The forty seventh Congressional District in Orange County belongs to Democrats proper now. However with Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) operating for the U.S. Senate reasonably than reelection, the race is extra of a toss-up.
That’s a troubling notion. Except for reputable fears of what may occur to civil rights, fundamental social companies and democracy if the GOP positive aspects extra seats within the Home of Representatives, the main Republican operating for the seat, Scott Baugh, is out of contact with the district. The world was as soon as solidly Republican however has been shifting leftward in recent times and is now a swing district with a mixture of views, encompassing the coast from Laguna Seashore to Seal Seashore, in addition to Costa Mesa and Irvine.
Baugh is a former state assemblyman who ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice. That included 2022, when he misplaced to Porter. His perception that there ought to be a federal legislation limiting abortion rights is out of conserving with voters’ values — and with the rights of ladies to have autonomy over their very own our bodies. He opposed the federal Respect for Marriage Act, which was signed into legislation in 2022 and codified the fitting for same-sex and interracial {couples} to marry, and he opposes banning assault weapons.
He just lately mentioned that “wokism” was extra of a risk to spiritual freedom than each world wars; maybe if he had lived by means of the Holocaust, he would know higher. Within the Nineteen Nineties, he confronted federal felony costs over marketing campaign finance violations; these have been later lowered to civil violations for which he paid near $50,000.
9 different individuals are looking for the seat within the March major, together with two regionally distinguished Democrats: state Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine) and Joanna Weiss, an lawyer and founding father of a social- and political-action nonprofit, Girls for American Values and Ethics.
The platforms of Min and Weiss are related — each intend to guard a girl’s proper to abortion on the federal degree and say they’re able to battle local weather change, work towards immigration reform and push smart gun regulation. The distinction is of their management expertise, legislative expertise and skill to attain outcomes and talk a way of cooperation.
Min, an affable lawmaker who has authored profitable payments on the surroundings and weapons, has the clear benefit right here. Earlier than his political profession, Min was, like Porter (who has endorsed his candidacy), a professor at UC Irvine legislation faculty. And like Porter, he ought to be elected to symbolize the forty seventh District.
Min has not launched as many payments as a few of his colleagues throughout his three years in Sacramento, however he has authored payments on essential points. One invoice, now into consideration, would arrange a system for phasing out offshore oil and gasoline drilling in state waters. One other, signed into legislation in 2022, bans gun and ammunition gross sales on state-owned land.
There’s one hassle spot in Min’s historical past, which Weiss is already utilizing in her marketing campaign: He was arrested final Could on suspicion of drunk driving in Sacramento and later pleaded responsible to a misdemeanor. Min was pulled over after he stopped at a crimson gentle to test cross-traffic, however then proceeded by means of the intersection whereas the sunshine was nonetheless crimson and along with his headlights off.
It wasn’t a trivial incident, however to his credit score, Min by no means handled it that means. He instantly made a simple public assertion about his arrest and apologized. He didn’t attempt to make excuses or fake that the arrest was unfair, overblown or an assault on liberalism. He has accomplished court-ordered group service and says that though he by no means had an issue with alcohol, he instantly stopped ingesting. Too many political occasions — that’s the place he was ingesting earlier than the arrest — are alcohol-infused, he mentioned. He additionally, of his personal accord, entered into remedy. Extra politicians who err badly ought to observe his instance.
Min evokes confidence that he gained’t repeat the error — and that he can be a superb member of Congress.
