The Candidate
Carlos Duran: from reporting the truth to fighting for it
Carlos Duran is not a career politician. He's a community journalist who has spent years embedded in the Imperial Valley, writing for the Holtville Tribune and the Calexico Chronicle — covering the very issues that now define this election.
From IID rate hearings to Salton Sea toxic dust, from municipal budget fights to the data center controversy, Duran has been in the room, asking the questions the board would rather avoid.
Why it matters
The current IID Board operates as an insular bureaucracy disconnected from the economic reality of working-class ratepayers. Duran's years of investigative reporting give him the institutional knowledge to demand accountability from day one — without the institutional loyalties that protect the status quo.
The platform
Jobs
Demand the Imperial Valley directly benefit from its own resources. Support responsible projects delivering high-paying local union jobs. Stop blocking the $10 billion data center that would create 1,688 construction jobs.
Smart Growth
Strengthen the local economy through developments that provide long-term value without overburdening existing infrastructure. The data center self-funds its own grid upgrades — that's the model.
Accountability
Push for open decision-making, clear communication, and responsible management of public resources. End the backroom deals and bureaucratic opacity that led to the Z-Global scandal and the rushed rate hike.
Ratepayers Come First
Every IID decision must prioritize the financial survival of the residents who depend on the utility. That means fair rates, exploring every revenue avenue, and responsible spending.
The contrast
Duran's opponent, incumbent Alex Cardenas, was a central figure in the historic rate hike. Despite a developer proposing a cost-plus wholesale model that would generate $30 million annually for IID — effectively subsidizing the grid and lowering rates — Cardenas and the board rejected the proposal.
The federal lawsuit alleges
- IID General Manager demanded $4 billion in prepaid electric fees — a "poison pill" designed to kill the project
- Text messages show Cardenas communicating with senior Z-Global managers while feigning concern about the data center
- The Board delayed the data center's facility study to prioritize projects associated with Z-Global
- IID imposed a "gag order" blocking developer communications with technical staff
The question for voters
Who is your IID Director really working for? The 166,000 ratepayers suffering from a 69% rate hike — or the entrenched insiders who created the crisis?