There may be more to life than pot, but if you’re looking for differences among the candidates vying for the seat being vacated by Rep. Loretta Sanchez that’s one place you’ll find them.
I asked specifically about the Adult Use of Marijuana Act or AUMA, which would legalize recreational pot in the state and is expected to qualify for the November ballot.
Former state Sen. Joe Dunn gave it a thumbs up while Lou Correa — who’s served as a state senator, assemblyman and county supervisor — remained neutral.
“At a personal level, I have witnessed the devastation alcohol and drug abuse have brought to our families and our communities,” Correa said. “As a father, I am concerned about the message that legalizing marijuana will send our children. I will not take a public position on this ballot measure.”
Fellow Democrat Dunn said the regulated and taxed availability of recreation pot would increase local government revenues and reduce the “criminal market demand” for illegal pot.
Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen, the third Democrat in the race, went further with his support, saying the federal government should remove marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 drugs — the most dangerous classification — and should allow those involved in legal pot business to have access to banking services.
Republican Louie Contreras, a real estate salesman, said pot should be available for “serious health medical reasons only” and Republican Rudy Gaona, a retired Army sergeant, also opposed the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Santa Ana independent Nancy Trinidad Marin, a social worker, is undecided on whether to legalize recreational pot, but says she supports the decriminalization of it and other drugs.
Republican Irvine Councilwoman Lynn Schott supports the measure “in concept,” saying, “We need to provide proper and thorough health information and education on the pros and cons of marijuana use to those who seek to purchase it.”
Republican Bob Peterson of Orange, a commander with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, was a late entry in the race and unavailable for comment in time for this column.
District residency is not a requirement to run for Congress. Democrats have a 20-point edge in the district’s voter registration.
‘Time to change’
Harmeet Dhillon had launched a formidable campaign to challenge the bid of Irvine’s Linda Ackerman to be reelected as the state’s committeewoman to the Republican National Committee.
The San Francisco attorney, who is a vice chairman of the state GOP, had been racking up endorsements from throughout the state, including backing from three state legislators from Orange County and from Surfside’s Shawn Steel, the state’s RNC committeeman who is running unopposed for reelection.
“I have nothing against Linda Ackerman,” said Dhillon, a 47-year-old Indian-born Sikh. “It’s just time to change things up. There’s a certain degree of homogeneity in the party and it’s time for some diversity.”
On Tuesday, Ackerman began letting supporters know that she’d decided not to seek reelection. It was tempting to wonder if Ackerman didn’t have the stomach to do battle, but she said the decision stemmed from her desire to spend more time with her four grandchildren, ages 2, 4, 15 and 16.
“At some point, you set your priorities,” said Ackerman, 72. She has served on the RNC for nearly eight years and will step down at the end of this year’s national convention.
Ackerman also sits on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California board and is married to Dick Ackerman, a former GOP leader of the state Senate.
Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com
