🌊 RICKY JAMESOceanside City Council · District 2
Oceanside City Council · District 2 · 2026

This is home.
And it's worth fighting for.

I'm Ricky James, and I'm running for Oceanside City Council in District 2. Not to play politics — but to take on the challenges we all see every day, with honest leadership that answers to residents and negotiates with developers through relationships, not contributions.

Endorse Me My Priorities
Ricky James

“Let's make Oceanside's potential a reality, together.”

Ricky James with his family in Oceanside
About Ricky

A neighbor who shows up

I love this city — its coastline, its open space, and the working families who make it home. But lately I've watched decisions get made that leave residents out of the conversation: land carved up behind closed doors, promises to our community quietly dropped, and trails and parks left to decline.

I'm not a career politician. I'm a neighbor who got tired of hearing "that's just how politics work." I believe you can be pro-growth and still demand that developers negotiate in good faith and deliver projects our community actually wants — instead of bulldozing past the people who live here.

I also know our trails, parks, and paths in a way most candidates don't. I navigate them from a wheelchair — and I'm out there with my family, towing my son behind my handcycle on the San Luis Rey River Trail. When I say our paths need to actually work and our public spaces need to be safe and accessible for everyone, I mean it from experience.

Over the coming months I'll be knocking on doors, showing up at your events, and listening. This campaign isn't about me — it's about us.

— Ricky James

Your Neighborhood

This is District 2

North and northeast Oceanside — North Valley, Morro Hills, Guajome, Arrowood, and the San Luis Rey River corridor. If you live here, I'm running to represent you.

Map of Oceanside City Council District 2 highlighted in gold over an aerial view of north Oceanside

Oceanside City Council District 2 — adopted boundary (Finalist Map C).

My Priorities

Some of my priorities for a better Oceanside

Real problems deserve real solutions — not empty promises. Here's what I'll fight for on day one.

🏕️

Reclaim the San Luis Rey River Trail

Compassionate, accountable solutions for homelessness along the River Trail — connecting people to real services while restoring the trail as a safe place for families to walk, ride, and enjoy.

🌾

Protect our agricultural land to the east

Preserve the farms, open space, and rural character that make Oceanside special. I'm pro-growth — but growth that respects residents, not unchecked sprawl creeping toward Highway 76.

🌳

Better parks for every neighborhood

Clean, safe, well-maintained parks — and transparency about how grant money meant for our community actually gets spent.

🚲

Bike lanes & paths that actually work

Connected, functional routes — including the long-promised links between our neighborhoods and parks — so it's safe to get around Oceanside on two wheels.

⭐

Protect and promote the assets that set us apart

No other North County coastal city has what we have. We should treat these as the competitive advantage they are — maintaining them, showcasing them, and building our identity and economy around them:

  • Oceanside Harbor
  • The Pier
  • Municipal Airport
  • Municipal Golf Course
  • Direct access to Camp Pendleton
  • First & last stop from Orange County
  • San Luis Rey River Trail
  • Playgrounds on the beach
  • Sprinter & Coaster transit stations
  • Frontwave Arena
  • Closest beach access to Temecula
🛡️

A clean campaign — no strings attached

Municipal politics should run on honest relationships and reasonable compromise that protects residents. Here's my vow: I won't take a dollar from developers seeking approvals or vendors chasing city contracts — no money with strings attached. When I take my seat on the City Council, I'll answer to you, not to whoever wrote the biggest check.

A note from Ricky

Your time and your name mean more to me than your money

I'm not asking for your money — I'm asking for your support. Signing my Friends & Neighbors Endorsement Page means more to me than any contribution. I hope to do what I set out to do on the strength of this community.

I wish giving could be anonymous, but the law requires it to be reported — just like my expenses. I want it that way. Transparency is the whole point.

If I ever recognize a contribution from a developer or anything that looks like a conflict of interest, I'll send it back so I can stay unbiased. And if you spot a possible conflict, please bring it to my attention so I can address it.

Putting my money where my mouth is

I've filed a Partial Salary Waiver with the City of Oceanside

Pursuant to Article I.5, Section 2.1.70(d) of the Oceanside City Code and California Government Code Section 36516(f), I've formally notified the City Treasurer that I'm waiving part of my Council salary.

$1,200/mo
the most I'll accept in total compensation
~$2,152/mo
waived & returned to the City's General Fund
Homelessness
where I've recommended those funds be put to work

Oceanside Council compensation runs about $3,352 a month — $2,802.49 in base salary, plus roughly $350 for Community Development Commission meetings and about $200 for Harbor District meetings. I'll keep no more than $1,200; the remaining ~$2,152 every month goes to the General Fund for the City to use at its discretion — and my recommendation is that it go toward fighting homelessness.

📄 Read the actual letter (PDF)
Transparency

Rick Robinson — Incumbent since 2022

I believe you have a right to know who's funding the people who represent you. Every contribution to every Oceanside campaign is public record — and you can look it up yourself in seconds.

📂 Look up any Oceanside Form 460 on NetFile →
Live tracker · updated June 29, 2026

The 2026 race — to date

District 2, City of Oceanside · contributions reported on Form 460
Ricky James$0
$0 from outside contributors — people-powered
Rick Robinson$22,808
Re-Elect Rick Robinson 2026 committee — raised through Dec 2025
Rick Robinson — 2026 breakdown
Howard Jacobs / GK Asset ManagementDeveloper — “Sunsets” project (approved 2023)$5,000.00
Fred WilliamsonWilliamson Strawberries / Fire Mountain landowner$3,000.00
Peter Weiss for City Council 2026PACCandidate-committee contribution$2,500.00
Dustin & Molly CampbellCannabis-cultivation interest (Sleeping Indian Rd)$2,000.00
Lynn JepsenTwo contributions$1,000.00
Donal YasikochiFarmer / produce boxes$1,000.00
Mike OgdenOceanside Planning Commission$1,000.00
Terry JohnsonFormer Oceanside mayor$750.00
David Fischbach / Blue Curl LLCShort-term-rental operator$500.00
Craig WickmanRepeat contributor (also gave in 2022)$500.00
All other contributors$5,558.37
2026 total — monetary, raised to date$22,808.37
Tracking the 2026 cycle

For the current race, we monitor the Re-Elect Rick Robinson City Council 2026 committee and the PACs active in it — capturing monetary and nonmonetary contributions, independent expenditures, and any other reported activity — updated automatically as new Form 460s and related filings post to NetFile. As of June 29, 2026, no PAC has reported independent expenditures or contributions in the 2026 District 2 race on NetFile. Robinson's committee has also reported $800 in nonmonetary (in-kind) contributions in 2025, separate from the monetary totals above.

My campaign has accepted $0 in contributions to date — I seeded it with a small $100 personal loan and pledge not to take money from developers seeking approvals or vendors chasing city contracts. Robinson's re-election committee has reported $22,808.37 raised through December 2025 — the itemized breakdown appears above.

For context · prior filings

Rick Robinson's 2022 Campaign

2022 election cycle — final/amended, fixed figures
Rick Robinson — 2022$86,379
incl. Political Action Committee (PAC) independent expenditures
2022 breakdown
Oceanside Firefighters Association PACPAC · independent expendituresSched. D/E/G IEs: mailers, digital ads, walk cards, texts, postage$39,862.70
Oceanside Police Officers' AssociationPAC$1,000 monetary + independent-expenditure printing & mailing$21,947.39
Howard Jacobs / GK Asset ManagementDeveloper — “Sunsets” micro-apartment project$4,900.00
Shantu PatelDeveloper — former Flying Bridge project$1,000.00
Waste ManagementCity refuse-franchise hauler$1,000.00
David Fischbach / Blue Curl LLCShort-term-rental operator (Beachfront Only Rentals)$1,000.00
Neal Nagata / Nagata Brothers LLCFarming landowner$500.00
Joe Valenti / North Coast VillageVacation-rental operator$400.00
Dustin CampbellTied to a cannabis-cultivation permit application (Sleeping Indian Rd)$250.00
All other contributors$15,519.39
2022 total$86,379.48

Contribution amounts and dates are from public California Form 460 filings via NetFile. Notes identify each contributor's publicly known business, role, or project before the City. 2022 totals are final/amended and stay fixed.

Why your vote matters

In 2022, the District 2 seat was decided by just 817 votes.

This is a small, close district — a handful of engaged neighbors genuinely decide who represents you.

817
margin of victory in 2022
11,815
total votes that chose the seat
~43,742
residents in District 2

You're not a drop in the bucket here — you're the margin.

Source: San Diego County Registrar of Voters, 2022 official results.

Friends & Neighbors

Neighbors standing with us

In a district this close, neighbors telling neighbors is everything. Here's what people across District 2 are saying — add your name and you'll appear here too.

When Ricky says he's going to do something he does it !! There is no stopping him believe me I know I'm his mom ! So proud of ALL his accomplishments and the best is yet to come !!

TJ
Tina James
Ricky's mom

You're crazy.

CJ
Chelsea James
Ricky's wife

Yeah! You have my endorsement if you want it

JL
Jon Levell
Mayor of Murrieta

I proudly endorse you!

MR
Mrs. Roark
Ricky's first-grade (and favorite) teacher

Sign my Friends & Neighbors Endorsement Page

The most powerful thing you can do is lend your name. Add a short endorsement and tell your neighbors why you're with us.

Add Your Endorsement →

If you feel you'd like to help further, reach out to Ricky directly — we'd love to hear from you.