Sixty-fifth Assembly District candidate Lamar Lyons presented himself as a defender of the working class with experience in manufacturing, warehouse labor, finance and neighborhood leadership during his interview with Random Lengths News. Citing his background working on an assembly line at Douglas Aircraft Company and later in finance, Lyons noted his perspective is markedly different from his rivals in the race.
Throughout the interview, Lyons focused on economic development and job creation, arguing that the district has lost too many good-paying industrial jobs while criticizing plans that prioritize warehouse expansion over manufacturing. Lyons repeatedly pointed to industrial land opportunities in Wilmington, Carson, and along the 66th Street corridor as areas that could be redeveloped for advanced manufacturing and technology-based industries. He said the district needs “career jobs” instead of low-paying warehouse work and argued that environmental regulations, while important, can sometimes hurt employment opportunities if not balanced properly.
Lyons also emphasized environmental justice and public health concerns tied to the ports. He acknowledged the pollution created by ships and trucking operations and said the state should strengthen environmental oversight and protections. At the same time, he proposed bringing healthcare directly into communities through mobile health vans that would provide medical and mental health services to residents who struggle to access care.
Lyons expressed a mixed but pragmatic view on environmental regulations during the interview. He acknowledged that pollution from the ports — particularly from ships and trucks — is a serious problem affecting air quality and public health in communities like Wilmington and San Pedro. He said the state should strengthen oversight and create “guard rails” through environmental agencies and regulations to address pollution issues.
At the same time, Lyons argued that some environmental regulations can negatively affect employment and economic development. He stated that certain regulations are “killing employment” by making it harder to retain or attract manufacturing businesses and industrial jobs in the district. He connected this concern to the loss of major employers such as Toyota and other companies that have left the region.
Rather than opposing environmental protections outright, Lyons advocated for balancing environmental goals with job creation. He repeatedly emphasized that he supports environmental improvements but believes regulations should not come at the expense of working-class employment opportunities. His broader argument was that the district should pursue cleaner industrial development and manufacturing while still protecting air quality and public health.
On housing, Lyons linked affordability directly to wages and economic opportunity. He advocated for expanding pathways to homeownership through state-backed assistance programs, lowering credit score barriers for first-time buyers, and encouraging mixed-use developments that combine housing and commercial space. While supportive of new housing construction, he expressed concern that transit-oriented developments often become too expensive for working-class residents and can contribute to displacement without affordability protections.
The interview also addressed automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace. Lyons distinguished between AI research tools and automation on the waterfront, saying he opposes automation “in its present form” because it threatens union jobs and labor protections. He argued that workers should be retrained and protected as new technologies are introduced.
On public safety, Lyons rejected reducing police budgets but supported redirecting resources toward mental health professionals and nonviolent crisis response teams. He noted that many 911 calls involve homelessness or mental health crises and said alternative response systems could improve outcomes while reducing unnecessary police involvement.
In closing, Lyons framed his campaign as one focused on practical solutions rather than broad political rhetoric. He repeatedly returned to themes of manufacturing, economic opportunity, healthcare access, environmental health and working-class empowerment as the foundation of his candidacy for the 65th Assembly District.
To see the full video, visit: https://tinyurl.com/Lamar-Lyons-4-Assembly