Stockton Democrats Together (SDT) issues this formal public statement to condemn a paid political advertisement currently in circulation from the Veltri for City Council campaign (FPPC #1488903), and to call on candidate Joey Veltri to immediately remove the advertisement, issue a public disavowal, and provide a direct account to Stockton voters of whether this messaging reflects his values and intentions as a candidate for public office.

What the Advertisement Does

The advertisement appears against the backdrop of a news article reporting that the Stockton City Council voted unanimously to fly the Pride Flag over City Hall each June. The ad’s text explicitly names three sitting councilmembers — Michael Blower, Jason Lee, and Mario Enriquez — identifying Lee and Enriquez as “openly gay” and grouping Councilmember Blower with them by implication. It asserts that their collective advocacy “has no positive effect on making Stockton a Cleaner or Safer City,” and concludes by urging voters to oppose Councilmember Blower specifically. It bears the official campaign disclosure: Paid for by the Joey Veltri for Stockton City Council 2026 Committee #1488903.

This is not a policy critique. It does not reference a vote Councilmember Blower cast, a budget he supported, or a public safety decision he made. It invokes the sexual orientation of two colleagues as the sole basis for opposing his reelection. That is anti-LGBTQ+ political targeting, and it is a deliberate appeal to prejudice, not principle.

The Hypocrisy Is Documented in the Candidate’s Own Words

What makes this advertisement particularly striking is what it reveals about the gap between Joey Veltri’s public campaign messaging and his campaign’s conduct.

The Veltri for City Council website declares that his third and central campaign priority is “Unity & Leadership That Gets Results,” stating that he will bring “a collaborative, solutions-focused approach to the council—building unity, not division.” The advertisement that his campaign paid to produce and distribute does the precise opposite. It builds division by singling out elected officials based on who they are rather than what they have done.

Veltri’s campaign website also touts his work as Associate Director of Cafe Coop, a Stockton-based nonprofit whose published mission is to “amplify community-led innovation and build a more just, resilient, and inclusive economy.” SDT asks directly: how does a candidate who leads an organization committed to justice and inclusion justify paying for advertising that targets LGBTQ+ public officials by name and identity?

The campaign’s own tagline is “People First.” The advertisement that his committee funded treats LGBTQ+ people and their elected representatives as liabilities rather than constituents deserving equal representation and dignity.

The Context in Stockton Cannot Be Ignored

This advertisement does not exist in a vacuum. During Pride Month 2025, at least three separate hate incidents were reported in Stockton, including vandalism at the Central Valley Gender Health and Wellness Center, where a rock was thrown through a front window near a prominently displayed transgender flag, and multiple Pride flags were torn down by individuals in the community. The Stockton Police Department opened investigations into those acts as potential hate crimes.

The Pride flag that Councilmembers Blower, Lee, and Enriquez championed was raised in that same climate. The vote served as a signal to LGBTQ+ Stocktonians that their city sees and stands with them. The unanimous council vote to fly that flag was not a partisan stunt. It was a civic response to documented community harm.

For the Veltri campaign to now use that vote — and the sexual orientations of the councilmembers who supported it — as political ammunition is to undermine the very message of safety and belonging the city sought to send.

SDT’s Position

Stockton Democrats Together was founded on the principle that our community is stronger when all people are treated with dignity, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. That is not a partisan position. It is a basic standard of democratic governance.

We stand without reservation with Councilmembers Michael Blower, Jason Lee, and Mario Enriquez. We stand with the LGBTQ+ residents of Stockton’s District 3 and across the city who deserve a council race that is contested on the merits — on public safety outcomes, fiscal stewardship, and neighborhood services — not on who their elected officials love.

We call on Joey Veltri to:

1. Immediately remove the anti-LGBTQ+ advertisement from all platforms where it has been distributed.
2. Issue a public statement clarifying whether this advertisement was produced with his knowledge and approval, and whether its content reflects his values as a candidate;
3. Commit publicly to a campaign that engages District 3 voters on policy, not identity.

Stockton voters deserve candidates willing to compete on ideas. They deserve leadership that reflects the diversity and resilience of this city. And they deserve to know, before casting their ballots in June, exactly what kind of councilmember Joey Veltri intends to be.

Signed,

Stockton Democrats Together E-Board
Allyson Aranda, President
David Sengthay, Vice President and Treasurer
Colleen Keenan, Secretary