Dan Lungren

Bobbi Lungren

​

(m. 1969)​

Dan Lungren
Chair of the House Administration Committee
In office January 3, 2011 –January 3, 2013
Children	3
Education	University of Notre Dame (BA) Georgetown University (JD)

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, he was the last Republican to 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

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)

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

Lungren did not seek reelection to the U.S. House when California Governor George Deukmejian appointed him as the state's acting state treasurer, but he was never confirmed. ^[8]

Lungren was later elected as Attorney General of California in 1990; he served two terms from 1991 to 1999. Shortly after becoming California 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)

Lungren was elected to California's 3rd congressional district in 2004, which included several rural and exburban 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 has stated that he opposes "any bill brought to the floor of the House that includes an amnesty provision that confers citizenship status." He cites his concern as the millions of "legal immigrants who wait years in order to obtain permanent residence and citizenship." ^[14] Lungren has been 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 is to stop the use of submersible and semi-submersible vessels used to transport drugs and other contrabands, which 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 on this new role, he left his spot with the Budget Committee. He 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, which was called by the Associated Press on November 15, 2012, in favor of the Democratic challenger, Ami Bera, by a margin of 5,700 votes – 51.1% to 48.9%. ^[17]

Committee assignments

• Committee on House Administration (Chairman)
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement
  • Task Force on Judicial Impeachment
• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Transportation Security
  • Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies (Chairman)
• Joint Committee on Printing
• Joint Committee on the Library
• Republican Study Committee

Political campaigns

2004

Lungren ran for Congress again in the 3rd congressional district after six-year incumbent U.S. Representative Doug Ose announced his retirement. ^[18] Lungren has 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 and State Senator Rico Oller in 2004. ^[19]

2010

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 Art Tuma. Lungren was reelected with 50.6% of the vote, with Bera accumulating 42.7% and 6.7% to other candidates. ^[20]

2012

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 faced Democrat Ami Bera in the November general election. ^[22] Seen as a swing district, the race was described as a potential "PAC Battlefield". ^[23] One of the most-watched race nationally, both sides poured in millions of dollars for their campaigns. Bera was ultimately elected to the seat. ^[24]

Electoral history

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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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			{{{votes}}}
	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

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

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"".^{[ dead link ]}
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. 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".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
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.

External links

• U.S. Congressman Dan Lungren official U.S. House website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Profile at Vote Smart
• The California Citizens Redistricting Commission, final districts California Citizens Redistricting Commission | "Fair Representation - Democracy at Work!"
• Appearances on C-SPAN

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Mark Hannaford	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 34th congressional district 1979–1983	Succeeded by Esteban Torres
Preceded by Duncan Hunter	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 42nd congressional district 1983–1989	Succeeded by Dana Rohrabacher
Preceded by Doug Ose	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 3rd congressional district 2005–2013	Succeeded by John Garamendi
Preceded by Vern Ehlers	Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee 2009–2011	Succeeded by Bob Brady
Preceded by Bob Brady	Chair of the House Administration Committee 2011–2013	Succeeded by Candice Miller
Legal offices
Preceded by John Van de Kamp	Attorney General of California 1991–1999	Succeeded by Bill Lockyer
Party political offices
Preceded by Pete Wilson	Republican nominee for Governor of California 1998	Succeeded by Bill Simon
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Bob Dornan as Former US Representative	Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative	Succeeded by Ron Packard as Former US Representative