The Crystal Ball: Lou Correa for State Senate?

Last year, I heard from a Democratic source that Lou Correa's staffers were saying their boss was going to use the Board of Supervisors seat he was poised to win as a platform to run for the 34th Senate District seat currently held by termed-out Sen. Joe Dunn.

That sounded a little crazy to me then, as did some savvy insiders I bounced it off. But it has re-surfaced again, and has some roots in the history of bad blood between the two central O.C. Democratic legislators.

Back when Correa was preparing for his second run against then-Assemblyman Jim Morrissey in 1998, Joe Dunn also threw his hat in to the ring. His Assembly campaign lasted about two weeks.  Then-Assemblywoman Martha Escutia’s husband, Leo Briones, was running Correa’s campaign. The bristly and unpleasant Escutia served Dunn with an ultimatum: unless he got out of the race, not a single trial lawyer bill would pass her committee (Dunn’s boss was the head of the trail lawyers association at the time).

So, Dunn switched to running for Senate against GOP incumbent Rob Hurtt, whom he defeated.

Correa, for his part, has always been a lousy fundraiser. The big warchest he used to run for the Board of Supes was a gift from the Assembly Democratic Caucus in 2000. Lou was convinced the GOP was targeting him and he was going to have a real race on his hands with GOP nominee Reuben Ross. Of course, Correa trounced Ross and spent just a fraction of the Caucus money -- which then became his supervisorial campaign nest egg. Broadwater actually outraised Correa in the stretch.

I'm still not convinced. True, Correa would get a free ride. And maybe he misses Sacramento. But he'd face off against Assemblyman Tom Umberg is also running for that seat, and there's no question in my mind he would beat Correa in a primary.

Dunn, for his part, has switched from running for Attorney General to running for Treasurer. So maybe Correa's people are floating this rumor in hopes Umberg will hold off endorsing Dunn, so as not to provoke Correa into definitely running.

That's pretty Byzantine. And pretty thin.

Comments

[Richard]

Jubal,

When did Mr. Dunn drop out of the AG race? Do you think Brown's candidacy was the reason?

Take care,
RICHARD