Dan Lungren

Dan Lungren
Chairperson of the House Administration Committee
In office
January 3, 2011  January 3, 2013
Preceded by Bob Brady
Succeeded by Candice Miller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 2005  January 3, 2013
Preceded by Doug Ose
Succeeded by Ami Bera
Attorney General of California
In office
January 7, 1991  January 4, 1999
Governor Pete Wilson
Preceded by John Van de Kamp
Succeeded by Bill Lockyer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 42nd district
In office
January 3, 1983  January 3, 1989
Preceded by Duncan Hunter
Succeeded by Dana Rohrabacher
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 34th district
In office
January 3, 1979  January 3, 1983
Preceded by Mark Hannaford
Succeeded by Esteban Torres
Personal details
Born Daniel Edward Lungren
(1946-09-22) September 22, 1946
Long Beach, California, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Bobbi Lungren
Alma mater University of Notre Dame
University of Southern California
Georgetown University
Religion Roman Catholicism
Website Campaign website

Daniel Edward "Dan" Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is a former U.S. Representative for California's 3rd congressional district, serving from 2005 to 2013. During his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento County, portions of Solano County, and all of Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras counties. Lungren is a member of the Republican Party, and a former member of the Republican Study Committee.[1]

Lungren previously represented the Long Beach area in Congress from 1979 to 1989, served as California's Attorney General from 1991 to 1999, and was the Republican nominee for Governor of California in 1998, losing to Democrat Gray Davis, who was later recalled.

Early life, education and career

Dan Lungren was born in Long Beach, California, of Irish, Swedish, and Scottish extraction. From 1952, Lungren's father was the personal physician and a close friend of former President Richard Nixon.[2]

Lungren graduated from St. Anthony High School in 1964 and matriculated to the University of Notre Dame, where he earned an A.B. with honors in English in 1968.[3] He returned to California to chair Youth for Nixon during Nixon's first successful run for the presidency.[4]

Lungren began his legal studies at the University of Southern California Law School but transferred to Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his J.D. in 1971. During his years at Georgetown, Lungren worked for U.S. Senators George Murphy (R-California) and Bill Brock (R-Tennessee). From 1971 to 1972, he was Special Assistant to the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC); Lungren's wife, Bobbi, worked in the Nixon White House at the time.[5] When Lungren returned to Long Beach, he joined a law firm and practiced civil law for a short time before running unsuccessfully for Congress in 1976. He was successful in 1978.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1989)

Lungren first served in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1989, representing portions of Long Beach and Orange County. "Lungren rose in stature with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, and quickly became a darling of the tough-on-crime crowd and the rising moral majority movement."[7] He was one of Newt Gingrich's chief lieutenants during this time, and was a founding member of the Conservative Opportunity Society. He served on the House Judiciary Committee, where he pushed for "tough on crime" legislation. In 1984, Lungren sponsored the Comprehensive Crime Control Act, "at the time one of the most sweeping pieces of anti-crime legislation in U.S. history."[7] In addition, he supported asset forfeiture as a weapon in the War on Drugs, saying he wanted to "[m]ake it illegal for a dry cleaner or a grocery store to take money from a drug dealer . . . and if they do, seize the business. Put the merchant in jail."[7]

Lungren also supported sanctions against employers who hired illegal immigrants, but also favored a temporary guest-worker program. He was the principal House cosponsor of the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, which became the Immigration Reform Act of 1986. He also independently sponsored a "guest worker" bill, designed to allow for importation of "temporary" immigrant laborers.[8]

California statewide offices

Lungren did not seek re-election to the U.S. House when California Governor George Deukmejian appointed him as California's acting State Treasurer, but was never confirmed.[9]

Lungren was later elected as California Attorney General in 1990, and served from 1991 to 1999. Shortly after becoming Attorney General, Lungren, a staunch supporter of capital punishment, presided over California's first execution in over twenty years.[7] During his tenure in the office, he helped pass legislation such as "Megan's Law", "3-Strikes-and-You're-Out", "Sexual Anti-Predator Act" and the "California's Safe Schools Plan".[10] He also sponsored a law allowing minors as young as 14 who are accused of murder to be tried as adults and "led a national effort to limit lawsuits filed by prisoners, which produced the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996."[7] His 1993 letter to five major video game publishers and seven major video game retailers, asking them "to stop the manufacturing, licensing, distribution, or sale of any video game that portrays graphic and gratuitous violence", was called "the strongest anti-violence statement yet from a top government official" by the gaming press, even with Lungren's accompanying statement that he was strictly making an appeal to the companies' sense of civic responsibility and not calling for any form of government censorship.[11][12] In 1996, he was considered as a possible Vice Presidential candidate to run with Republican nominee Bob Dole.[13] That same year, Lungren "vigorously opposed" Proposition 215, which legalized medical marijuana in California.[7]

In 1998 Lungren ran as the Republican candidate for governor against Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis. Davis received 57.9% of the votes, while Lungren got 38.4%. During the campaign, Davis maintained that Lungren, who presented himself as the political heir to former California Governor and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was too conservative for California. Davis also criticized Lungren's hesitancy, as California Attorney General, to enforce laws restricting assault weapons, and his waiting until the last minute to become part of a class action lawsuit against the cigarette industry.

U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2013)

Lungren was elected to California's 3rd congressional district in 2004, after previously serving in the 42nd congressional district.[14]

Lungren was reappointed to the Judiciary Committee based on his previous five terms of seniority, and also serves on the Homeland Security committee. In 2005, Lungren supported the USA PATRIOT Act, which renewed the Federal Government's ability to perform secret surveillance including wiretaps of citizens and monitoring of public and private computer packet-switched networks to prevent terrorism from hitting the United States. In 2006, Lungren and Congresswoman Jane Harman authored the SAFE Port Act, which improves security at the ports including additional requirements for maritime facilities, foreign port assessments, container security initiatives and Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism. The bill passed the House with bipartisan support. Also in 2006, he sponsored the "Streamlined Procedures Act," which "would strip federal courts of the power to review habeas corpus petitions in state death penalty cases."[7] In 2007, Lungren was appointed to the House Administration Committee.

Lungren has stated that he opposes "any bill brought to the floor of the House that includes an amnesty provision that confers citizenship status." He cites his concern as the millions of "legal immigrants who wait years in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship."[15] Lungren has been an opponent of "the huge growth of spending earmarks." Described as a "maverick", he "cited the need for the party to adopt more fiscally conservative policies." [16]

On July 29, 2008, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6295, introduced by Lungren. This legislation is to stop the use of submersible and semi-submersible vessels used to transport drugs and other contrabands, which pose a threat to communities and national security. Shortly after the 2008 election, a newly reelected Lungren challenged Congressman John Boehner for Minority Leader. Lungren did not win the post. Boehner appointed Lungren as Ranking Republican Member of the House Administration Committee. To serve on this new role, he left his spot with the Budget Committee and became Chairman of the House Administration Committee when Republicans took control of the House in January 2011. The National Journal's Cook Political Report named Lungren the Republican most vulnerable to redistricting in 2012.[17]

Lungren lost his re-election bid for the 7th Congressional District, reapportioned after the 2010 Census, in the November 2012 election, which was called by The Associated Press on November 15, 2012 in favor of the Democratic challenger, Ami Bera, by a margin of 5700 votes – 51.1% to 48.9%.[18]

Committee assignments

Political campaigns

2004

Lungren ran for Congress again in the 3rd Congressional District after six-year incumbent Congressman Doug Ose announced his retirement.[19] Lungren has stated that his desire to serve in Congress again was rekindled by the September 11, 2001 attacks. He won a come from behind victory in a three-way primary against Mary Ose and State Senator Rico Oller in 2004.[20]

2010

Lungren was challenged by Democratic nominee Dr. Ami Bera, American Independent Jerry Leidecker, Peace and Freedom nominee Mike Roskey, and Libertarian Douglas Art Tuma. Lungren was reelected with 50.6% of the vote, with Bera accumulating 42.7%, and 6.7% to other candidates.[21]

2012

Lungren ran in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District, reapportioned after the 2010 Census, which saw a more evenly divided registration of Republicans and Democrats.[22] He faced Democrat Ami Bera in the November general election.[23] Seen as a swing district, the race has been described as a potential "PAC Battlefield".[24] One of the most-watched race nationally, both sides poured in millions of dollars for their campaigns. Bera was ultimately elected to the seat.[25]

Electoral history

United States House of Representatives elections, 1976[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark W. Hannaford (incumbent) 100,988 50.7
Republican Dan Lungren 98,147 49.3
Total votes 199,135 100.0
Voter turnout %
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1978[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 90,554 53.7
Democratic Mark W. Hannaford (incumbent) 73,608 43.7
American Independent Lawrence John Stafford 4,410 2.6
Total votes 168,572 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican gain from Democratic
United States House of Representatives elections, 1980[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 138,024 71.8
Democratic Simone[29] 46,351 24.1
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 7,794 4.1
Total votes 192,169 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1982[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 142,845 69.0
Democratic James P. Spellman 58,690 28.3
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 5,514 2.7
Total votes 207,049 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1984[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 177,783 73.0
Democratic Mary Lou Brophy 60,025 24.6
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 5,811 2.4
Total votes 243,619 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1986[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 140,364 72.8
Democratic Michael P. Blackburn 47,586 24.7
Peace and Freedom Kate McClatchy 4,761 2.5
Total votes 192,711 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
California Attorney General election, 1990[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 3,407,927 46.8
Democratic Arlo Smith 3,379,021 46.4
Libertarian Paul N. Gautreau 256,378 3.5
Peace and Freedom Robert J. Evans 242,871 3.3
Total votes 7,286,197 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican gain from Democratic
California Attorney General election, 1994[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 4,363,760 54.0
Democratic Tom Umberg 3,189,836 39.4
Libertarian Richard Burns 275,265 3.4
Peace and Freedom Robert J. Evans 259,073 3.2
Total votes 8,087,934 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
California gubernatorial election, 1998[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gray Davis 4,860,702 58.0
Republican Dan Lungren 3,218,030 38.4
Green Dan Hamburg 104,179 1.2
Libertarian Steve Kubby 73,845 0.9
Peace and Freedom Gloria La Riva 59,218 0.7
American Independent Nathan Johnson 37,964 0.4
Natural Law Harold H. Bloomfield 31,237 0.4
Total votes 8,385,175 100.0
Voter turnout %
Democratic gain from Republican
United States House of Representatives elections, 2004[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 177,738 62.0
Democratic Gabe Castillo 100,025 34.8
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 9,310 3.2
Total votes 287,073 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2006[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 135,709 59.5
Democratic Bill Durston 86,318 37.9
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 3,772 1.6
Peace and Freedom Michael Roskey 2,370 1.0
Total votes 228,169 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2008[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 155,424 49.5
Democratic Bill Durston 137,971 44.0
Peace and Freedom Dina J. Padilla 13,378 4.2
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 7,273 2.3
Total votes 314,046 100.0
Voter turnout %
Republican hold
California's 3rd congressional district election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 131,169 50.1
Democratic Ami Bera 113,128 43.2
American Independent Jerry L. Leidecker 6,577 2.5
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 6,275 2.4
Peace and Freedom Mike Roskey 4,789 1.8
Total votes 261,938 100.0
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2012[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ami Bera 141,241 51.7
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 132,050 48.3
Total votes 273,291 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

Personal life

Lungren and his wife Bobbi have three children Jeff, Kelly and, Kathleen. He has eight grandchildren. In 2010 he was inducte into the College of Fellows of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology.

References

  1. Carney, Timothy (2011-02-18) Rep. Lungren threatens to quit conservative bloc if members' budgets are slashed, Washington Examiner
  2. New York Times article on Dan Lungren
  3. "Independence Ave"
  4. Biodata
  5. Biodata
  6. United States House of Representatives website
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Balko, Radley (2012-11-19) Dan Lungren, Drug Warrior, Loses Bid For Reelection, Huffington Post
  8. "Merced Sun-Star July 29, 1985
  9. Los Angeles Times article, dated June 25, 1988
  10. "Congressman Dan Lungren official web site"
  11. "California's Attorney General Attacks Video Violence". GamePro (55) (IDG). February 1994. p. 186.
  12. Semrad, Ed (January 1994). "Violence in Video Games... Part 2!". Electronic Gaming Monthly (54) (EGM Media, LLC). p. 6.
  13. Bill Stall (June 20, 1996). "Lungren as Dole Running Mate? Some Can See It". Los Angeles Times.
  14. "Rep. Dan Lungren (R)". Almanac. National Journal. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  15. "Immigration Position". US House of Representatives. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  16. "California District 3 Rep. Dan Lungren". Almanac. National Journal. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  17. David Wasserman and Julia Edwards (April 15, 2011). "Top 10 Republicans Most Vulnerable to Redistricting". Cook Political Report. National Journal. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  18. "Lungren loses his House seat". The San Francisco Chronicle. November 16, 2012.
  19. Sacramento Bee article on Lungren's 2001 congressional election
  20. National Journal polltracking re Lungren in 2004
  21. "Senate, House and gubernatorial races". The Washington Post.
  22. "Dan Lungren ramps up re-election efforts in Sacramento Co. seat". Sacramento Bee. March 13, 2012.
  23. "Dan Lungren defends embattled Sacramento GOP voter drive". Sacramento Bee. June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  24. Morain, Dan (July 22, 2012). "Dan Morain: Lungren-Bera race likely to be a PAC battlefield". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  25. Dan Lungren concedes Congressional District 7 race to Ami Bera News10.net. November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  26. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1976," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  27. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  28. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1980," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  29. Google News Archive – Spokane Daily Chronicle "Candidate names confuse," by Tom Raum (October 21, 1980 – retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  30. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1982," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  31. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1984," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  32. Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  33. Our Campaigns "California Attorney General Race – November 6, 1990", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  34. Our Campaigns "California Attorney General Race – November 8, 1994", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  35. Our Campaigns "California Attorney General Race – November 3, 1998," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  36. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  37. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  38. Office of the California Secretary of State "United States Representative in Congress", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  39. 2012 general election results

External links

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Mark Hannaford
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 34th congressional district

1979–1983
Succeeded by
Esteban Torres
Preceded by
Duncan Hunter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 42nd congressional district

1983–1989
Succeeded by
Dana Rohrabacher
Preceded by
Doug Ose
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 2nd congressional district

2005–2013
Succeeded by
Ami Bera
Preceded by
Bob Brady
Chairperson of the House Administration Committee
2011–2013
Succeeded by
Candice Miller
Legal offices
Preceded by
John Van de Kamp
Attorney General of California
1991–1999
Succeeded by
Bill Lockyer
Party political offices
Preceded by
Pete Wilson
Republican nominee for Governor of California
1998
Succeeded by
Bill Simon
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