Former OC Democratic Senator Joe Dunn May Jump In Congressional Race

Details: By Staff Reports; | Tuesday, 18 October 2011 06:27

10:00am | Long Beach Post has learned that former State Senator Joe Dunn who represented the Garden Grove area in the early 2000s is seriously considering jumping into the new Long Beach / Northern Orange County Congressional seat.

Dunn is the currently the Executive Director of the California State Bar Association and the former President of the California Medical Association. He is also a founding partner of The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP.

As a State Senator, Dunn led state efforts in the Enron investigation. In 2006, he ran for the Democratic nomination for State Controller but lost to John Chiang who went on to win the general election.

Dunn has a reputation as a strong fundraiser. Yesterday, Long Beach Post reported that Democrat Alan Lowenthal has raised $39,000 since announcing in July, while his GOP opponents had raised a combined $500,000.

Developing...

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Archived Comments (15)

Bad Legislation

Be still Gary DeLong's heart! I still think this seat is Alan Lowenthal's if he wants it, but I also think his career is better served to finish as Mayor of LB than back inside the Beltway....

ABD

Anyone But DeLong. Abysmal representation of Belmont Shore residents should not be rewarded with a trip to DC.

Bixby90802

I agree with Bad Legislation - sure wish Alan would run for Mayor instead. Let the crazies go to Washington, we need Alan here.

Right

The more the merrier. But seriously, there is no way this guy will crack double-digits. Voters don't love lobbyists. Or carpetbaggers--this guy doesn't live in the district or have any connection to it.

Marshall Riverdale

Gotta love a carpetbagger. Where does he actually live? Isn't he a registered lobbyist? Indeed. Doesn't he have anything else to do with his life? Alan was at CSULB for 25 years before Council, and then the legislature. He loves this community. I don't think a carpetbagging lobbyist that can raise money trumps that.

Loyal Democrat

Where's my checkbook? Now I have a reason to get excited...

Sparkle

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Jane

If you look him up on the state bar website, it shows he lives in San Francisco. But he's a wealthy former trial lawyer turned politician turned lobbyist, so he should be able to buy votes, right?

Lbrez

I bet Dunn raises 39k in a week.

marco

Dunn could spend $1 million and it wouldn't matter. Alan was drastically outspent when he ran against Wally Edgerton for City Council, outspent when he ran for Assembly against Julie Alban, and outspent again by Rudy Svorinich. But he beat all of them. Alan's been involved in this community forever. Dunn can't just waltz in and do well because he is wealthy or has connections to wealthy donors.

I hope Lowenthal, who seems to genuinely care about this city, wins this race with only the 39K he's raised, and nothing more. We need to show congress, and every level of government, that our votes can't be bought.

Remember: VOTES WON'T MATTER UNTIL DOLLARS DON'T!

Bill Orton

Mr. Dunn entering the race would utterly change the dynamic of the race, electorally and financially. Anyone who viewed such a move as impinging on other candidate's perogative show precisely the sort of hubris that often preceeds spectacular crashes.

Realist

Ok, I am just a plain old political junkie who loves a good fight, but am I the only one here who smells something fishy? Why don't any of these stories have any quotes from the people involved? Why all the obsession with money this early in the race? There is still nine months before the primary for god's sake. Why just this race? Richardson has $110,000 Cash on Hand and she is is in a tough race with another democratic incumbent. Shouldn't that be a story? Why does she have so little money? She has been in congress for years. Shouldn't she have more money? Yes sir something fishy here for sure... Developing

Leslie Brodie Report

Several months ago, there were rumors Senator Joe Dunn (Ret.) would be be appointed as justice to replace Justice David Sills.

If for any reason Joe Dunn is unhappy as the Executive Director of the State Bar of California, he should resign, forthwith.

As the saying goes -- Fish or Cut Bait -- as Dunn, presently, doesn't serve the interests of the people.

To read our extensive coverage of Joe Dunn, please visit:

http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/tags/joe-dunn/fullposts/

Greg Diamond

My old friend Bill Orton is correct. I'm sure that Long Beach residents naturally see things from a parochial Long Beach perspective, but a big swath of the district is in Orange County, where Dunn is considered to be among the best and most prominent Democratic politicians we have had.

I don't know whether the rumor of Dunn's candidacy is a trial balloon, a way to goose Lowenthal's fundraising, or a firm intention, and I don't yet have a dog in the race. (I don't know enough about Lowenthal.) What I can say for certain is that anyone who underestimates Dunn is being silly.

That Dunn lives in Santa Ana rather than one city over in Garden Grove is not going to be a problem for people in Orange County; that he lives anywhere in Orange County is going to be a problem for people in Long Beach. So I don't think that this creates much of a carpetbagger problem for him.

By the way: he'd do a good job for Long Beach if elected, just as I'm sure that Lowenthal would do a good job for southwestern Orange County.

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