Two former Modesto mayoral hopefuls back Hawn

Brad Hawn, a mayoral candidate and former Modesto councilman, has received endorsements from the candidates who placed third and fourth in the mayor's race last month.

Hawn and former Councilman Garrad Marsh will compete in a vote-by-mail runoff in February. Marsh secured 44 percent of the vote Nov. 8 to Hawn's 31 percent.

Hawn was endorsed by Bill Zoslocki, who captured 20 percent of the vote last month. A press release Thursday from Hawn also cites an endorsement from Armando Arreola, who had 4 percent of the vote.

Zoslocki, a local builder, said he shares many of the same values as Hawn, a civil engineer who termed out last month after serving eight years on the City Council.

"Business-wise, Brad is closer to my way of thinking and closer on how to fix things in Modesto," Zoslocki said. "I came to the conclusion it was best to endorse Brad because of that."

Zoslocki's endorsement is a change in tune after he was critical of Hawn in campaign ads. Zoslocki said Thursday that Hawn and Marsh were drawing support from the same group of people in polling data, so he tried to set himself apart from Hawn.

Marsh said Thursday that Hawn was trying to prop up his campaign after finishing a distant second Nov. 8.

"Bill and I have a different understanding of how Modesto should move forward in the future," Marsh said. "Bill believes we should pave over our farmland and he must believe Brad would agree with him on that."

Hawn's press release claims that support from Zoslocki and Arreola gives him a leadership position in the race. Arreola couldn't reached for comment.

"Most of Zoslocki's supporters are going to come to me," Hawn said. "We hold a lot of the same positions. We are for creating jobs and breaking through the status quo."

Ballots for the mayoral runoff will be sent to registered voters in Modesto in January.

Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at kcarlson@modbee.com or (209) 578-2321.