John Campbell to Retire From House #CA45

Roll Call ^ | June 28, 2013 | Emily Cahn

[Clintonfatigued]

Five-term Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of his term, citing a desire to start a new chapter in his life after 14 years in elected office.

“At the end of this term, I will have spent 14 years serving in full-time, elected politics. I am not nor did I ever intend to be a career politician,” Campbell said in a statement. “I am ready to begin a new chapter in my life.”

Campbell was first elected to Congress in a 2005 special election to replace former Rep. Christopher Cox, a Republican, who resigned to become chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Campbell spent five years in the California legislature as both a state representative and later a state senator.

Campbell’s retirement will leave an open seat in one of the few Republican-leaning districts in California. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried the district with 55 percent in 2012.

[Clintonfatigued]

Right now, the names to watch are state Senator Mimi Walters and state Assemblyman Don Wagner, who are both Republicans and inter-party rivals. More will join, I just hope it doesn’t become a circular firing squad.

[Perdogg]

He has a Heritage foundation score of 62. Tom McClintock has a score of 88.

[kabar]

Campbell sees the writing on the wall. Eventually, there will be no Rep Congressional seats in CA.

[DAC21]

“Campbell sees the writing on the wall. Eventually, there will be no Rep Congressional seats in CA”

Yep, what middle/upper middle class Republican strong holds that are left are getting infiltrated by College educated mush brained Yuppies and Asians whom are very much of the Collectivist / Socialist mind set.

[Rio]

What part of California?

[Randy Larsen]

Works for me!

Rino in conservative attire.

[R_Kangel]

He’s in the 45th Congressional district .... Palm Springs area.

[EternalVigilance]

A good chunk of Orange County. The southern portion.

[Rio]

Interesting. I think that the extreme Northern end of CA will remain Republican. At least Shasta and Siskiou Counties. Not sure about Del Norte.

[Kickass Conservative]

South Orange County where I live.

We were once considered a Conservative area, but North O.C. went DemocRat and there are plenty of Obama stickers on cars in my neck of the woods. We have gone from Republican Presidential hopefuls getting two thirds of the Vote to Romney only getting 55%.

We have gone from Conservative Republican to Moderate Republican and it gets worse every day. This is California and the cancer of Liberalism spreads everywhere.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“Campbell sees the writing on the wall. Eventually, there will be no Rep Congressional seats in CA.”

---

Given that Romney beat Obama in the CA-45 by 55%-43%, I doubt that was Campbell’s thinking. RATs have no chance in that district at least until redistricting after the 2020 Census.

[mosesdapoet]

Much better than some like Pete King for example.Probably go into the talk show circut. He’s been a favorite of the two left coasties right talkers Praeger and Hewitt and frequently subs for them and a regular on Hewitt’s show.

[kabar]

The 45th district was redistricted from the 48th in 2012. Mary Bono Mack was the previous incumbent and she lost in her new district.

Campbell won in 2012 58.5% to 41.5% over Sukhee Kang, a Korean who was the former mayor of Irvine.

The 45th district currently is 19% Hispanic, 21% Asian, and 1% black. I think the district will become competitive before 2020. Demography is destiny.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Clintonfatigued.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Under its current lines, the CD gave McCain 51% and Romney 55%. That doesn’t look like a district that’s quickly trending Democrat. There are seven GOP-held CDs in CA that are less Republican than the CA-45 (including Darrell Issa’s CD), and none of the other seven Republicans have retired due to fear of losing (even though several sit in Dem-leaning districts, and Gary Miller’s seat is prett strongly Democrat). I don’t know why Campbell is retiring, but it isn’t because he has adopted a sky-is-falling attitude that makes him think that a district in which Obama only got 43.0% while he was coasting to a 59.3% romp statewide would be hard for him to hold.

[Impy]

Which is more conservative?

It’s a safe seat yes? Let them shoot.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“It’s a safe seat yes? Let them shoot.”

---

If we’re talking about two GOP candidates, sure, let them fight it out. But remember California’s retarded (and IMHO unconstitutional) jungle primary syatem: if there are three Republicans running, and two Democrats run, we really need to narrow it to two Republicans prior to the jungle primary so as to avoid the possibility of two Democrats splitting 42% and finishing first and second, thus keeping the GOP out of the general election. That’s how Republican Gary Miller was able to hold the CA-31 even though Romney only got 40% there—three or four RATs split the vote and Miller and another Republican finished first and second. So we have to be careful not to commit a similar mistake.

[Clintonfatigued]

Here is a whopper- Gary Miller is thinking of moving into the district to run. That would be office-shopping at its most blatant.

[campaignPete R-CT]

CF, IN poli is so boring .... no good races, eh?

Pete Visclosky running for re-election?
you are eternally tired cuz u r stuck with yer screen name.
And I am stuck in eternal campaign mode. I am tired.