Former Rep. Doug Ose (R) has made his weeks-long rumored candidacy for the 4th district official, setting up a potentially contentious GOP primary between himself and ex-state Sen. Rico Oller.

Meanwhile, the conservative, free market-oriented Club for Growth announced Monday that it was endorsing Oller.

Ose retired from the neighboring 3rd district seat in 2004, and Oller narrowly lost a bid to replace the former Congressman in that seat — losing to now-Rep. Dan Lungren in a heated Republican primary while finishing ahead of Ose’s sister, Mary Ose, in that contest.

Rep. John Doolittle’s (R) decision to retire from the solidly Republican 4th district at the end of his term has set up what could be a grudge match between Oller, viewed as the conservative in the race, and Ose, seen as the moderate.

The state’s Congressional and legislative primary elections are scheduled for June 3.

Mayor Cooks Up Race Against Rohrabacher

Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook (D) announced this weekend that she is running for the 46th district seat held by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R).

“We need new people with new passion and new ideas who have experience working across party lines to get results,” Cook said in a statement, acknowledging that she faces an uphill climb in the solidly Republican, Orange County-area district.

The district gave 57 percent of the vote to President Bush during the 2004 White House election and Rohrabacher reported $343,221 on hand as of Dec. 31. He has never won less than 55 percent of the vote in any of his Congressional races.
— David M. Drucker