California Republican Says He'll Bring Direct Democracy to Congress

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Published: 22 May, 2018
1 min read

In the latest episode of "Deconstructed," I talk with Republican California congressional candidate Michael Allman. Michael, running in California's 52nd Congressional District, is the first candidate to run for a national office on a platform of direct democracy.

Michael and I deconstruct what exactly direct democracy would mean for the constituents of CA-52, and how his representation is designed to actively engage voters in his district. They also discuss the broader implications the direct democracy approach could have for the country at large, and the power Michael could leverage in the House.

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Michael Allman's campaign website says he "is a long-time San Diego County resident, is an experienced businessman with a distinguished career spanning technology, energy, and international businesses."

Michael's business experience includes being chairman, president, and CEO of the Southern California Gas Company -- the largest natural gas distribution company in the US. He was also the president and CEO of Sempra Generation, where his website says he built the largest renewable energy business in the country.

More recently, Michael was president, COO, and CFO of Bit Stew, a software company that operated in the "Industrial Internet of Things." The company was bought by General Electric in 2016.

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