It’s official: Tran enters state Senate race

Costa Mesa assemblyman will made bid for seat of termed-out Democrat Joe Dunn, but he’s likely to face primary competition.SANTA ANA -- Costa Mesa Republican Assemblyman Van Tran made his bid for a state Senate seat official Monday.

That means his Assembly seat, which represents all or part of seven Orange County cities including Costa Mesa and Garden Grove, will be up for grabs this year. Janet Nguyen, a Republican City Councilwoman in Garden Grove, has said she’ll run, and Republican activist Jim Righeimer of Fountain Valley also plans to seek the seat.

Tran, 41, announced about a month ago that he would explore his prospects in the race for the 34th Senate District, and apparently they’re favorable enough to suit him. With a few dozen supporters behind him, Tran stood on the steps of the old Orange County Courthouse and said he’s running for the seat.

The 34th District seat is now held by termed-out Democrat Joe Dunn and represents the city of Stanton and parts of six other Orange County cities.

Tran’s next job will be building Republican support -- and a war chest. He may face a primary battle with Republican Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher, who is considering a run, and Orange County Democrats may be prepared to spend at least $3 million to hold onto the seat, according to Tran’s chief of staff, Paul Hegyi.

Running for the Senate means Tran won’t seek reelection to his Assembly seat, which he won in 2004. He’ll be missed by some constituents.

“He’s been a good friend of Costa Mesa,” veteran Costa Mesa City Councilman Gary Monahan said. “He’s worked on a couple of bills for us and also with [the Orange County Transportation Authority].... Considering he’s a Republican and in the minority party, he’s still made his presence known up there [in Sacramento].”

Righeimer, 47, said Monday he’s just been waiting for Tran’s announcement to declare his Assembly candidacy. He lost a 2000 bid for the 67th Assembly seat, but the district lines have since been redrawn.

Nguyen, 29, is expected to make her official announcement of candidacy today.

The first woman to serve on the Garden Grove City Council in 35 years, she was elected in 2004 as Tran was leaving the council for the Assembly. Like Tran, Nguyen was born in Vietnam and came to America with her family as a child.

While illegal immigration has been a hot topic at the federal level and locally in Costa Mesa, it’s hard to say how much it may play into these Assembly or Senate races. Nguyen said it will be one of several important issues, alongside infrastructure and education.

Having candidates on the ballot who immigrated here may change the way people talk about immigration and will force a distinction between legal and illegal immigration, said UC Irvine political scientist Louis DeSipio.

“That subtlety got a little lost in the congressional race,” he said, referring to the 48th District U.S. House race in late 2005. In that contest, Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist and Republican John Campbell tried to prove themselves as tough on illegal immigration as they said the federal government has been lax.

“I think having Tran officially in the race, and having his or the immigrant history part of the political story of the race, will make it harder for immigration to dominate as much as it did in the congressional race,” DeSipio said.

Campaign topics aside, it’s clear that if Tran wins the Republican nomination he’ll face a tough battle to wrest the seat from Democrats.

“I think the 34th Senate District is one of the most important races in the state,” Orange County Democratic Party Chairman Frank Barbaro said.

“It’s certainly not something the Democrats want to give up to the Republicans at a time when Democrats are planning on taking additional Republican seats.”

He said he hasn’t yet begun looking for a Democratic candidate for Tran’s Assembly seat.20060117it7reqncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa Assemblyman Van Tran announces his intention to run for the state Senate at a press conference in Santa Ana on Monday.