Lou Correa

Luis Correa (born January 24 1958 in Anaheim, California) is a moderate California Democratic Party Legislator. He is serving his first term as a member of the California State Senate, representing the 34th Senate District. The district includes the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.

He is a resident of Santa Ana, where he lives with his wife and four children.

Before entering politics, Correa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from California State University, Fullerton as well as a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was an investment banker, a real estate broker, and a college instructor.

Political career

Correa's political career began in 1996 when he ran for the California State Assembly as the Democratic nominee in the 69th Assembly District. In a very close race, he lost to Republican incumbent Jim Morrissey by just 93 votes. In a 1998 rematch, Correa was elected to the Assembly when he defeated Morrissey 54% to 43%.

While a member of the Assembly, Correa served on several committees and was the chair of the Committee on Business and Professions, the Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee; the Select Committee on Mobile Homes; and the Select Committee on MCAS El Toro Reuse.

Correa was re-elected to the Assembly twice but was forced from office by California's term limits law, which restricts members from serving more than three two-year terms.

In 2004, he campaigned for and was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, becoming the first Democrat to serve on the board since 1987. He represented the First District, which includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and Midway City as well as unincorporated areas of the county.

In January 2006, Correa entered the race for the Democratic Party nomination for the California State Senate 34th District, a seat vacated by termed out Democratic State Senator Joe Dunn.

After defeating Assemblyman Tom Umberg in the contested June primary, Correa faced off against Republican Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher in the November general election. In yet another close race, Correa won the election with a margin of victory of 1,392 votes.

Correa was sworn into the California State Senate on December 4 2006.

References

*Wisckol,Martin, [http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/county/article_1328337.php "The hot Senate race"] , "The Orange County Register", October 24 2006
*Quach, Hanh Kim, [http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/article_967489.php "34th Senate race likely to get heated, expensive"] , "The Orange County Register", January 26 2006
*Weikel,Dan; Lin,Sara; Yoshino Kimi. "Orange County elections", "Los Angeles Times", November 3 2004
*"Decision '98: The Final Count". "Los Angeles Times", November 5 1998
*Warren, Peter M. "Vote recount called off by Assembly candidate", "Los Angeles Times", December 6 1996

External links

* [http://www.sen.ca.gov/correa Official Senate web site]