County Supervisor Moorlach to Run for Congress

By John Crandall

John Moorlach has his eye on Washington D.C.

The Orange County Supervisor plans to run for the House of Representatives, he said Tuesday. Moorlach – whose district includes Rossmoor, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Cypress, parts of Fountain Valley, and Huntington Beach – hopes to win the 45th Congressional Seat.  

“It seems like it would be great fit,” Moorlach said. “It’s a job application, and I look forward to making the case.”

He aims to enter the 2014 race as incumbent Rep. John Campbell's (R-Irvine) retires. Campbell announced his retirement June 27 and after some discussion, Moorlach said he decided to throw his hat into the ring June 29.

According to govtrack.us, the 45th Congressional district represents Lake Forest, Rancho Santa Margarita, Tustin, Coto de Caza, North Tustin, Laguna Hills and parts of Mission Viejo, Anaheim Hills, Orange, Orange County and Anaheim.

A Costa Mesa resident, Moorlach said he doesn’t live in the district, but he has had experience representing it in the past.

“I’ve served that part of the county when I was treasurer,” Moorlach said. “I think I’m a quantity that that most of the voters in this county know.”

Moorlach, whose term as supervisor expires in 2014, has said in a previous Patch interview he’s proud of his track record with the county including his role in the creation of the county’s Office of Independent Review, the passage of Measure J and the annexation of a number of unincorporated county areas such as Sunset Beach into neighboring cities.

Before beginning his term as supervisor, Moorlach also served as the county treasurer-tax collector from 1995 to 2006.

“Since the election isn’t until June, I just want to spend time raising money between now and September,” Moorlach said. The September deadline is a personal goal, he added.

If elected, Moorlach said his economic expertise would be a boon to the nation, especially in areas he feels could be streamlined such as the IRS and the Post Office, especially in regard to pensions.

“We’re talking about a federal government that’s in need of good leadership in the area of finance, and I think I have a resume that shows I’d be able to at least able address those kind of issues,” Moorlach said.

Earlier this year Moorlach considered a run for the California governorship. In June he said he’d decided against it.

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