Lou Correa

Jose Luis Correa[1] (/kəˈreɪə/ kə-RAY-ə; born January 24, 1958) is an American politician who is the U.S. Representative for California's 46th congressional district. A Democrat, he served as a member of the California State Senate, representing the 34th Senate district.

Lou Correa
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 46th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Loretta Sánchez
Member of the California Senate from the 34th district
In office December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2014
Preceded by	Joe Dunn
Succeeded by	Janet Nguyen
Member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors from the 1st district
In office January 3, 2005 – December 4, 2006
Preceded by	Charles V. Smith
Succeeded by	Janet Nguyen
Member of the California State Assembly from the 69th district
In office December 7, 1998 – November 30, 2004
Preceded by	Jim Morrissey
Succeeded by	Tom Umberg
Personal details
Born	Jose Luis Correa January 24, 1958 East Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Esther Correa ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	4
Education	California State University, Fullerton (BA) University of California, Los Angeles (JD, MBA)
Website	House website

Prior to his career in politics, Correa was an investment banker, a real estate broker, and a college instructor.

Early life and education

Lou Correa's paternal grandfather originally came to the United States from Mexico to work for the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in the 1910s. His grandfather settled down in the U.S. and started family. During the Great Depression, he returned to Mexico with his American-born children. Years later, the man who would become Correa's father, would get married and move from Mexico to California.[2]

Correa was born in East Los Angeles. His mother was killed in a car accident in Mexico when he was two. This resulted in Correa and his father moving to Zacatecas in Mexico. Five years later, he and his father moved to the Penguin City neighborhood in Anaheim, California. Correa's family unit comprised his father, Correa's sister, and an aunt whom he called "mom." Correa's father worked at a cardboard factory. His aunt cleaned hotel rooms making $1.50 an hour. The family moved regularly due to the cost of rent.[2]

Correa started second grade only knowing Spanish. He struggled to learn English initially, but, became fluent over time. He eventually graduated from Anaheim High School.[2] He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in economics from California State University, Fullerton as well as a Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.[3]

California Legislature

State Assembly

Correa's political career began in 1996 when he ran for the California State Assembly as the Democratic nominee in the 69th Assembly district. In a very close race, he lost to Republican incumbent Jim Morrissey by just 93 votes.[4] In a 1998 rematch, Correa was elected to the Assembly when he defeated Morrissey 54% to 43%.[5]

While a member of the Assembly, Correa served on several committees and was the chair of the Committee on Business and Professions, the Public Employees, Retirement and Social Security Committee; the Select Committee on Mobile Homes; and the Select Committee on MCAS El Toro Reuse.

Correa was re-elected to the Assembly twice but was forced from office by California's term limits law, which restricts members from serving more than three two-year terms.

In 2004, he campaigned for and was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, becoming the first Democrat to serve on the board since 1987.[6] He represented the first district, which includes the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Westminster as well as unincorporated areas of the county including Midway City.

State Senate

Correa during his time in the state Senate

In January 2006, Correa entered the race for the Democratic Party nomination for the California State Senate 34th district, a seat vacated by termed out Democratic State Senator Joe Dunn.[7]

After defeating Assemblyman Tom Umberg in the contested June primary, Correa faced off against Republican Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher in the November general election. In yet another close race, Correa won the election with a margin of victory of 1,392 votes.[8]

Correa was sworn into the California State Senate on December 4, 2006.

In 2010, Correa was reelected against Anaheim City Councilwoman Lucille Kring.

In a January 27, 2015 special election, he ran for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, but was narrowly defeated by former Garden Grove City Councilman Andrew Do by a razor-thin margin of 43 votes (0.1%).

U.S. House of Representatives

2016

In 2016 Correa ran for the United States Congress for the 46th district, which was being vacated by 10-term incumbent Loretta Sanchez, who was running for United States Senate. [9] He came in first in the June 7 primary with 43.7% of the vote, and won the general election against Democrat Bao Nguyen, who earned 14.6% of the vote in the top-two primary, with 69.9% of the vote.[10]

Tenure

He is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.[11]

2021 storming of the United States Capitol

Correa was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count when supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the United States Capitol. He was in the House Chamber when rioters tried to break through the chamber doors. He hid in the gallery with other Congress members, holding a gas mask in case of tear gas. He said the rioters “have been misled by this crazy, tyrant president who keeps saying it was stolen from him when it wasn’t."[12]

Correa was harassed by a group of Trump supporters at Dulles International Airport after he was leaving Washington to return back to Orange County after certifying the electoral votes. People called him names and one man told him “Your lie has been exposed. This not a democracy. It is a republic." After one woman told him to "go to work in China", Correa responded, "Maybe Russia is better. Comrade! Comrade!" Minutes later, airport police dispersed the crowd. Correa expressed concern that the airport police did not question or detain the harassers.[13] Correa supported efforts to impeach Trump and called on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.[14]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
  • Subcommittee on Health

Caucus memberships

• Blue Dog Coalition[15]
• New Democrat Coalition[16]
• House Baltic Caucus[17]
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus[18]
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus[19]
• Blue Collar Caucus

Personal life

In 1990, Correa married his wife, Esther. They lived in Anaheim with Correa's father until Correa was in his 40s.[2] Correa lives in Santa Ana, California. He and his wife have four children.[3]

See also

• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress

References

1. Joseph, Brian (June 3, 2011). "Debt collector erroneously garnishes OC lawmaker's wages". The Orange County Register.
2. Mai-Duc, Christine (December 2, 2016). "Orange County's new 'homegrown' congressman plans to bring an immigrant's perspective to Washington". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
3. Lundquist, Paulette (October 10, 2017). "Correa". TheHill. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
4. Warren, Peter (December 6, 1996). "Vote Recount Called Off by Assembly Candidate". Los Angeles Times.
5. "Decision '98: The Final Count". Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1998.
6. Weikel, Dan (November 3, 2004). "Orange County Elections". Los Angeles Times.
7. Quach, Hanh Kim (January 26, 2006). "34th Senate race likely to get heated, expensive". The Orange County Register.
8. Wisckol, Martin (October 24, 2006). "The Hot Senate Race". The Orange County Register.
9. "Lou Correa for Congress". Lou Correa for Congress.
10. "California's 46th Congressional District election, 2016". Ballotpedia.
11. "Members". Blue dog coalition. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
12. Welborn, Larry (January 7, 2021). "OC Rep. Correa relieved 'slaughter' avoided when rioters stormed Capitol". Orange County Register. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
13. Staggs, Brooke (January 9, 2021). "Hecklers shout insults at Rep. Lou Correa in airport". Orange County Register. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
14. "A Growing List of Lawmakers and Groups Support Impeaching Trump or Invoking the 25th Amendment". Alaska Native News. January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
15. "Members". Blue Dog Coalition. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
16. "Members". New Democrat Coalition. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
17. "Members". House Baltic Caucus. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
18. "Members". Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
19. "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved May 17, 2018.

External links

• Congressman Lou Correa official U.S. House website
• Campaign website
• Lou Correa at Curlie
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress