It’s clearly the silly season in politics. People who don’t support Patricia McKeon are trying to convince us that a few aerospace and defense firms have supported her campaign only to curry favor with her husband.

These accusations are political in nature, reckless and unfair. They attempt to belittle McKeon. After all, she’s just a woman, right?

Even if they weren’t political in nature and extremely condescending, they fail to acknowledge the importance of the aerospace industry to our state.

Aerospace and defense firms directly employ more than 112,000 people in California and contribute $6.6 billion to our state’s economy.

According to the Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce, one-third of the manufacturing workforce in our city is employed in the aerospace industry. 

Realizing how important this industry is to our state and the thousands of people who depend on the jobs created for their livelihoods, we should be thankful that businesses like these are concerned with the men and women who would serve in the state Legislature and support a pro-business candidate like McKeon for state Assembly.

We should only hope more industries would get involved in supporting candidates, such as McKeon, who want to change the anti-business atmosphere in Sacramento and keep business in our state. Too many firms are taking the easy way out and leaving California.

The aerospace industry should be congratulated for recognizing that McKeon is just the type of candidate we need. She is a candidate who is pro-jobs and economic growth. That’s why I’m supporting McKeon for Assembly.