Gallegly to Run for 6th Term in Congress

Saying he has much left to accomplish in Congress, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) on Monday announced his plans to run for his sixth term in the House of Representatives.

Gallegly filed his nomination papers Monday at the Ventura County elections office after quickly collecting the 40 signatures of registered Republican voters needed to sponsor his candidacy.

“My plate has been very full this past year,” Gallegly said in a statement. “But the long hours and hard work have been enormously satisfying to me because Congress has been able to turn this government around and get things moving in the right direction.”

Gallegly, 51, a cabinetmaker-turned-real estate entrepreneur, first took public office on the Simi Valley City Council in 1979 and was later elected mayor.

In 1986, he was elected to his first term in Congress, winning reelection every other year since then.

So far, no Republicans have emerged to challenge Gallegly in the 23rd Congressional District, which includes all of Ventura County, except for most of Thousand Oaks.

Bob Unruhe, a retired teacher from Ojai, has announced his intention to run as a Democrat in the race. And Democrat Richard Freiman, an Oak Park attorney and screenwriter, is also considering entering the race.

Challengers have until Dec. 29 to file their candidacy papers.