VOTER GUIDE THAT’S ON THE KCRA 3 APP RIGHT NOW. MANY PEOPLE ARE CLOSELY WATCHING THE RACE IN CALIFORNIA’S 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WHERE REPUBLICAN JOHN DUARTE AND DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER ADAM GRAY ARE IN THE HOMESTRETCH NOW. KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARI TALKED TO BOTH CANDIDATES AND TONIGHT WE HAVE HER INTERVIEW WITH ADAM GRAY JUST A FEW DAYS OUT FROM THE ELECTION. WITH THE ELECTION JUST AROUND THE CORNER, THE CLOCK IS TICKING. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED TALKING TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. WE SAT DOWN WITH FORMER CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY MEMBER ADAM GRAY AS HE COMPETES FOR THE SEAT AGAINST INCUMBENT JOHN DUARTE. WHY ARE YOU QUALIFIED TO BE A CONGRESSMAN IN THE 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT? YOU KNOW, I FOUNDED THE CALIFORNIA PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS. I WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MODERATE DEMOCRATS. I REALLY WORKED WITH BOTH PARTIES AT A TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHEN JUST TOO FEW PEOPLE DO THAT. WE FOUND WAYS OF WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR REGION AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE TWO HAVE GONE HEAD TO HEAD. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN THE LAST ELECTION AND THIS ELECTION FOR YOU AND YOUR CAMPAIGN? WELL, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THERE WAS JUST SUCH LOW PARTICIPATION LAST TIME. WE ENDED UP LOSING THAT ELECTION BY 564 VOTES. IT’S THE SECOND CLOSEST RACE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, AND IT TOOK UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER TO CALL THE RACE. HE SAYS GROUNDWORK IS WHERE HE IS NOTICING A CHANGE FROM THE PAST. WE’VE BEEN KNOCKING ON FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, 8000 DOORS EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND AND IT’S JUST TREMENDOUS TO BE PART OF IT AND TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF SO MANY PEOPLE. SO NOW BEING IN THE FINAL STRETCH, WHAT DO VOTERS NEED TO KNOW? YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS YOU NEED TO VOTE, RIGHT. LAST ELECTION, WE SAW ABOUT HALF OF WHAT’S NORMAL AS FAR AS VOTER TURNOUT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT HAS CONSEQUENCES, RIGHT? GRAY SAYS NOT ONLY DOES HE HEAR ABOUT FRUSTRATIONS FROM VOTERS, BUT HE IS ALSO DEALING WITH SOME FROM HIS OPPONENT, JOHN DUARTE. THERE HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE ADVERTISEMENTS POINTING TOWARDS NOT ONLY YOU, BUT YOUR OPPONENT AS WELL. HOW HAS THIS AFFECTED YOUR CAMPAIGN? WE’RE TELLING THE STORY OF THE WORK THAT I GOT DONE, AND THE FACT THAT I WORKED WITH EVERYBODY, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS. MY OPPONENTS ARE BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO TELL A BUNCH OF LIES TO CONFUSE VOTERS. THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS IN THE HANDS OF THE VOTERS. WE NEED A CONGRESS THAT REALLY GOES TO WORK EVERY DAY AND TRIES TO MAKE HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, AND EVERYTHING ELSE BETTER IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND THAT’S MY COMMITMENT TO THE VALLEY VOTERS, IS THAT IF THEY ELECT ME, I’M GOING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION, AND WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DELIVER RESULTS. IN MERCED, I’M ANAHITA JAFARI, KCRA THREE NEWS. ADAM GRAY ALSO TEACHES AT UC MERCED AND HE’LL BE ON THAT CAMPUS ON ELECTION NIGHT. TOMORROW