Assemblywoman Julia Brownley enters congressional race

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Assemblywoman Julia Browney (D-Santa Monica) has jumped into the crowded race for an open Ventura County congressional seat.

Brownley has received the endorsement of Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett, who recently surprised fellow Democrats by dropping out of the race, in which he was considered a front-runner.

The recently redrawn 26th Congressional District became open with the announcement by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) that he will retire rather than seek the seat or challenge Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Santa Clarita), when their homes were drawn into the same district.

The field is large. On the Democratic side, in addition to Brownley, are businessman David Cruz Thayne, Moorpark City Councilman David Pollock and Jess Herrera, an elected member of the Port Hueneme Harbor Commission in Oxnard. Republicans include state Sen. Tony Strickland of Moorpark, who was recruited by the National Republican Congressional Committee; Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks and educator Akiva Werbalowsky of Ojai.

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-- Jean Merl and Catherine Saillant