Scrivner has been a steady, influential presence on the political scene for 20 years

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – Zack Scrivner is no political novice. The man at the center of Thursday’s shocking events has been a constant presence in local government affairs for more than 20 years.

If, say, 10 years ago, Kern County’s most astute political observers had been asked to name the young public servant with the highest ceiling, with the best chance of ascending to noteworthy heights in state, even federal government, many would have picked Zack Scrivner.

He was district representative for Assemblyman Kevin McCarthy and district director for state Sen. Jean Fuller. He was elected to the Bakersfield City Council on his first try at the age of 30 and undefeated in the six general elections that followed, the last four as supervisor of the second district – a vast expanse of mostly desert and mountains comprising 3,660 of Kern County’s 8,200 square miles.

What would happen if Supervisor Scrivner left the board before the end of his term?

His only significant political liability to that point was the 2010 revelation of a felony arrest at UC Santa Barbara a decade earlier for marijuana sales. He survived that and, over time, solidified his hold on the second district.

Scrivner was chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 2012, 2017, and 2022, while maintaining position as the board’s representative to the Kern Council of Governments, the Kern Economic Development Corporation, and the Kern Land Agency Formation Commission.

He is not due to face voters again until 2026.

Scrivner, age 50, is a conservative Republican with a 100 percent NRA rating in a solid-red district. He has been mentioned more than once as a potential future candidate for the state assembly.

His personal and political connections weren’t going to hurt. His aunt, Cynthia Zimmer, is the Kern County District Attorney.

Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner under investigation over allegations of child sexual assault

In 2022, his influence became even more of a family affair. His wife of 18 years, Christina – from a prominent Ridgecrest family – was elected to the Kern Community College District board after having served on the Tehachapi City Council.

His mother, retired educator Kathy Scrivner, is a first-term member of the Kern High School District board of trustees.

Scrivner and his wife, with whom he has four school-age children, separated last November, and she filed for divorce in March, citing irreconcilable differences.

Their divorce filing shows they have shared custody of their children and mutual visitation rights.

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