Here’s the deal.
For United States Representative there are 17 candidates running in the 39th district.
The 39th district is composed of Walnut, Brea, Yorba Linda, Placentia, Fullerton, Buena Park, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Rowland Heights, and Hacienda Heights.
Each candidate has a roughly 6 percent chance of getting a vote, unless the voters are partisan. Even if they are partisan, they need to see who is running against their preferred candidate.
Remember, it’s a top-two primary, so if the partisan people split their votes the four independents have a shot at winning.
With that, these are the potential draft picks for your California ballot box team.
Republicans include John J. Cullum, Bob Huff, Young Kim, Phil Liberatore, Shawn Nelson, Andrew Sarega, and Steven C. Vargas.
Their names appear on the ballot as numbers 158 to 174.
Suzi Park Leggett was the first Korean-American Speaker of the House of Representatives, and served 13 years as Chief of Staff.
“The people’s Congress should not cut, privatize, damage, or weaken our citizens’ Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Retirement, and Nutrition assistance,” she stated on her campaign website.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Herbert H. Lee has over 30 years of experience as a physician and business owner. His campaign focus is on the medical field, but he also holds traffic, the environment, and women’s rights as other issues of concern. To learn more about Lee, visit his campaign website.
“I am dedicated to reducing the financial burdens of U.S. Citizens in regards to health insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and medications by 1) modifying current U.S. Health Care Acts or 2) repealing U.S. Health Care Acts, or 3) creating new U.S. Health Care Acts,” Lee’s mailed letter reads.
Lee also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Young Kim is a small business owner and she previously represented District 65 from 2014 to 2016 as a member of the California State Assembly as the first Korean-American Republican female. Her policies include an emphasis on public safety and lower taxes as stated on her campaign website.
Kim worked under Ed Royce, the retiring incumbent of the 39th District, eventually becoming his Director of Community Operations, and she is endorsed by him.
“I can attest to Young’s dedication and abilities because she worked for me for almost 20 years, serving as a key adviser and community liaison. She knows our district, its people and its needs,” Royce said in his endorsement.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Steven C. Vargas is a current member of the Brea City Council and a former military officer. His focuses are transportation, overturning sanctuary state proposal, and putting elected officials on the same health plan they are proposing for everyone else He does not have a campaign website, but the city of Brea has more information about him here.
“I will work closely with our California Assembly Members and State Senators to prioritize projects we can get in front of the Trump Administration to fund and be your advocate so we are not left behind in Infrastructure spending,” he said in his provided answer to Voter’s Edge.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Ted M. Alemayhu is an Ethiopian Social Entrepreneur, and the first person who was born in Africa to announce a bid for US Congress. He announced his bid on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, and a strong focus of his campaign is the economy. He supports a rent control for housing and was celebrated for “helping to promote strategic investment” on his campaign website.
Alemayhu said that he was excited to represent people from his district and not any particular party.
“The extreme partisanship in Washington DC does not serve our country. Being an independent, I look forward to working with both sides of the aisle to bring them together and get things done,” he added when announcing his candidacy.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Sophia J. Alexander is a liberal independent candidate and decorated Navy veteran of two combat deployments. Her policies are mainly economically focused: end the debt, end the deficit, and fight corporations and their influence according to her campaign website.
“It is my policy that the money and politics don’t mix, and Citizens United is a blight upon our campaigns and democracy. As such, while I am by far the poorest member of this congressional race, I will not accept a red cent of money from any PAC or Super PAC during the June 5, 2018 primary election season,” Alexander stated on her website.
Alexander also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Andrew Sarega is a La Mirada City Councilperson. Born to Romanian immigrants, he became a member of the Newport Beach Police Department at age 21, and later became the vice president of the association. At 25, he was elected to the La Mirada City Council as the youngest city council member to serve the area.
The main focuses of his campaign are economic reform, Washington corruption, term limits, and healthcare.
“I have spent much of my own time fighting to preserve the values that La Mirada treasures on both a regional and state level. That is also my promise to the residents of the 39th District, that I will continue to fight against destructive policies that have turned California from the Golden State to the Gilded State,” Sarega states in his campaign website.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Karen Lee Schatzle is a Senior Deputy District Attorney and a certified criminal law expert. She has been a fighter for children, women, and justice for 30 years and is a survivor of abuse according to her campaign website.
“I love this country and this state and will continue to fight for the people and against corruption. I have seen things from the perspective of an Immigrant, Student, Probation Officer, Prosecutor, Candidate and Mother. I am you,” Schatzle states on her website.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Gil Cisneros is an Education/Veterans Advocate who won the $266 million Mega Millions Jackpot in 2011. He served 10 years as a U.S. Naval Officer, and was awarded four medals for service according to his campaign website.
His campaign focus is on rights, specifically FOR veteran’s, but he includes women’s and the LGBT community with them as well. Despite that, he has allegations against him made by a candidate for Assembly District 55, Melissa Fazli. He also was a Republican before his running as a Democrat.
“As a son of a veteran, I know how important and crucial the services that the VA provides to our veterans are,” Cisneros said.
“Instead of talking about cutting veterans’ benefits, we need to talk about increasing these benefits to ensure our veterans are provided with the top quality medical care and services that they deserve,” Cisneros added on his campaign website.
Cisneros also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Steve Cox is a journalist running under the platform of “The Parties are the Problem.” He has lived in District 39 his whole life, and he left the his Republican upbringing, leaving the party in 2002 to become truly independent. He wrote his entire campaign website himself, and did the research for the sources he lists in his points on the issues.
He has policy positions on both sides, but he is running for his father who was ripped off from his veteran benefits. For a full comprehensive list of his policy positions check out his campaign website.
“But I want you to know that, like you, I’m angry. I’m fed up. I’m tired of taking part in a rigged system. I’m tired of being told what to do by people who have no desire to know who I am, what I stand for, or what problems I’m facing in my life. We do not have “representation” in Washington, or Sacramento. We have rulers. We have people in office who believe they are the authority. They’re not. We are. And it’s time to make that fact clear to them, before it’s too late,” Cox stated on his campaign website.
Cox also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
John J. Cullum is a business owner and accountant who has lived in the district for nearly 30 years. His policies include a focus on small businesses and reducing regulations, and he also wants to revise the immigration law. For bullet points on his positions, check his campaign website.
“My priorities are the Economy, Employment, Education, Healthcare, and Immigration Reform,” he told Voter’s Edge.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Mai Khanh Tran is a doctor, mother, and teacher who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam as a 9-year-old by a Marine. Women’s rights, immigration reform, and reimagining health care are focuses of her campaign.
“In addition to my career in medicine, I’m also a two-time breast cancer survivor, and was blessed to become a mother in my forties. Thankfully, I had reliable health insurance that I could afford, or neither would have been possible,” Tran states on her campaign website.
Tran also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Andy Thorburn is a nonprofit advisor and businessman from New Jersey who has lived in Orange County for the past 18 years. His focuses are on getting money out of politics and building an inclusive society.
“It’s hard to bring about change when the system is rigged against us. Many Americans are disillusioned by their inability to hear their voices reflected by their representation. That’s why I don’t accept any PAC contributions of any kind,” Thorburn’s campaign website states.
Thorburn also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Bob Huff is a small business owner, and previously served as the 29th Senate District covering portions of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties according to his campaign website.
“Senator Huff is a strong proponent of keeping our neighborhoods safe. He co-authored Jessica’s Law to keep sex offenders from living within 2000 feet of a school or park to keep our children safe from sexual predators,” his campaign website states.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Shawn Nelson is a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and was previously elected to three terms as councilman and mayor of Fullerton. His policies are focused on ending sanctuary cities, protecting rights, cutting regulations, securing borders, and fix our immigration system according to his website.
“I continue to support an America of immigrants but we cannot have lawlessness,” Nelson said.
“As a U.S. Representative, it will be my duty to protect the law-abiding citizens of this great nation. It will be my highest priority to secure our southern border and reform our broken immigration system,” Shawn Nelson said on his campaign website.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Sam Jammal is a clean energy businessman who worked with SolarCity, and under the Obama administration as a chief of staff. His policies are heavily focused around issues that effect the youth like DACA, and other focuses like clean energy for the environment.
Jammal is a son of Latino and Arab immigrants and is supportive of immigration reform.
“Immigrants have started some of the most successful businesses in Orange County, pick the food that we eat, and many protect our freedoms by serving in the nation’s armed forces and law enforcement,” Jammal’s campaign website states.
Mt. SAC IDEAS Club officially supported Sam Jammal, and he also has press coverage for an advertisement with a dog, Lulu.
Jammal also participated in a forum at Mt. SAC, to speak with potential voters alongside six other 39th District candidates.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
Phil Liberatore is a taxpayer advocate and businessman who founded IRS Problem Solvers in 1999. Most of his policies are focused on the economy including supercharging the economy, fixing the budget, and opposing higher taxes as his campaign website states.
“I’m a CPA [Certified Public Accountant] and taxpayer advocate,” Liberatore said. “I’ve fought for families and businesses who were unfairly targeted by the IRS. I oppose raising taxes, period.”
“I’ll fight to ensure that the American people are never overburdened with unaffordable and unfair taxes,” he stated on his campaign website.
For a different candidate, click on a party. American Independent, Democrats, No Party Preference, and Republicans.
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The primary is Tuesday, June 5.
