In what is the tightest Assembly race in Orange County heading into the election, voters in the 74th Assembly district might feel a sense of déjà vu as Assemblymember Laurie Davies goes head-to-head once again against San Clemente Councilmember Chris Duncan.
The two faced off in 2022, with Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, winning by a 5.2% margin. Then, there were more registed Democratic voters than Republicans in the district.
This time, Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district.
And both parties are gunning to secure control of this key legislative seat that leans Republican numbers-wise but has pushed forward more progressive measures. In 2022, for example, nearly 58% of voters in AD-74 backed Proposition 1, enshrining protections for abortion in the state constitution.
Davies and Duncan are split on several key issues, one of them being raising the minimum wage. Before California voters this election is a proposition to increase the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026.
Davies said the minimum wage should grow in tandem with business growth and the market, not through government mandates.
“Government should work to decrease inflation to come in line with wages,” she said. “When the government sets wages, it often leads to unintended consequences, like job losses and a higher cost of living for everyone.”
Related: These are the legislative races to watch in Orange County
But Duncan said it’s an option voters should consider in order to keep up with the “crushing cost of gas, groceries, medicine and other everyday expenses.”
“California is just too darn expensive for working and middle-class people. Even in relatively well-off Orange County, 10% of the population lives at or below the poverty line,” he said.
They also have differing views on what the legislature could do to help communities offer mental health support for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Davies criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom for the state’s billions of dollars spent on homelessness without what she said were tangible results.
“Solving homelessness requires funding, but it also demands public, nonpartisan audits of every dollar spent and public performance reviews to show success or failure. We need to reward what works and pull dollars from what doesn’t,” she said.
In September 2022, Newsom signed a mental health plan that requires California counties to establish court systems allowing family members, first responders, social services and other authorized adults to petition to enroll individuals with severe mental illness into programs that provide housing, medication and support services. Orange County was one of the first counties tasked with the rollout, but the Board of Supervisors voted to delay implementation until 2026.
“Allowing courts to mandate treatment for people suffering from intense mental illness — what the governor has called ‘Care Court’ — is an urgently needed change I strongly support to address the most difficult cases of homelessness,” said Duncan.
AD-74 includes a portion of San Diego and Orange counties, including Dana Point, Laguna Niguel and San Juan Capistrano. According to the most recent state data, Republicans account for 35.12% of all the registered voters in the district, while 35.07% are Democrats and 21.6% are no party preference voters.
Find out more about Davies and Duncan — and other candidates on your ballot — with the Register’s Voter Guide. Both candidates were sent questionnaires and in their own words, detailed their plans on various issues, from artificial intelligence to the state’s minimum wage and from the state budget to bond measures. You can also find what’s on their playlists as they’re on the campaign trail.
