Ten candidates are running in the top-two primary for California’s 47th Congressional District on March 5, 2024. Three candidates lead in noteworthy endorsements, fundraising, and media attention: Scott Baugh (R), Dave Min (D), and Joanna Weiss (D).
Incumbent Katie Porter (D) is running for the U.S. Senate. Porter was re-elected in 2022 after defeating Baugh 52%-48% in the general election.
The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the general election. A Republican and a Democrat have advanced from the primary in each of the past three cycles.
Baugh is an attorney and former California assemblymember who served as the chairman of the Orange County Republican Party from 2004 to 2015. Baugh has highlighted immigration as a key issue and said the government’s focus should “be stopping the flood of illegal immigration and addressing the growing fentanyl crisis.” Baugh also said Min and Weiss are too progressive to represent the 47th district. “This district is center right and they are not center right. They’re not even center left, they are progressive left,” Baugh said. The Republican Party of California endorsed Baugh.
Min has served in the California Senate since 2020 and previously worked as an attorney and senior economic advisor to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Min’s campaign has focused on abortion, gun violence, and climate change. Min said that, as a state senator, he “passed 28 bills, including eight protecting domestic violence survivors” and “[took] on the gun lobby, Big Oil, and anti-choice MAGA extremists.” Min’s campaign said he is “the strongest candidate to beat Scott Baugh. That’s why he has been endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Congresswoman Katie Porter, law enforcement and organized labor.”
Weiss is the founder of the Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE), a progressive nonprofit focused on public education and gun safety. Weiss said her “#1 fight is reproductive rights & ensuring women have safe legal access to abortions.” EMILY’s List endorsed Weiss.
In May 2023, Min was arrested on DUI charges and was later sentenced to three years of probation. Weiss’ campaign said the incident made Min “a permanently damaged candidate who cannot hold this seat for Democrats.” Min apologized for the incident and said he believed voters would judge him “not just on the worst single moment in [his] life.”
Also running in the primary are Terry Crandall (No party preference), Tom McGrath (No party preference), Long Pham (R), Boyd Roberts (D), Bill Smith (No party preference), Max Ukropina (R), and Shariq Zaidi (D).
As of Jan. 31, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rated the general election Lean or Tilt Democratic, and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the general election a Toss-up.