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Revision as of 03:40, 31 January 2014 by Jerzeykydd (talk | contribs) (added information and reorganized)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Jeff Gorell | |
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| Member of the California State Assembly from the 44th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 3, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Portantino |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 37th district | |
| In office December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Audra Strickland |
| Succeeded by | Das Williams |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1970-11-06) November 6, 1970 (age 54) Alexandria, Virginia |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Laura |
| Children | Ashley Jack |
| Residence | Camarillo, California |
| Alma mater | University of California, Davis |
| Profession | Attorney Business Owner University Professor |
| Awards |  Defense Meritorious Service Medal  Navy Commendation Medal Navy Expeditionary Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1999-present |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Unit | United States Navy Reserve |
| Battles/wars | Afghanistan War |
Jeff Frederick Gorell (b. November 6, 1970) is a Republican politician from California and candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in California's 26th Congressional District. In 2010, Gorell was elected to the State Legislature to serve as Assembly Member for the 37th Assembly District in California. After the decennial redistricting in 2011, Gorell was reelected to represent the new 44th Assembly District and currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.
Early life, education, and military service
Gorell earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in history, at the University of California, Davis in 1992. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree in law, at University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law in 1998, and earned a certificate in international legal studies at University of Salzburg studying under Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Anthony Kennedy.
A third generation Navy man, Gorell serves as a Lt. Commander in the United States Navy Reserve. Within days of the September 11 attacks in 2001 he was recalled to active duty to support Operation Enduring Freedom and served for one year forward deployed to the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan. He was decorated for leadership and meritorious actions in a combat zone. He led multiple teams of combat cameramen into the mountains of Afghanistan to embed with small Special Forces teams as they captured enemy weapons caches and fought the Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists. Gorell is the grandson of a “Seabee” who served in Guam during World War II, and the son of a career naval officer and Vietnam veteran.
LCDR Gorell was mobilized for his second tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in March 2011. He was embedded with U.S. Marines as an intelligence officer at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand, Afghanistan. He returned home and to his work in the State Legislature in March 2012.
Business career
Prior to his election to the California State Assembly, Gorell was a co-owner of a regional public affairs firm, Paladin Principle LLC, based in Ventura County. He advised clients and served as the company’s legal counsel. He is also a member of the California Lutheran University faculty, teaching undergraduate and graduate level politics and public policy as an adjunct professor.
Early political career (1993-1999)
From 1993 to 1996, Gorell served as an advisor, writer and deputy press secretary to former Republican Governor Pete Wilson, working on state policy changes as "Three Strikes," state welfare reform, manufacturers' investment tax credits, "Megan’s Law," and class size reduction.
Gorell left the Wilson Administration to serve as a spokesperson for various California businesses, including as Director of Communications for the California Manufacturers and Technology Association (CMTA) from 1996 to 1999. He advocated before the legislature and Capitol press corps for pro-business legislation in the areas of taxes, regulations, workers compensation, tort reform, and trade law.
Deputy District Attorney (1999-2006)
As a Deputy District Attorney for the County of Ventura from 1999–2006, Gorell gained experience in preventing youth violence. He served as a trial prosecutor in the major narcotics and violent felony units, prosecuting multiple "strike" career criminals, gang violence and drug trafficking. He also drafted and advocated for legislation on behalf of prosecutors statewide to improve the California Penal Code.
California Assembly (2010-Present)
Elections
Gorell defeated Robert Howell in the June 8, 2010 Primary Election earning 89% of the vote. He then defeated Democrat Ferial Masry in the November 2 general election.
Gorell was the only Republican running for Assembly at the time to receive an endorsement from the California Federation of Labor, one of the state's prominent labor unions. On October 9, 2010, Gorell was endorsed by the Ventura County Star newspaper.
Just before the November 2 General Election, Gorell announced that he was being mobilized for duty by the United States Navy Reserve, and would be deployed to Afghanistan on March 18, 2011.
In the state's first primary election under the new top-two open primary on June 5th, 2012, Gorell received 58.1% of the vote, beating Eileen MacEnery who received 23.3% of the vote and Thomas Mullens who received 18.6% of the vote. In the November 6th General Election, Gorell went on to defeat MacEnery after receiving 52.9% of the vote.
Committee assignments
- 2013
- Accountability and Administrative Review
- Budget (Vice-chair)
- Judiciary
- Labor and Employment
- Utilities and Commerce
- Legislative Budget
2014 congressional election
Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in California, 2014 § District 26In November 2013, Gorell announced he would challenge Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Julia Brownley for California's 26th congressional district, based in Ventura County.
Personal life
Jeff Gorell resides in Camarillo with his wife, Laura, and two children, Ashley and Jack.
References
- http://www.vceda.org/2012/04/anderson-kill-welcomes-home-california-state-assemblyman-jeff-gorell/
- http://politics4all.com/users/jeffgorell
- http://politics4all.com/users/jeffgorell
- http://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/
- http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/may/16/legislature-is-gop-candidates-aim/
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/14/local/la-me-assembly-deploy-20101114
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2010-primary/pdf/2010-complete-sov.pdf
- http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/01/3150569/california-assembly-results.html
- http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/7545/drphillips-california-state-legislature-forecast
- http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/oct/09/35th-das-williams-37th-jeff-gorell/
- http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/oct/30/gorell-expects-deployment-to-afghanistan/
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/statewide-elections/
- http://ballotpedia.org/Jeff_Gorell
- http://citizensjournal.us/jeff-gorell-running-for-congress-in-ca-26cd-ventura-county/
- http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/AD44/?p=bio
- http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/may/16/legislature-is-gop-candidates-aim/
External links
Categories:
- 1970 births
- American military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
- American Roman Catholics
- California lawyers
- California Lutheran University faculty
- California Republicans
- District attorneys
- Living people
- Members of the California State Assembly
- People from Alexandria, Virginia
- People from Ventura County, California
- United States Navy officers
- University of California, Davis alumni
- University of the Pacific (United States) alumni
- University of Salzburg alumni