ICYMI CA47: Joanna Weiss Attacks Dave Min for……not being a Democrat?

California’s Largest Union and Liberal Scholar Erwin Chemerinsky Push Back On “Absurd” Negative Attack In The Huffington Post

Desperate Mudslinging Begins As Min Continues To Consolidate Democratic Field With Commanding Fundraising, Poll Numbers, and Endorsements

IRVINE, CA — This morning, one of Dave Min’s primary opponents, first-time candidate and former corporate lawyer Joanna Weiss, attacked Democratic State Senator Dave Min in the Huffington Post, suggesting that the former University of California Irvine (UCI) School of Law professor, former policy director at the Center of American Progress, and former policy counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer, was some sort of ‘closet Republican’ because he was a voluntary faculty advisor to a conservative student group– the same student group which had previously been advised by Erwin Chemerinsky, known as one of the country’s foremost liberal legal commentators– while he was a professor at UCI Law.

Min, the current Democratic State Senator for California’s 37th District– which overlaps with over 80% of the 47th Congressional District where he is running– has twice been previously endorsed by the California Democratic Party, has an A+ rating from Planned Parenthood, 100% rating from NARAL, was named a “Labor Champion” by the California Labor Federation, and is running for California’s 47th Congressional District with the endorsement of incumbent Congresswoman Katie Porter, and over 150 local and state Democratic leaders. Prior to joining the faculty of UCI Law in 2012, Min had a long and distinguished career fighting on behalf of progressive causes, highlights of which can be seen here.

Erwin Chemerinsky, who was the Dean of UCI Law when Senator Min was on the faculty there, and Oscar Lopez, the political director of SEIU, are among those who have issued statements defending Senator Min from this “absurd” attack from the Weiss campaign.

Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley School of Law Dean and founding Dean of UC Irvine School of Law:

“When Dave Min joined the faculty of UC Irvine School of Law, he was a leading progressive voice on financial regulation and banking policy, and his progressive political leanings were well known to students and faculty alike. His role in advising the Federalist Society was consistent with the broader academic mission of promoting robust debate and free speech. In fact, Senator Min was following the example that I set, as I was the very first academic advisor to the Federalist Society at UCI Law. The implication that Dave Min was secretly a closet right winger is absurd and contradicted by the substantial weight of his entire career.” 

Oscar Lopez, SEIU California State Political Director:

“Joanna Weiss is trying to distract from the fact that she is self-funding her campaign with money earned from a career working against the labor movement and hard-working California workers. Dave Min’s progressive record speaks for itself.”

Isabel Ocampo, Min Campaign Spokeswoman 

“100% Rating from Planned Parenthood. 100% Rating from NARAL. Former Policy Director for the Center for American Progress. Former Economic Policy Advisor for Senator Chuck Schumer. Endorsed by Congresswoman Katie Porter. Endorsed by the California Democratic Party in 2018 and 2020. State Senator Dave Min’s progressive record and accomplishments speak for themselves—the real question here is why his political opponent is resorting to these kinds of desperate negative attacks to distort Senator Min’s record in bad faith?” 

The negative campaigning comes on the heels of Min, continuing to expand his lead in fundraising, endorsements and the strong poll numbers. Senator Min has substantially outpaced the Democratic field in terms of the most money raised to date, the most cash on hand, and the most money available for the primary election. He has over 160 key endorsements from federal, state, and local leaders and labor organizations. He won CA-47 during that election by over 5% in 2020, a tough year for Orange County Democrats, defeating a long-time Republican icon who was thought to be unbeatable. Just after the end of 2023’s first quarter, former Congressman Harley Rouda ended his bid for the 47th, leaving Min as the only Democrat in the race with previous campaign, legislative, or federal policy experience.

Senator Min, the only Korean-American in the state legislature, serves as Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and as Senate Vice Chair of the Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. Min has proven himself an incredibly effective legislative leader in the Senate, authoring 17 bills signed into law by the Governor, including leading legislation on climate rescue, hate crimes, gun violence prevention, family safety, and women’s reproductive rights. Before entering the State Senate, Min was a law professor at UC Irvine, where he taught and researched in the area of business law, and was seen as a leading expert in his field, testifying six times before Congress and regularly appearing on CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. Senator Min has spent his career in public service, including working at the Securities and Exchange Commission and as a policy advisor for Senator Chuck Schumer. He resides with his wife Jane Stoever, a UC Irvine law professor who specializes in domestic violence and family law, and their three children, who all attend public school in Irvine. Dave is a native Californian, a product of California public schools who graduated from the Wharton School and Harvard Law School, and an Eagle Scout.

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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%. 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.