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Spees Endorses Brand For Fresno Mayor

H Spees and Lee Brand

Fresno mayoral candidate Lee Brand has earned the endorsement of one H Spees, of his former rivals in the June primary. Spees came in third place behind both Brand and Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea in the June 7th election.

Fresno mayoral candidate Lee Brand has earned the endorsement of one H Spees, of his former rivals in the June primary. Spees came in third place behind both Brand and Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea in the June 7th election.

Spees says he supports Brand’s focus on issues such as improving homelessness and community policing but also thinks his presence offsets Brand’s public image as a policy wonk…

“I think Lee’s strength is in the area of finance. Is in the area of administration. Is in the area of legislation that has improved city services. And he has told me that my strength in the area of community engagement and development were helpful to him. So I think it is going to be a good team,” Spees says.

Spees says he and Brand agreed before the election to support whichever one advanced to the November general election.

Over the course of the primary election Brand says the two men came to know each other and thinks they share a similar vision for the city.

“And for the past three weeks since the election we have talked on a regular basis. And what we are doing today is not just a political move, this is a genuine partnership to make the city a better city and realize our combined vision of Fresno,” Brand says.

In addition, Spees is taking over Brand’s campaign steering committee.

Brand is facing off against Henry Perea in the November general election. 

Jeffrey Hess is a reporter and Morning Edition news host for Valley Public Radio. Jeffrey was born and raised in a small town in rural southeast Ohio. After graduating from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio with a communications degree, Jeffrey embarked on a radio career. After brief stops at stations in Ohio and Texas, and not so brief stops in Florida and Mississippi, Jeffrey and his new wife Shivon are happy to be part Valley Public Radio.