Tran Won’t Run in State Senate Race
The candidate lineup for a key state Senate election this year narrowed Tuesday when Assemblyman Van Tran (R-Garden Grove) dropped out of the race for the 34th District seat representing North County.
Tran had been touted by conservatives as an alternative to Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher (R-Brea), who supports abortion rights and some tax increases for schools.
Tran was pressured to leave the race by Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman (R-Irvine), who has endorsed Daucher as the GOP’s best chance to gain a Senate seat this year. Republican voters have a slight registration edge in the district, now represented by Democrat Joe Dunn of Santa Ana, who is running for state controller.
Tran announced his decision on FlashReport, a political Web log. He said he bowed to arguments that he should run for reelection to his Assembly seat, which he won in 2004, and avoid a bruising primary that would have left the Republican nominee weakened for the general election.
That switches the June primary battle to the other side of the aisle. County Supervisor Lou Correa and Assemblyman Tom Umberg of Anaheim are hoping to succeed Dunn and keep the seat in the hands of Democrats.
Lupe Moreno of Santa Ana, a Republican anti-illegal immigration activist, and Libertarian George Reis are also expected to run.
The 34th District includes Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.
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