DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION
(WINNER OF THE CA-49 PRIMARY)
MIKE LEVIN
Partisan Affiliation: Democrat
Background: Graduate of Stanford University and Duke University School of Law. Practicing as an attorney focused on environmental and energy regulatory compliance and government affairs. Was Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Orange County. Served on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy. Married, two children, lives in San Juan Capistrano.
Issues: Climate change, renewable energy, campaign finance reform, health care for all, education. Passionate about climate change, sustainable energy, and environmental protection and believes that a transition to a sustainable energy future is an imperative. Wants the United States to be a leader in clean energy technology. In favor of a revenue-neutral carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies. Vocal proponent of a permanent solution to the hazardous nuclear waste stored at San Onofre. Strong advocate of campaign finance reform including a Constitutional Amendment to undo Citizens United. Supports Medicare for All as a single player solution to provide healthcare to all Americans. Will fight against privatization of education and will push for resources for public schools to get great teachers, reduce class sizes, and double down on STEM education. Will fight for increased funding for scientific research including NIH. Supports a $15 minimum wage. In favor of additional Wall Street reform to prevent another 2008 crash. Supports women's rights including the right to choose. Will fight to protect Social Security and Medicare to ensure a safety net for senior citizens. Supports reform of Veterans Affairs policy to prevent for-profit schools from targeting active and veteran service members for their money. Will fight for LGBT rights. Supports expanding Brady background checks to all gun sales. Supports comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship but also with increased border security and a requirement for undocumented immigrants to pay back taxes and study English. Will fight for humane treatment of animals under the Animal Welfare Act. Will advocate for federal legislation to clarify state and local roles in addiction treatment to ensure proper licensing, ethical treatment, and prevent addiction treatment fraud.
Background: Graduate of Stanford University and Duke University School of Law. Practicing as an attorney focused on environmental and energy regulatory compliance and government affairs. Was Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Orange County. Served on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy. Married, two children, lives in San Juan Capistrano.
Issues: Climate change, renewable energy, campaign finance reform, health care for all, education. Passionate about climate change, sustainable energy, and environmental protection and believes that a transition to a sustainable energy future is an imperative. Wants the United States to be a leader in clean energy technology. In favor of a revenue-neutral carbon tax and cap-and-trade policies. Vocal proponent of a permanent solution to the hazardous nuclear waste stored at San Onofre. Strong advocate of campaign finance reform including a Constitutional Amendment to undo Citizens United. Supports Medicare for All as a single player solution to provide healthcare to all Americans. Will fight against privatization of education and will push for resources for public schools to get great teachers, reduce class sizes, and double down on STEM education. Will fight for increased funding for scientific research including NIH. Supports a $15 minimum wage. In favor of additional Wall Street reform to prevent another 2008 crash. Supports women's rights including the right to choose. Will fight to protect Social Security and Medicare to ensure a safety net for senior citizens. Supports reform of Veterans Affairs policy to prevent for-profit schools from targeting active and veteran service members for their money. Will fight for LGBT rights. Supports expanding Brady background checks to all gun sales. Supports comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship but also with increased border security and a requirement for undocumented immigrants to pay back taxes and study English. Will fight for humane treatment of animals under the Animal Welfare Act. Will advocate for federal legislation to clarify state and local roles in addiction treatment to ensure proper licensing, ethical treatment, and prevent addiction treatment fraud.
OTHER CA-49 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CANDIDATES
SARA JACOBS
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Partisan Affiliation: Democrat
Background: Worked as a contractor for the U.S. Department of State under President Obama. Served short stints at UNICEF and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Was a foreign policy adviser to Hillary Clinton during her 2016 campaign. Director of a non-profit called Project Connect linking schools around the world to the Internet. Graduated from Columbia University. Grew up in Del Mar and currently lives in Encinitas (moved back to kick off her campaign). Granddaughter of Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs. Issues: Health care for all, DREAM Act, affordable housing, campaign finance reform, clean energy. Passionate about health care as a fundamental human right and believes in doing everything possible to get to universal coverage through Medicare for All. She would let Americans buy into Medicare and Medicaid along with a strong public option to the ACA as a start to the transition process. Strongly believes Congress should pass a clean DREAM act. Cares about affordable housing and will fight attempts to cut HUD funding for Section-8 vouchers and home buyer assistance. Will work to expand HUD funding for the 49th District. Supports a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United and end dark money in politics. Will push to move the United States to an entirely clean energy economy by 2050 to blunt the effects of climate change. Believes that the Federal Government should not stand in the way of states that have legalized cannabis and supports legislation to provide safe banking practices to cannabis businesses in states where it has been legalized. Strongly believes in women's access to reproductive health services. Wants to see more women in political office representing women's rights. |
DOUG APPLEGATE
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Partisan Affiliation: Democrat
Background: Came within 1,621 votes of defeating Republican incumbent Darrell Issa in the 2016 election for the 49th District. Currently an attorney. Served as an infantry officer and then as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Marine Corps during a 32 year career including active duty and reserve (retired in 2006 as a Colonel). Three children. Issues: Health care for all, women's rights, renewable energy, $15 minimum wage, immigration reform. Passionate about health care as a human right and believes that single payer health care must be expanded to include all Americans (Medicare, the VA, and other single payer health systems are proven and are already taking care of millions of people). Strong supporter of women's rights including reproductive choice, equal pay, equal access, equal representation, and equal rights. Strongly in favor of a $15 minimum wage. Will drive to 100% renewable energy by 2027 to mitigate climate change. Believes that education is a right and that all Americans should have access to no-cost public education from childhood all the way through university or vocational school. Supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. Supports annual training and qualification for gun owners. In favor of criminal justice reform with an emphasis on ending institutional racism, reducing the role of "for profit" prisons, and making nonviolent convictions eligible for expulsion so they don't haunt people for life. Supports campaign finance reform including ending Citizens United dark money. Supports LGBTQ rights. Opposed to the Trans Pacific Partnership. Wants to strengthen the VA without privatizing it. Will fight for Social Security and Medicare. |
PAUL KERR
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Partisan Affiliation: Democrat
Background: Kerr is President of Davlyn Investments, a successful real estate investment and operating company. Prior to joining Davlyn, Kerr was an Acquisitions Officer for Fairfield Residential. He was a successful commercial property appraiser before that. Kerr's strong career in real estate was built on a foundation that included a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, a college degree from San Diego State University attained at a late stage of life, and several years of struggle as a member of the working class (he was a waiter, cook, bouncer, and bartender). He lives in Rancho Santa Fe. Issues: Education, veterans affairs, health care for all, $15 minimum wage, congressional reforms. Kerr lists education as his number one issue. He supports funding pre-K education and after-school care, refinancing student loans, and funding vocational training. For veterans, Kerr wants to make sure GI Bill benefits never expire, proposes to fund vocational training before release from active duty, and will advocate for retirement pay and disability benefits for disabled veterans. Kerr supports Medicare for All as a way to expand health care coverage. Other issues include fighting for a $15 minimum wage, equal pay for women, and congressional reforms including term limits, repeal of Citizens United, and a permanent ban on members of Congress becoming lobbyists. Kerr is quoted in The Coast News saying, “The founders contemplated, when they put the system together, that people like me who have life experience would feel compelled to go back to Washington to serve." |
CHRISTINA PREJEAN [DROPPED OUT 3/2/18]
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Partisan Affiliation: Democrat
Background: Served in the U.S. Air Force for six years including a tour of duty in Afghanistan (retired as a Captain in 2011). Currently an attorney representing service members and veterans who were victims of sexual assault in the military. Served as an extern for U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel while attending the University of San Diego School of Law. Grew up in the San Diego area but currently lives in San Carlos with a plan to move into the district soon. Married. Issues: Social equality and justice, veterans affairs, health care, immigration reform. Prejean's campaign web site does not list her positions on key issues. From press articles it appears that she cares deeply about repairing a political culture that allows incivility and sexual misconduct, building a new society where all Americans are united in advancing the cause of social equality and justice for all. Her agenda also includes improving care at the Veterans Administration, doubling down on renewable and clean energy to mitigate the effects of climate change, increasing health care coverage and access, creating opportunities for economic advancement for all, and passing immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. |