Two Democratic representatives may run a three-way race against a state Senator for a proposed new Congressional seat.
State Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, who cannot run for another term, said Friday he intended to run for a new seat that would be formed if a new redistricting plan is aproved.
The plan is in its draft state, but would prompt the creation of a new Congressional seat.
According to Roll Call, a Washington D.C. political newspaper, Lowenthal would face incumbent Rep. Laura Richardson and Rep. Linda Sanchez, whose districts would merge under preliminary plans drafted by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
The new district boundaries are preliminary and could be radically shifted as the commission gets feedback from citizens and community leaders across the state, some of whom are outraged by the shifts. This is the first year that redistricting is handled by a citizens' commission, rather than the Legislature.
Lowenthal told the Washington newspaper he is readying to campaign.
``I live and work in this community, taught here and served as the elected representative for much of this district,'' he was quoted.
``It would be my honor to represent my home and my community in Congress.'' Lowenthal, a retired California State University psychology professor who has served on the Long Beach City Council has served the maximum allowable terms in the state Senate and Assembly.
The maximum allowable terms in the state Senate and Assembly.
Sanchez is the sister of Orange County Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Richardson has had a troubled tenure in office, as neighbors, mortgage companies and bill collectors have complained she has not paid them. Richardson and Sanchez could run in the primary in the heavily- Democratic proposed district, which includes the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Long Beach, Signal Hill, Paramount, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, Cerritos, La Palma, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos and Catalina. Or, one could move into a new district, as California is expected to gain some seats because of population growth.
Currently Rossmoor and Los Alamitos are in a district represented by Republican Congressman Ed Royce.
Democrats are favored to pick up as many as five Congressional seats in California, according to analysts who have examined voter behavior district by district.
-- City News Service contributed to this report
