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SAN CLEMENTE, CA – Today, San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan announced his campaign for Assembly District 74, which includes North San Diego County and South Orange County, pledging to bring a change agenda to the State Capitol focused foremost on making California more affordable for middle-class families.

San Clemente Mayor Chris Duncan said: “California families are facing unprecedented challenges, but the Republican who represents us is unresponsive to our community and unwilling to act. I’m running to put the middle class first, lower costs for working families, and ensure all our children grow up safe with real opportunity. From keeping costs and crime down as Mayor of San Clemente to rooting out political corruption as a prosecutor, my life’s work has been fighting to keep the promise of the California Dream alive, and that’s exactly what I’ll fight for in the State Assembly.”

As San Clemente Mayor and on the City Council, Duncan has made his city safer, protected a woman’s right to choose, prioritized smart growth and affordable housing, and worked to create jobs, invest clean energy, and help small businesses survive the pandemic. Called to public service after 9/11, Chris Duncan worked as a federal prosecutor under both Republican and Democratic administrations, going after political corruption, corporate wrongdoing, and domestic terrorism.

Duncan begins the campaign with a powerful endorsement coalition that spans both San Diego and Orange Counties. Duncan’s full endorsement list includes:

• Catherine Blakespear, State Senator
• Dave Min, State Senator
• Josh Newman, State Senator
• Josh Becker, State Senator
• Cottie Petrie-Norris, State Assemblymember
• Sharon Quirk-Silva, State Assemblymember
• Avelino Valencia, State Assemblymember
• Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, State Assemblymember
• Eloise Gomez Reyes, State Assemblymember
• Mike Gipson, State Assemblymember
• Kevin McCarty, State Assemblymember
• Terra Lawson-Remer, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair
• Katrina Foley, Orange County Supervisor
• Doug Chaffee, Orange County Supervisor
• Richard Hurt, Aliso Viejo Mayor
• Ross Chun, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
• Tiffany Ackley, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
• Priya Bhat-Patel, Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem
• Teresa Acosta, Carlsbad City Councilmember
• Manny Chavez, Costa Mesa City Councilmember
• Michael Villar, Dana Point City Councilmember
• Tammy Kim, Irvine Vice Mayor
• George Weiss, Laguna Beach City Councilmember
• Alex Rounaghi, Laguna Beach City Councilmember
• Stephanie Oddo, Laguna Niguel City Councilmember
• Cynthia Vazquez, Mission Viejo City Councilmember
• Mark Enmeier, San Clemente City Councilmember
• Sergio Farias, San Juan Capistrano City Councilmember
• Dan O’Donnell, Vista City Councilmember
• Amy Hanacek, Capistrano Valley Unified School District Trustee
• Cipriano Vargas, Vista Unified School District Trustee
• Fran Sdao, Orange County Democratic Party Chair Emeritus

Duncan surprised political insiders last cycle by making the race for Assembly District 74 competitive for the first time in history and among the most hard-fought legislative battles in California. The Republican incumbent, the GOP, and their special interest backers were forced to spend well over $1 million to defend the seat in 2022, and a rematch amid the higher turnout Presidential election is expected to make the race even more competitive this time around.

Dan Rottenstreich, strategist for the Duncan for Assembly campaign said: “Chris Duncan is building powerful support because his accomplishments as a prosecutor and local Mayor alongside his focus on the middle class resonate strongly in this swing district.  And the Republican incumbent is deeply vulnerable – Laurie Davies has less than $3,000 in campaign funds to start the year, the Presidential election will give Democrats a voter turnout advantage in 2024, and she has no record to run on aside from her unyielding MAGA extremism and unwavering support for the special interests making life more expensive for everyday Californians. It’s clear AD 74 will be a top pick-up opportunity for Assembly Democrats in 2024 and Chris Duncan has the profile and path to win.”

Duncan is a graduate of California public schools and holds law degrees from Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Hawaii School of Law, along with a B.A. in Political Science from Boston College. He lives in the Talega neighborhood of San Clemente with his wife, Haley, a small business owner, and their three kids, who attend local public schools.

To learn more about Chris Duncan and his campaign, visit his website, votechrisduncan.com.  Follow Chris Duncan on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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