Moorlach Certified as You New State Senator

Former Orange County Supervisor John Moorlach was certified today as the winner of the special election in the 37th Senate District and will be sworn in Sunday.

“It looks like we can now move forward and go about the job of state Senator,” Moorlach wrote on his blog after the Orange County Registrar of Voters certified the results. “I’m looking forward to working with my opponent and the rest of the Republicans in the Legislature.”

Moorlach received 50.3 percent of the votes to avoid a runoff.

Assemblyman Don Wagner, R-Tustin, was second with 44 percent, followed by Naz Namazi, an aide to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, at 3.4 percent and Democrat Louise Stewardson, a registered nurse and small business owner, 2.2 percent as a write-in candidate.

All three candidates on the ballot in Tuesday’s special election to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Mimi Walters to Congress are Republicans.

“While we came up short, our strong showing demonstrates that the people of Orange County share my belief that only through advancing pro-growth economic policies and reducing the size and scope of government will we get California back on track,” Wagner wrote on his campaign’s Facebook page.

“I’ll continue to fight for these values throughout the remainder of my term in the Assembly, and look forward to working with John in Sacramento towards advancing the reforms I truly believe will fix our great state.”

Moorlach’s swearing in ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope in Tustin. Moorlach will be sworn in by Senate Republican Leader Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar.

The district includes Costa Mesa, Irvine, Lake Forest, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, Tustin and Villa Park as well as portions of Anaheim Hills, Huntington Beach and most of Orange.

• City News Service