As Baugh Takes NRA Money, Min Stands with Law Enforcement
IRVINE, CA — Amid a dismal fundraising quarter, Republican Scott Baugh has turned to the gun lobby, accepting thousands in campaign donations as he struggles to gain financial traction following the loss of Californian Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. During the first quarter of 2024, Baugh solicited funds from both the NRA Victory Fund and the National Shooting Sports Foundation PAC– two organizations known for the relentless opposition to gun control measures and significant role in perpetuating the gun violence crisis. This comes in stark contrast to his Democratic opponent, State Senator Dave Min, who has positioned himself as a leading advocate for sensible gun control measures and the is only candidate endorsed by police officers.
From the outset of his tenure, State Senator Dave Min has been a key figure in California's battle against gun violence, initiating Senate Bill (SB) 264 to eliminate gun shows at the Orange County Fairgrounds and pioneering SB 915 in 2022 to prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition on all state property—a first in the nation. He further cemented his leadership in gun safety by partnering with the Brady Campaign on SB 1384, requiring firearms dealers to carry liability insurance and install onsite surveillance. Dave's staunch opposition to the gun lobby is underscored by his 'F' rating from the NRA, a badge of honor reflecting his unwavering commitment to safeguarding Californians against gun violence.
In addition to his efforts to combat gun violence, Dave is the only candidate in the race for CA-47 endorsed by police officers, including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), the state’s largest police union and the largest statewide association of police officers in the country, Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) and The California Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. During his time in the State Senate, Dave worked closely with local law enforcement to combat rising crime and homelessness, including authoring two key bills to address rider safety on public transit, and procuring $1 million for local police to help keep our communities safe.
The differences between Min and Baugh could not be starker. While Scott Baugh began his career as a corrupt State Assemblymember, engaging in campaign finance fraud, perjury, and obstruction of justice, which led to his being indicted for 22 criminal charges (including 4 felony counts), Dave Min began his career cracking down on corporate fraud and corruption as an SEC prosecutor. While Baugh has embraced whackjob conspiracy theories associated with white nationalism, stating that “wokeness” was a more dangerous threat to America’s security than 9/11 or World War II, Min has repeatedly celebrated diversity and stood up against hate in Orange County. And while Baugh has made clear that he would support a total abortion ban, without exceptions, even in the case of rape, incest, or danger to a woman’s life, Min has earned a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood and authored eight leading domestic violence bills into law.
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California’s 47th is an open Congressional District in Orange County that includes the Cities of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Seal Beach, and portions of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Woods. Incumbent Katie Porter is vacating the seat to run for U.S. Senate. In 2022, Porter defeated former Assemblymember Republican Scott Baugh by 3.44% in this “toss-up” district. State Senator Dave Min currently represents over 80% of Congressional District 47 in Sacramento. In 2020, Min received over 158,000 votes within CA-47, defeating incumbent John Moorlach by 5.15% in this area. 19% of the registered voters in CA-47 are of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, including one of the largest Korean-American populations in the country.