Who Will be Sierra Madre's Next Congressional Representative?

If the latest state redistricting map that was released last week ends up becoming the official boundary for 2012 congressional election Sierra Madre's current congress member will likely no longer represent the city.

In the most recent plan Sierra Madre would no longer been in the same district as the San Dimas home of David Dreier, who currently represents the city.

The boundaries that are the final revision of the - there will be no further changes before the commission votes to finalize them on August 15.

While that makes them likely to be the boundaries for 2012, there has been talk of a legal challenge or pushing the maps onto a ballot referendum.

The new district pushes south from Sierra Madre and Altadena through Pasadena down to the 60 Freeway, and includes South Pasadena, San Marino, Rosemead, Monterey Park, and San Gabriel. It also would have some foothill cities to the east, such as Glendora.

It would be an overwhelmingly Democratic district, so a Republican representative would be extremely unlikely.

The Incumbent

If the boundaries remain, one likely candidate would be Rep. Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, who current represents much of the South San Gabriel Valley in the 32nd congressional district and would reside in the new district.

Chu's spokesman, Fred Ortega, told Patch that though they have not had specific discussions, Chu does intend to run for reelection in 2012 in the new district, as far as he knows.

"All the conversations I've had with her, she was looking at this district," Ortega said, though he stressed that Chu has not made a definitive announcement at this point.

Chu has been in office since 2009 when she was elected in a special election, and formerly served in the Monterey Park City Council, California State Assembly, and Board of Equalization.

The redistricting process would effectively split her district with Monterey Park and parts of South San Gabriel and Rosemead in both her old district and the new one, and El Monte, Baldwin Park, Duarte, Irwindale, Covina, West Covina, and Azusa moving to a new East San Gabriel Valley district.

Ortega pointed out that Chu had represented many of the other towns in the new district in state Assembly, though she has never represented Sierra Madre.

Portantino and the District

One other possibility could be current state Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who has announced he will run in 2012 and has raised almost $330,000 for the contest.

The new district includes many towns Portantino has represented, though not his home town of La Canada Flintridge. That will be in a district that includes Burbank, where Adam Schiff lives.

Portantino told Patch that he would not run against Schiff, though he pointed out that Schiff has not publicly announced he will run in the new district.

He declined to say whether he would run against Chu and had little else to say on the subject.

"I'm going to wait until the maps are final," Portantino said.  "Then I'll have an announcement."

Portantino could run in the new Sierra Madre district without living in it as there are no residency requirements for living in a district that you represent. 

The Other SGV District

Another option for Portantino could be the East San Gabriel Valley District, which does not have an obvious candidate.  It would be a district with a significant Democratic advantage where the only incumbent congressman who resides there is a Republican, Rep. David Dreier, San Dimas.

Pasadena Star-News columnist Larry Wilson wrote in a recent column that Portantino could move to Monrovia, a town he represents, and run in that district.

When asked if that was a possibility, Portantino simply said:

"I love Monrovia and I am proud to represent it."