Bruce Giudici’s campaign is pushing forward with his bid for Calaveras County supervisor after the candidate died from a fall while door-knocking.
Giudici, 68, struck his head Sunday on a steep driveway in the Sierra Nevada foothills county east of Stockton. A homeowner called 911, and Giudici was taken to San Joaquin General Hospital, where he died Monday, his campaign confirmed.
The timing has locked his name onto the November ballot. California’s deadline for removing deceased candidates passed Aug. 27, meaning Giudici cannot be substituted. Should he win, the governor would appoint his replacement.
“Bruce was passionate about preventing Clyde Clapp from returning to the Board of Supervisors,” his campaign posted on social media, naming his general election opponent.
“Bruce’s fight will not end today. We intend to continue his campaign and honor Bruce’s wishes by working to elect him in November.”
Carrie Biggs-Adams, a campaign volunteer, told KCRA the team hopes voters will rally behind a designated successor.
“We would hope, as people are understanding that Bruce has died, the people will pull together behind somebody who we will propose to the governor to be appointed to the position,” she said.
Giudici had made fiscal oversight the centerpiece of his repeated runs for the District 5 seat. He cited his background overseeing 20 audits and positioned himself as a spending hawk.
“Coming from fiscal, and knowing how important it is to make certain that things get done properly, (it is important) they’re looked at in depth, especially these days, when there’s a (county budgetary deficit),” he told the Calaveras Enterprise.
“It’s not a substantial deficit, but it is a deficit. That sort of attention to detail is something that we need on that board, and so, I think I will help fill that role.”
Giudici had attacked Clapp’s prior tenure on the board, writing on his website that Clapp “had his chance to make meaningful change for District 5 eight years ago and failed.” Clapp served from 2017 to 2018.
Clapp, who has faced Giudici in three separate races, offered condolences after learning of his death.
“He told KCRA that Giudici’s death is tragic and that his family is in his prayers,” the station reported.
The two candidates were separated by just 38 votes in the June primary. Giudici led with 1,061 votes to Clapp’s 1,023, suggesting a competitive general election even before the incumbent’s death reshaped the race.
Giudici’s campaign has framed the continued effort as honoring his electoral goals rather than surrendering to circumstance.