Capitol Alert: Huber: Run for Lungren's congressional seat is 'on my radar'

Capitol Alert

The latest on California politics and government

July 15, 2011

Huber: Run for Lungren's congressional seat is 'on my radar'

Assemblywoman Alyson Huber is eying a possible challenge to incumbent Republican Rep. Dan Lungren in 2012.

The two-term Assembly Democrat from El Dorado Hills confirmed to Capitol Alert that running for Congress next year is something that is "on my radar."

"I have not made a decision to do that, but I am looking at how redistricting is shaping up," Huber said Thursday. "Once we actually know where all the lines are and all the districts, I'm going to explore all my options."

Huber's prospects for election to a third term in the state Assembly could be tough under the map visualizations released by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. The latest versions would pit Huber against GOP Assemblywoman Beth Gaines in a district that would be be far more conservative than the swing district she has represented since 2008. But the congressional district currently represented by Lungren is shaping up to be more competitive under the draft maps, making the Gold River Republican's seat a likely target for Democrats again next year.

Huber did not indicate a time line for deciding whether she will run, besides saying she wants to wait until the commission finalizes its work on the state's new political district maps next month. She wouldn't be the only Democrat in the race -- Elk Grove physician Ami Bera, who lost a 2010 bid against Lungren, has already announced plans for another run at the seat. Huber's residence currently falls outside the district lines, while the latest visualizations put Bera living inside the district.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said Bera lives outside the current district. The latest map visualizations put his Elk Grove residence in the district.

PHOTO CREDIT: Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, then a candidate, speaking at Rancho Cordova City Hall in October, 2008. Anne Chadwick Williams/Sacramento Bee

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