Senate candidate Bill Jones visits Menlo Senate candidate Bill Jones visits Menlo (June 09, 2004)

Bill Jones, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, spoke in Menlo Park on June 2 in what local Republicans said was his first public appearance on the Peninsula since announcing his run against incumbent Barbara Boxer.

Robert Burgess of the South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition said 118 members of the group gathered at the Stanford Park Hotel to hear the former California secretary of state speak. In his speech, Mr. Jones said California's infrastructure has crumbled and claimed that Sen. Boxer lacks the ability to bring federal funds to the state, Mr. Burgess said.

Mr. Jones also said that during Ms. Boxer's 12-year tenure in the U.S. Senate, California has gone from a return of 93 cents of every dollar state residents send to Washington to 76 cents today. "The Democrats and Boxer have led California's retrogression," he said.

In addition, Mr. Jones discussed security and said, "We need a U.S. senator who, first and foremost will vote to protect the country."

Mr. Jones flew in from his campaign headquarters in Fresno for the event and back out again after a 15-minute address and time chatting with party members, Mr. Burgess said.

The South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition (SPARC) was founded three years ago and has 220 members.

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