RICKY JAMESOceanside City Council · District 2
Oceanside City Council · District 2 · 2026

This is home.
And it's worth fighting for.

I'm Ricky James, and I'm running for Oceanside City Council in District 2. I started out not wanting to play politics, but I quickly learned that's not a wise approach. I've come to recognize that to be an effective Councilmember, you need to play in their world. I'm excited to take on the challenges we all see every day, with honest and transparent leadership that facilitates a more productive relationship between residents and City government.

Endorse Me My Priorities
Ricky James

“Let's make Oceanside's potential a reality, together.”

Ricky James with his family in Oceanside
About Ricky

A neighbor who shows up

I love this city — its coastline, its open space, and the working families who make it home. But lately I've watched decisions get made that leave residents out of the conversation: land carved up behind closed doors, promises to our community quietly dropped, and trails and parks left to decline.

I'm not a career politician. I'm a neighbor who got tired of hearing "that's just how politics work." I believe you can be pro-growth and still demand that developers negotiate in good faith and deliver projects our community actually wants — instead of bulldozing past the people who live here.

I also know our trails, parks, and paths in a way most candidates don't. I navigate them from a wheelchair — and I'm out there with my family, towing my son behind my handcycle on the San Luis Rey River Trail. When I say our paths need to actually work and our public spaces need to be safe and accessible for everyone, I mean it from experience.

Over the coming months I'll be knocking on doors, showing up at your events, and listening. This campaign isn't about me — it's about us.

— Ricky James

Your Neighborhood

This is District 2

North and northeast Oceanside — North Valley, Morro Hills, Guajome, Arrowood, and the San Luis Rey River corridor. If you live here, I'm running to represent you.

Map of Oceanside City Council District 2 highlighted in gold over an aerial view of north Oceanside

Oceanside City Council District 2 — adopted boundary (Finalist Map C).

My Priorities

Some of my priorities for a better Oceanside

Real problems deserve real solutions — not empty promises. Here's what I'll fight for on day one.

Reclaim the San Luis Rey River Trail

Compassionate, accountable solutions for homelessness along the River Trail — connecting people to real services while restoring the trail as a safe place for families to walk, ride, and enjoy.

Protect our agricultural land to the east

Preserve the farms, open space, and rural character that make Oceanside special. I'm pro-growth — but growth that respects residents, not unchecked sprawl creeping toward Highway 76.

Better parks for every neighborhood

Clean, safe, well-maintained parks — and transparency about how grant money meant for our community actually gets spent.

Bike lanes & paths that actually work

Connected, functional routes — including the long-promised links between our neighborhoods and parks — so it's safe to get around Oceanside on two wheels.

Protect and promote the assets that set us apart

No other North County coastal city has what we have. We should treat these as the competitive advantage they are — maintaining them, showcasing them, and building our identity and economy around them:

  • Oceanside Harbor
  • The Pier
  • Municipal Airport
  • Municipal Golf Course
  • Direct access to Camp Pendleton
  • First & last stop from Orange County
  • San Luis Rey River Trail
  • Playgrounds on the beach
  • Sprinter & Coaster transit stations
  • Frontwave Arena
  • Closest beach access to Temecula

A clean campaign — no strings attached

Municipal politics should run on honest relationships and reasonable compromise that protects residents. My vow is simple: I won't solicit or accept money that comes with an agenda. That starts with developers seeking approvals and vendors chasing city contracts — but it doesn't end there. I'll hold the same hesitation toward activists, non-profit organizations, political parties, and PACs looking to advance an agenda through my seat. When I take my seat on the City Council, I'll answer to residents, not to whoever wrote the biggest check.

So how will I fund a campaign? With a strong message, efficiency, genuine relationships, and transparency — not a war chest. I want to stay as neutral and open-minded as possible, so I can offer the most rational and unbiased judgment on every decision that comes before me. I'll treat my campaign's finances the way I'll treat the City's: carefully, efficiently, and strategically. Money alone won't always solve a problem — motive, discernment, and honesty are more effective.

A note from Ricky

Your time and your name mean more to me than your money

I'm not asking for your money — I'm asking for your support. Signing my Friends & Neighbors Endorsement Page means more to me than any contribution. I hope to do what I set out to do on the strength of this community.

I wish giving could be anonymous, but the law requires it to be reported — just like my expenses. I want it that way. Transparency is the whole point.

If I ever recognize a contribution from a developer or anything that looks like a conflict of interest, I'll send it back so I can stay unbiased. And if you spot a possible conflict, please bring it to my attention so I can address it.

Putting my money where my mouth is

I've filed a Partial Salary Waiver with the City of Oceanside

Pursuant to Article I.5, Section 2.1.70(d) of the Oceanside City Code and California Government Code Section 36516(f), I've formally notified the City Treasurer that I'm waiving part of my Council salary.

$1,200/mo
the most I'll accept in total compensation
~$2,152/mo
waived & returned to the City's General Fund

Oceanside Council compensation runs about $3,352 a month — $2,802.49 in base salary, plus roughly $350 for Community Development Commission meetings and about $200 for Harbor District meetings. I'll keep no more than $1,200; the remaining ~$2,152 every month goes, by law, to the General Fund for the City to use at its discretion.

Read the actual letter (PDF)
Transparency

Who's funding the District 2 race

I believe you have a right to know who's funding the people who represent you. Every contribution to every Oceanside campaign is public record — and you can look it up yourself in seconds.

Look up any Oceanside Form 460 on NetFile →
Live tracker · updated July 31, 2026

The 2026 race — to date

District 2, City of Oceanside · contributions reported on Form 460
Ricky James$525
A single $500 gift from my parents — $0 from developers, PACs, or special interests
Rick Robinson$24,308
Re-Elect Rick Robinson 2026 committee — raised through June 30, 2026
Emily Gonzales$12,389
Emily Gonzales committee — raised through June 30, 2026
Rick Robinson — 2026 breakdown
Howard Jacobs / GK Asset ManagementDeveloper — “Sunsets” project (approved 2023)$5,000.00
Fred WilliamsonWilliamson Strawberries / Fire Mountain landowner$3,000.00
Peter Weiss for City Council 2026PACCandidate-committee contribution$2,500.00
Dustin & Molly CampbellCannabis-cultivation interest (Sleeping Indian Rd)$2,000.00
Lynn JepsenTwo contributions$1,000.00
Donal YasikochiFarmer / produce boxes$1,000.00
Mike OgdenOceanside Planning Commission$1,000.00
Terry JohnsonFormer Oceanside mayor$750.00
David Fischbach / Blue Curl LLCShort-term-rental operator$500.00
Craig WickmanRepeat contributor (also gave in 2022)$500.00
All other contributorsIncludes six $250 gifts added in the Jan–June 2026 filing$7,058.37
Robinson 2026 total — monetary, raised to date$24,308.37
Emily Gonzales — 2026 breakdown
Future Democrats PACPACNational political action committee — Washington, D.C.$1,900.00
Kenneth DalpeOceanside resident — 11 recurring contributions$1,100.00
Steven BurrellRetired — Oceanside$800.00
Daniel DominguezRetired — Oceanside$800.00
Democratic Club of Carlsbad-OceansideClubLocal Democratic club — Carlsbad$800.00
Emily GonzalesCandidate self-funding (own committee)$621.82
Sarah MaianiArtist — Santa Barbara$500.00
Tina ValinOceanside$500.00
Larry WarnerOceanside — 5 contributions$461.00
Karen GloverProfessor — CSU San Marcos$400.00
All other contributors$4,506.00
Gonzales 2026 total — monetary, raised to date$12,388.82
Tracking the 2026 cycle

For the current race, we monitor the Re-Elect Rick Robinson City Council 2026 and Emily Gonzales committees, along with the PACs active in the race — capturing monetary and nonmonetary contributions, independent expenditures, and any other reported activity — updated automatically as new Form 460s and related filings post to NetFile. Robinson's Jan–June 2026 filing added $1,500 in monetary contributions (six $250 gifts, including the Ryan Keim for Mayor 2024 committee) and $10,000 in new candidate loans, bringing his committee to $14,000 in outstanding loans — separate from the monetary totals above, along with $800 in nonmonetary (in-kind) contributions reported in 2025. Gonzales's committee carries a $1,000 loan from The Collective Consultancy (reported December 2025), also separate from the monetary contributions above.

My campaign has reported $525 in monetary contributions to date — a single $500 gift from my parents, Rick and Tina James, plus $25 in small unitemized gifts — alongside a $100 personal seed loan. I don't solicit contributions, and I pledge not to take money from developers, vendors, PACs, or any interest seeking to advance an agenda. Robinson's re-election committee has reported $24,308.37 in monetary contributions through June 30, 2026 (plus $14,000 in candidate loans). Gonzales's committee has reported $12,388.82 in monetary contributions through June 30, 2026 — her largest single source is a national PAC in Washington, D.C. All itemized breakdowns appear above.

For context · prior filings

Rick Robinson's 2022 Campaign

2022 election cycle — final/amended, fixed figures
Rick Robinson — 2022$86,379
incl. Political Action Committee (PAC) independent expenditures
2022 breakdown
Oceanside Firefighters Association PACPAC · independent expendituresSched. D/E/G IEs: mailers, digital ads, walk cards, texts, postage$39,862.70
Oceanside Police Officers' AssociationPAC$1,000 monetary + independent-expenditure printing & mailing$21,947.39
Howard Jacobs / GK Asset ManagementDeveloper — “Sunsets” micro-apartment project$4,900.00
Shantu PatelDeveloper — former Flying Bridge project$1,000.00
Waste ManagementCity refuse-franchise hauler$1,000.00
David Fischbach / Blue Curl LLCShort-term-rental operator (Beachfront Only Rentals)$1,000.00
Neal Nagata / Nagata Brothers LLCFarming landowner$500.00
Joe Valenti / North Coast VillageVacation-rental operator$400.00
Dustin CampbellTied to a cannabis-cultivation permit application (Sleeping Indian Rd)$250.00
All other contributors$15,519.39
2022 total$86,379.48

Contribution amounts and dates are from public California Form 460 filings via NetFile. Notes identify each contributor's publicly known business, role, or project before the City. 2022 totals are final/amended and stay fixed.

Why your vote matters

In 2022, the District 2 seat was decided by just 817 votes.

This is a small, close district — a handful of engaged neighbors genuinely decide who represents you.

817
margin of victory in 2022
11,815
total votes that chose the seat
~43,742
residents in District 2

You're not a drop in the bucket here — you're the margin.

Source: San Diego County Registrar of Voters, 2022 official results.

Friends & Neighbors

Neighbors standing with us

In a district this close, neighbors telling neighbors is everything. Here's what people across District 2 are saying — add your name and you'll appear here too.

When Ricky says he's going to do something he does it !! There is no stopping him believe me I know I'm his mom ! So proud of ALL his accomplishments and the best is yet to come !!

TJ
Tina James
Ricky's mom

You're crazy.

CJ
Chelsea James
Ricky's wife

Yeah! You have my endorsement if you want it

JL
Jon Levell
Mayor of Murrieta

I proudly endorse you!

MR
Mrs. Roark
Ricky's first-grade (and favorite) teacher

Sign my Friends & Neighbors Endorsement Page

The most powerful thing you can do is lend your name. Add a short endorsement and tell your neighbors why you're with us.

Add Your Endorsement →

If you feel you'd like to help further, reach out to Ricky directly — we'd love to hear from you.