan campaign focused on transparency rather than special interest money.
Civil Grand Jury Ties
Her time serving two terms on the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury remains a major source of peer endorsements. For instance, Colonel Mary Chan (Ret.), who served as Pro Tem alongside her, wrote a public endorsement highlighting Posey’s objective handling of county operations, accountability research, and wildfire mitigation leadership.
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Ted Gaines has secured influential endorsements from key law enforcement figures, regional Republican leaders, and prominent taxpayer advocacy groups.
His platform leans heavily on his established conservative background, which is reflected in the official backing listed on the Ted Gaines for Supervisor Endorsements Page:
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Law Enforcement & Public Safety Officials
Gaines has focused intensely on public safety as a core campaign pillar. He has secured a broad coalition of the county’s top active and former law enforcement officials:
- Jeff Leikauf: Current El Dorado County Sheriff.
- John D’Agostini & Hal Barker: Former El Dorado County Sheriffs.
- Vern Pierson: El Dorado County District Attorney.
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Prominent Federal, State, & Regional Politicians
As a veteran state legislator, Gaines holds significant institutional support from conservative figures representing the area:
- Tom McClintock: U.S. Congressman representing California’s 5th congressional district (which covers El Dorado County).
- Brian Veerkamp, George Turnboo, and Greg Ferrero: Current and former El Dorado County Supervisors.
- Jon DeVille: El Dorado County Assessor.
- Brian Frazier: El Dorado County Surveyor.
- Todd White: Chairman of the El Dorado County Republican Party.
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Advocacy Groups & Political Organizations
Reflecting his career as a fiscal conservative and Second Amendment advocate, he has earned official stamps of approval from prominent interest groups:
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) PAC: A notable endorsement, as the HJTA rarely weighs in on local county board races unless a candidate has a lengthy history of defending property tax caps and Proposition 13.
- El Dorado County Republican Party: Local party backing.
- California Republican Assembly: The state’s oldest conservative grassroots organization.
- California Rifle & Pistol Association PAC: The state’s prominent pro-Second Amendment advocacy group.
- Reform California: A statewide conservative political action committee.
- California ProLife Council: Statewide anti-abortion advocacy group.
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Business Organizations
- El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce PAC: The regional business community’s official political action committee.
- El Dorado County Association of Realtors: Backing from local real estate and housing professionals.
His legislative career focused on several primary policy areas:
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Fiscal Responsibility & Taxpayer Advocacy
Gaines positioned himself as a leading fiscal conservative. He frequently introduced legislation to cap state spending, advocate for a robust “rainy-day” reserve fund, and block tax hikes.
- Accolades: He received an “A” grade from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association for nine consecutive years and consistently scored at the top of the California Taxpayers Association voting records. [1]
- Covered California Audit: As the vice chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Insurance, he successfully pushed for a bipartisan 2014 state audit of Covered California (the state’s health insurance exchange). He demanded accountability over its $78 million deficit and $1.37 million advertising budget.
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Business Growth & Deregulation
Gaines repeatedly targeted what he described as burdensome regulations that hindered state commerce.
- Business Ratings: He earned a perfect “Job Creator” rating from the California Chamber of Commerce and a consistent spot on the California Small Business Association’s honor roll.
- Bipartisan Outreach for Jobs: Though a staunch conservative, he worked across the aisle when it came to major state investments. In 2014, he partnered with Democratic Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg to author Senate Bill 1309, a bipartisan effort aimed at offering rapid regulatory fast-tracking and tax credits to incentivize Tesla Motors to build its massive battery factory in California.
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Public Safety & Consumer Privacy
Gaines prioritized traditional law-and-order platforms, advocating for robust funding for law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency services. He also focused heavily on citizen privacy protections, introducing bills aimed at safeguarding personal digital data.
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Support for Veterans & Healthcare
A look at his successfully passed bills on the CalMatters Digital Democracy Profile for Ted Gaines highlights a legislative pattern of introducing practical, specialized exemptions:
- SB 1007: Passed to establish sales and use tax exemptions specifically for military and veteran medical facilities.
- SB 1248: Passed to update the California Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, impacting healthcare insurance options.
- SB 1246: Passed to streamline property tax claims for refunds.
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Infrastructure & Environmental Management
Representing a sprawling, heavily forested region in Northern California (Senate District 1), Gaines consistently advocated for upgrading rural infrastructure, roads, and expanding state water storage. He frequently favored aggressive forest management practices over regulatory climate policies to mitigate California’s wildfire crisis
