State Senator Dave Min, a progressive OC Democrat running for Congress, was arrested last nightfor drunk driving yesterday in Sacramento. He was released this morning from Sacramento County Jail.
Min, a former UCI law professor, was elected to the state legislature in 2020.
Min copped to the arrest in a post to his personal Facebook page at about 10:00 a.m. this morning:
Min is a candidate for the 47th Congressional District, which is open due to incumbent Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) running for the U.S. Senate.
Min was pulled over in Sacramento by the California Highway Patrol. According to the CHP, the senator was seen driving south on Ninth Street, north of S Street, without his headlights on. The CHP followed and observed Min drive through a red light at 9th Street and Broadway, and subsequently pulled him over.
“The officers followed the vehicle to 9th St. at Broadway where they observed the vehicle stop at a red light momentarily but then proceed into the intersection while the light remained red,” the CHP said in a statement.
The penalty can vary from a suspended driver’s license to up to six months in jail.
Mere hours after being released from jail, Min addressed a group of realtors from around the state who were in Sacramento to lobby state legislators, organized by the California Association of Realtors. The event was held at a restaurant and bar called The Mix, and Min stood in front of a fully-stocked bar to address the crowd.
Porter enthusiastically endorsed Min when he announced for Congress: “I endorse my friend Dave Min in his campaign for Congress and have every confidence that his campaign will ensure that California’s 47th Congressional District continues to be represented by a progressive Democrat.”
No word from Porter as to whether she stands by her endorsement of Min in the wake of his DUI arrest.
Min had emerged as the candidate of the progressive Democrat establishment and had raised more than $520,000. Min previously ran for Congress in 2018, losing the primary to Katie Porter, who at the time was also a UCI law professor.
Porter barely won re-election in CA47 despite vastly outspending Republican opponent Scott Baugh; Porter poured approximately $24 million into her re-election.
Baugh is running for the seat again and has raised more than $550,000 while securing strong Republican support across the board. CA47 is a top target for Republican pick up in 2024.
Min’s DUI arrest is the latest political turbulence to shake up the Democratic candidate field in the CA 47 race. Former Rep. Harley Rouda dropped out of the race on April 11 after suffering what he called a traumatic brain injury.
The other Democrat candidate, activist Joanna Weiss, has raised $269,000. Weiss is the founder and executive director of Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE), a progressive political advocacy group that endorses and fundraises for progressive Democrat candidates.
