Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn intends to run for Democratic Rep. Jane Harman’s House seat when Harman resigns this week, according to a source familiar with Hahn’s plans.
Hahn is a member of a prominent Los Angeles political family: Her father, Kenneth Hahn, was a Los Angeles County supervisor known for his support for the civil rights movement, and her brother James was mayor from 2001 to 2005. She ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor last year, but came in second to then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Janice Hahn is one of at least two Democrats with statewide profiles who are eyeing Harman’s district. The other is California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, whose campaign consultant told the Sacramento Bee is considering the race “very, very seriously.”
Secretary of State Debra Bowen confirmed on Twitter, she's "seriously thinking" of running for the seat as well, but has made no formal announcement.
Marcy Winograd, Jane Harman's primary opponent in 2006 and 2010, left the district and has reportedly registered in Henry Waxman's district.
Janice Hahn's official statement:
LOS ANGELES, CA - Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn today announces the start of her campaign for California’s 36th Congressional District, which is being vacated by Congresswoman Jane Harman in March.
“It has been an honor to work closely with Congresswoman Harman over the past decade on a variety of important efforts to create jobs and improve security at LAX and the port. Her leadership will be missed,” said Hahn.
“I’m running for Congress to create new jobs, expand clean energy technologies and ensure that local small business owners get the help and opportunities they need to flourish in a global economy,” said Hahn.
“As someone who has served in local government for almost a decade, I want to bring that perspective and experience to Congress. It’s time we end the corporate tax giveaways to multinational corporations that send jobs overseas and invest those dollars in businesses that create jobs here at home. We need to invest in a clean-energy economy and there’s no better place to start than right here in the 36th Congressional District.”
Councilwoman Hahn currently represents a significant portion of the South Bay on the Los Angeles City Council. Most significantly, she serves as the Chair of the Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee, which oversees the Port of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles International Airport and the Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Port and Airport have enormous implications for residents of the 36th District in terms of economic revitalization and job creation.
“I plan to work hard to win this seat. I am ready to run and ready to serve the people of the 36th District,” added the Councilwoman.
Councilwoman Hahn, 58 years old, is a Democrat and resides in San Pedro, a Los Angeles community in the 36th Congressional District. Hahn’s public service runs in the family: her father is former Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, and her brother is former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn. Hahn was the Democratic nominee for the 36th Congressional District in 1998, when Harman left office to run for Governor.
Winograd did not live in the district before, and the Constitution does not require that a person be resident in the district (only the state). But with Harman retiring, her Raison d'être ceases to exist.
ReplyDeleteVery interested to hear your take on Hahn -- what's she like? What does she care about?
ReplyDeleteShe'd be a solid, progressive candidate. But her experience is on a local and state level, I'd need to know more about her stands on national issues.
ReplyDeleteThat's the sense I've gotten from some quick Google research, though admittedly I'm an out of state, out of district person.
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