A Menlo Park man has thrown his hat into the ring as a candidate for the California Assembly's 21st district.

Josh Becker, a venture capitalist and philanthropist, will vie for the Democratic nomination for the seat to be vacated by Ira Ruskin, who will be forced out of office by term limits in 2010.

In a press release, Mr. Becker said he would "like to take some of the same principles of innovation I've experienced here in Silicon Valley up to Sacramento." He is the founder and chair of the Full Circle Fund, a San Francisco-based philanthropy organization that gives grants to nonprofits. He also founded New Cycle Capital, an "early-stage" venture capital firm based in San Francisco.

More recently, he started the Clean Economy Network, a business networking group.

Other candidates to replace Mr. Ruskin include San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon, and Palo Alto Councilwoman Yoriko Kishimoto.

The 21st district encompasses all of The Almanac's circulation area.