Two more candidates have jumped into the growing list of people seeking to replace Rep. Katie Porter in California’s 47th congressional district.
One of them is Mike Schaefer, a Democrat who first won his seat on the State Board of Equalization in 2018. The San Diego resident currently represents residents of five Southern California counties, including Orange County.
Schaefer originally filed to run in the 45th congressional district but said that was a mistake; he hadn’t realized Porter’s seat was redistricted into CA-47 in 2020.
“I’m trying to figure out how to unregister myself (in the 45th congressional district),” Schaefer said. “I’m trying to get past that hurdle first.”
The octogenarian said he’s the “ideal person” for this seat because he only plans to serve one term in Washington — allowing Porter to retake the seat if she loses her U.S. Senate race, he said.
Schaefer is an attorney who has served in various government positions, including as a San Diego City councilmember and staff assistant to the late Senator Thomas Kuchel. During Schaefer’s time on the City Council in 1970, he was accused of bribery and conspiracy in a taxicab rate increase scandal but acquitted a year later. In 1993, Schaefer was convicted and jailed for spousal abuse. And in 1986, he was ordered to pay $1.83 million in damages to former tenants in a Los Angeles apartment building in a landlord-tenant dispute.
Also running is Republican James Brian “JB” Griffin, who placed last with 1.3% of the vote in the CA-48 primary in 2020. In his campaign launch video, Griffin stands in front of a yacht and says the theme of his campaign is: “Love America, do the right thing, stand up for freedom, treat others how you wish to be treated and make laws in our community that will work for the betterment of all of us.”
Griffin, who resides in Huntington Beach’s beachfront community Sunset Beach, said he believes in “getting things done through community involvement.” His vision, as posted on his campaign website, is to work with local organizations to help build homeless shelters with medical services, alleviate congestion on the roads, lower taxes, support law enforcement and make schools safe with armed security.
The coastal CA-47, which includes Irvine, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, has 35.6% registered Democrats, 33.9% registered Republicans and 24.5% no party preference.
State Sen. Dave Min, former GOP Assembly leader Scott Baugh and Democratic community organizer Joanna Weiss are also running for the seat.
The seat is open after Porter launched a bid to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
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