Republican Businessman to Run for Vacant Senate Seat

Businessman Rob Hurtt announced his candidacy Monday for the state’s 32nd Senate District seat that became vacant when Ed Royce was elected to Congress in November.

Today is the deadline for candidates to enter the March 2 special election, and county Republican officials predicted at Monday’s news conference that Hurtt, 48, would be the only GOP name on the ballot. Democrat Ken LeBlanc, owner of an auto part sales company, also is running for the seat.

State Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange) said Hurtt’s election would be critical in that it would give Republicans “the magic number of 14” that would allow them to sustain a governor’s veto.

Assemblymen Mickey Conroy (R-Orange) and Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) also were on hand Monday to support Hurtt, as were Lois Lundberg and Mitchell Tracy, who both said they had thought about running against Hurtt but chose instead to support him.

Lundberg, a former Orange County Republican Party chairwoman, said Hurtt’s background in business is needed in Sacramento.

Hurtt said he has been endorsed by every Republican legislator in Orange County.

He said he will use his business experience to create jobs for Orange County and to work toward rebuilding the state’s economy.

“To keep and create jobs, we must reduce the state’s tax burden, eliminate needless regulations and reform the state workers’ compensation, one of the most expensive and corrupt in the nation,” he said.

The 32nd District includes Fullerton, La Habra, Garden Grove and Santa Ana. Tony Russo, a Hurtt campaign aide, said the district is conservative and supported George Bush and Bruce Herschensohn in November.

Hurtt is a native Californian and holds a degree in economics from Claremont McKenna College, he said. He owns and operates Container Supply Co., a metal and plastic container manufacturing firm that employs about 160 people.

Hurtt and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 27 years and have four children and two grandchildren. They live in Garden Grove.

This is Hurtt’s first campaign for public office.