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Dan Lungren

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Dan Lungren
Official portrait, 2009
Chair of the House Administration Committee
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byBob Brady
Succeeded byCandice Miller
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byDoug Ose
Succeeded byAmi Bera
Constituency3rd district
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1989
Preceded byMark W. Hannaford
Succeeded byDana Rohrabacher
Constituency34th district (1979–1983)
42nd district (1983–1989)
29th Attorney General of California
In office
January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999
GovernorPete Wilson
Preceded byJohn Van de Kamp
Succeeded byBill Lockyer
Personal details
Born (1946-09-22) September 22, 1946 (age 78)
Long Beach, California, US
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Bobbi Lungren
​
(m. 1969)​
Children3
EducationUniversity of Notre Dame (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
Dan Lungren's voice
Lungren honors his former colleague, Jack Kemp
Recorded May 6, 2009

Daniel Edward Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for California's 3rd congressional district from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, during his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento County, portions of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine County, Amador County and Calaveras County.

Lungren previously represented the Long Beach area in Congress from 1979 to 1989 and served as the 29th attorney general of California from 1991 to 1999. He was the Republican nominee for governor of California in 1998, losing to Democrat Gray Davis. As of 2024, Lungren is the last Republican to officially serve as California State Attorney General to date. In Congress, he was a member of the Republican Study Committee.[original research?]

Early life, education and private career

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Dan Lungren was born in Long Beach, California, of Irish, Swedish and Scottish descent. From 1952, Lungren's father, John, was the personal physician to and a close friend of former President Richard Nixon.[1]

Lungren graduated from St. Anthony High School in 1964 and matriculated to the University of Notre Dame, where he earned an A.B. degree with honors in English in 1968.[2] He returned to California to chair Youth for Nixon during Nixon's first successful run for the presidency.[3]

Lungren began his legal studies at the University of Southern California Law School but transferred to Georgetown University Law Center, where he earned his J.D. degree in 1971. During his years at Georgetown, Lungren worked for U.S. Senators George Murphy (R-California) and Bill Brock (R-Tennessee). From 1971 to 1972, he was Special Assistant to the co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC); Lungren's wife, Bobbi, worked in the Nixon White House at the time.[4] When Lungren returned to Long Beach, he joined a law firm and practiced civil law for a short time before running unsuccessfully for Congress in 1976. He was successful in 1978.[5]

U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1989)

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Lungren first served in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1989, representing portions of Long Beach and Orange County. Radley Balko wrote in 2012: "Lungren rose in stature with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, and quickly became a darling of the tough-on-crime crowd and the rising moral majority movement."[6] He was one of Newt Gingrich's chief lieutenants during this time; he was a founding member of the Conservative Opportunity Society. He served on the House Judiciary Committee, where he pushed for "tough on crime" legislation. In 1984, Lungren sponsored the Comprehensive Crime Control Act, "at the time one of the most sweeping pieces of anti-crime legislation in U.S. history."[6] In addition, he supported asset forfeiture as a weapon in the War on Drugs, saying he wanted to "[m]ake it illegal for a dry cleaner or a grocery store to take money from a drug dealer (...) and if they do, seize the business. Put the merchant in jail."[6]

Lungren also supported sanctions against employers who hired illegal immigrants, but also favored a temporary guest-worker program. He was the principal House cosponsor of the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, which became the Immigration Reform Act of 1986. He also independently sponsored a "guest worker" bill, designed to allow for importation of "temporary" immigrant laborers.[7]

California statewide offices

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In late 1987, California Governor George Deukmejian attempted to appoint Lungren to fill a vacancy in the office of California State Treasurer. The state Assembly confirmed Lungren's appointment, but the state Senate rejected it. Arguing that only one house of the Legislature needed to confirm him, Lungren took his case to the California Supreme Court; while pursuing this action, he did not seek re-election to the U.S. House. On June 23, 1988, the state Supreme Court ruled that both houses of the legislature had to confirm Lungren's appointment; he thus found himself out of a job in both Washington, D.C. and Sacramento.[8]

Lungren was elected Attorney General of California in 1990; he served two terms from 1991 to 1999. Shortly after becoming attorney general, Lungren, a staunch supporter of capital punishment, presided over California's first execution in over twenty years.[6] During his tenure in the office, he helped pass legislation such as "Megan's Law", "3-Strikes-and-You're-Out", "Sexual Anti-Predator Act" and the "California's Safe Schools Plan".[9] He also sponsored a law allowing minors as young as 14 who are accused of murder to be tried as adults and "led a national effort to limit lawsuits filed by prisoners, which produced the federal Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996."[6] His 1993 letter to five major video game publishers and seven major video game retailers, asking them "to stop the manufacturing, licensing, distribution, or sale of any video game that portrays graphic and gratuitous violence", was called "the strongest anti-violence statement yet from a top government official" by the gaming press, even with Lungren's accompanying statement that he was strictly making an appeal to the companies' sense of civic responsibility and not calling for any form of government censorship.[10][11] In 1996, he was considered as a possible vice presidential candidate to run with Republican nominee Bob Dole.[12] That same year, Lungren "vigorously opposed" Proposition 215, which legalized medical marijuana in California.[6]

In 1998 Lungren ran as the Republican candidate for the governorship against Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis. Davis received 57.9% of the votes, while Lungren got 38.4%. During the campaign, Davis maintained that Lungren, who presented himself as the political heir to former California Governor and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, was too conservative for California. Davis also criticized Lungren's hesitancy, as California Attorney General, to enforce laws restricting assault weapons and his waiting until the last minute to become part of a class action lawsuit against the cigarette industry.

U.S. House of Representatives (2005–2013)

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In 2004 Lungren was elected to California's 3rd congressional district, which included several rural and exurban areas east of Sacramento.[13] He had moved to Gold River, a Sacramento suburb, in the 1990s.

Lungren was reappointed to the Judiciary Committee based on his previous five terms of seniority; he also served on the Homeland Security Committee. In 2005, Lungren supported the USA PATRIOT Act, which renewed the federal government's ability to perform secret surveillance including wiretaps of citizens and monitoring of public and private computer packet-switched networks to prevent terrorism from hitting the United States. In 2006, Lungren and fellow U.S. Representative Jane Harman authored the SAFE Port Act, which improves security at the ports including additional requirements for maritime facilities, foreign port assessments, container security initiatives and Customs Trade Partnership against Terrorism. The bill passed the House with bipartisan support. Also in 2006, he sponsored the "Streamlined Procedures Act" which "would strip federal courts of the power to review habeas corpus petitions in state death penalty cases."[6] In 2007, Lungren was appointed to the House Administration Committee.[citation needed]

Lungren stated that he opposed "any bill brought to the floor of the House that includes an amnesty provision that confers citizenship status." He cited his concern as the millions of "legal immigrants who wait years in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship."[14] Lungren was an opponent of "the huge growth of spending earmarks." Described as a "maverick", he "cited the need for the party to adopt more fiscally conservative policies."[15]

On July 29, 2008, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6295, introduced by Lungren. This legislation was to stop the use of submersible and semi-submersible vessels used to transport drugs and other contraband that pose a threat to communities and national security. Shortly after the 2008 election, a newly reelected Lungren challenged John Boehner for House Minority Leader. Although Lungren did not win the post, Boehner appointed him as Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee. To serve in this new role, he left his seat on the Budget Committee. Lungren became Chairman of the House Administration Committee when Republicans took control of the House in January 2011. The Cook Political Report by the National Journal named Lungren the Republican most vulnerable to redistricting in 2012.[16]

Lungren lost his reelection bid for California's 7th congressional district, reapportioned after the 2010 United States census, in the November 2012 election, won by the Democratic challenger, Ami Bera, by a margin of 5,700 votes – 51.1% to 48.9%.[17]

Committee assignments

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Political campaigns

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2004

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Lungren ran for Congress again in the 3rd congressional district after six-year incumbent U.S. Representative Doug Ose announced his retirement.[18] Lungren stated that his desire to serve in Congress again was rekindled by the September 11 attacks. He won a come from behind victory in a three-way primary against Mary Ose (sister of Doug) and State Senator Rico Oller in 2004.[19]

2010

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See also: 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 3

Lungren was challenged by Democratic nominee Ami Bera, a physician by occupation, American Independent Jerry Leidecker, Peace and Freedom nominee Mike Roskey and Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma. Lungren was reelected with 50.6% of the vote, with Bera accumulating 42.7% and 6.7% for other candidates.[20]

2012

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See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 7

After the 2010 U.S. Census, Lungren's district was renumbered as the 7th district. It lost all of its territory outside Sacramento County and had a more evenly divided registration of Republicans and Democrats than its predecessor.[21] He again faced Democrat Ami Bera in the November general election.[22] With the 7th seen as a swing district, the race was described as a potential "PAC Battlefield".[23] In one of the most-watched House races nationally, both sides poured in millions of dollars for their campaigns. Bera was ultimately elected to the seat, with 51.7% of the vote to Lungren's 48.3%[24]

Electoral history

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United States House of Representatives elections, 1976[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark W. Hannaford (incumbent) 100,988 50.7
Republican Dan Lungren 98,147 49.3
Total votes 199,135 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1978[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 90,554 53.7
Democratic Mark W. Hannaford (incumbent) 73,608 43.7
American Independent Lawrence John Stafford 4,410 2.6
Total votes 168,572 100.0
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic
United States House of Representatives elections, 1980[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 138,024 71.8
Democratic Simone[28] 46,351 24.1
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 7,794 4.1
Total votes 192,169 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1982[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 142,845 69.0
Democratic James P. Spellman 58,690 28.3
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 5,514 2.7
Total votes 207,049 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1984[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 177,783 73.0
Democratic Mary Lou Brophy 60,025 24.6
Peace and Freedom John S. Donohue 5,811 2.4
Total votes 243,619 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1986[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 140,364 72.8
Democratic Michael P. Blackburn 47,586 24.7
Peace and Freedom Kate McClatchy 4,761 2.5
Total votes 192,711 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
California Attorney General election, 1990[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 3,407,927 46.8
Democratic Arlo Smith 3,379,021 46.4
Libertarian Paul N. Gautreau 256,378 3.5
Peace and Freedom Robert J. Evans 242,871 3.3
Total votes 7,286,197 100.0
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic
California Attorney General election, 1994[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 4,363,760 54.0
Democratic Tom Umberg 3,189,836 39.4
Libertarian Richard Burns 275,265 3.4
Peace and Freedom Robert J. Evans 259,073 3.2
Total votes 8,087,934 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
California gubernatorial election, 1998[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gray Davis 4,860,702 58.0
Republican Dan Lungren 3,218,030 38.4
Green Dan Hamburg 104,179 1.2
Libertarian Steve Kubby 73,845 0.9
Peace and Freedom Gloria La Riva 59,218 0.7
American Independent Nathan Johnson 37,964 0.4
Natural Law Harold H. Bloomfield 31,237 0.4
Total votes 8,385,175 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican
United States House of Representatives elections, 2004[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren 177,738 62.0
Democratic Gabe Castillo 100,025 34.8
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 9,310 3.2
Total votes 287,073 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2006[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 135,709 59.5
Democratic Bill Durston 86,318 37.9
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 3,772 1.6
Peace and Freedom Michael Roskey 2,370 1.0
Total votes 228,169 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2008[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 155,424 49.5
Democratic Bill Durston 137,971 44.0
Peace and Freedom Dina J. Padilla 13,378 4.2
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 7,273 2.3
Total votes 314,046 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 131,169 50.1
Democratic Ami Bera 113,128 43.2
American Independent Jerry L. Leidecker 6,577 2.5
Libertarian Douglas Arthur Tuma 6,275 2.4
Peace and Freedom Mike Roskey 4,789 1.8
Total votes 261,938 100.0
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 2012[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ami Bera 141,241 51.7
Republican Dan Lungren (incumbent) 132,050 48.3
Total votes 273,291 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

Personal life

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Lungren and his wife Bobbi have three children: Jeff, Kelly and Kathleen. He has seven grandchildren. In 2010 he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology.

References

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  1. ^ Altman, Lawrence K. (March 1, 2000). "John C. Lungren, 83, Nixon's Doctor, Is Dead". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
  2. ^ ""Independence Ave"". Archived from the original on July 12, 2012.
  3. ^ "Biodata". Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  4. ^ "Biodata". Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  5. ^ United States House of Representatives website Archived December 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Balko, Radley (2012-11-19) Dan Lungren, Drug Warrior, Loses Bid For Reelection Archived April 24, 2023, at the Wayback Machine, Huffington Post
  7. ^ ""Merced Sun-Star July 29, 1985". Archived from the original on July 11, 2012.
  8. ^ Paddock, Richard C.; Gladstone, Mark (June 25, 1988). "Lungren Vows Not to Retire From Politics, Hints at New Effort in 1990". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "Congressman Dan Lungren official web site" Archived April 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "California's Attorney General Attacks Video Violence". GamePro. No. 55. IDG. February 1994. p. 186.
  11. ^ Semrad, Ed (January 1994). "Violence in Video Games... Part 2!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 54. EGM Media, LLC. p. 6.
  12. ^ Bill Stall (June 20, 1996). "Lungren as Dole Running Mate? Some Can See It". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  13. ^ "Rep. Dan Lungren (R)". Almanac. National Journal. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  14. ^ "Immigration Position". US House of Representatives. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  15. ^ "California District 3 Rep. Dan Lungren". Almanac. National Journal. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  16. ^ David Wasserman and Julia Edwards (April 15, 2011). "Top 10 Republicans Most Vulnerable to Redistricting". Cook Political Report. National Journal. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  17. ^ "Lungren loses his House seat". The San Francisco Chronicle. November 16, 2012. Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  18. ^ Sacramento Bee article on Lungren's 2001 congressional election Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "National Journal polltracking re Lungren in 2004".
  20. ^ "Senate, House and gubernatorial races". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 3, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  21. ^ "Dan Lungren ramps up re-election efforts in Sacramento Co. seat". Sacramento Bee. March 13, 2012. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012.
  22. ^ "Dan Lungren defends embattled Sacramento GOP voter drive". Sacramento Bee. June 19, 2012. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  23. ^ Morain, Dan (July 22, 2012). "Dan Morain: Lungren-Bera race likely to be a PAC battlefield". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
  24. ^ Dan Lungren concedes Congressional District 7 race to Ami Bera Archived February 21, 2013, at archive.today News10.net. November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  25. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived July 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1976," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  26. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived October 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 1978," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  27. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived March 20, 2022, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1980," (retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  28. ^ Google News Archive – Spokane Daily Chronicle Archived April 24, 2023, at the Wayback Machine "Candidate names confuse," by Tom Raum (October 21, 1980 – retrieved on July 30, 2009).
  29. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1982," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  30. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived October 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1984," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  31. ^ Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives Archived January 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1986," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  32. ^ Our Campaigns Archived October 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine "California Attorney General Race – November 6, 1990", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  33. ^ Our Campaigns Archived October 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine "California Attorney General Race – November 8, 1994", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  34. ^ Our Campaigns Archived January 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine "California Attorney General Race – November 3, 1998," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  35. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine "United States Representative in Congress", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  36. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived November 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine "United States Representative in Congress," (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  37. ^ Office of the California Secretary of State Archived December 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine "United States Representative in Congress", (retrieved on July 31, 2009).
  38. ^ "2012 general election results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dan Lungren.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 34th congressional district
1979–1983 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 42nd congressional district
1983–1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 3rd congressional district
2005–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the House Administration Committee
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of California
1991–1999 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of California
1998 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
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