Chris Duncan

Chris Duncan earned a bachelor's degree from Boston College in 1997; a J.D. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, William S. Richardson School of Law in 2000; and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2002. His career experience includes working as a senior attorney at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, a special assistant U.S. attorney, and a business owner.[1][2]

He is involved with the Vista Del Mar Elementary School Site Council.[3]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Chris Duncan is a third-generation Californian, accomplished local mayor, former federal prosecutor, and a father of three. Now, Chris is running to represent our community in the Assembly to put the middle-class first, lower costs for working families, and ensure all our children grow up safe with real opportunity.

A graduate of California public schools, Chris’s parents taught him the value of hard work, integrity, and the importance of going against the grain to do the right thing. From an early age, he sought to bring people together to solve problems.

As the Mayor of San Clemente and a City Councilmember before that, Chris has made his city safer, protected a woman’s right to choose, prioritized smart growth and affordable housing, worked to create jobs, invested in clean energy, and helped small businesses survive the pandemic. Hailed for being a bridge-builder and a problem solver, Chris has earned a reputation for his bipartisan accomplishments and delivering real results.

Called to public service after 9/11, Chris Duncan spent more than 16 years as a federal prosecutor under both Democratic and Republican administrations, going after political corruption, corporate wrongdoing, and bringing child predators and drug smugglers to justice.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

As prosecutor and mayor, Chris knows that there is nothing more important than the safety of our communities and our families. He’ll fight to make sure our kids grow up in safe neighborhoods with real opportunity. As a mayor and retired federal prosecutor, Chris brought drug smugglers and human traffickers to justice and lowered crime in San Clemente. In the Assembly, Chris Duncan will deliver for us – tougher gun safety laws, fully fund the police, and close loopholes that let criminals walk free. Chris will make sure our law enforcement officers can get out of the business of mental health care and drug abuse management so they can direct their efforts towards enforcing the law.As a business owner, Chris will fight to give working people a voice in Sacramento and give middle-class families a real shot at the American Dream. He’ll work across party lines to improve our local and state economy, fighting to cut unnecessary red tape that prevent small businesses from succeeding and regulations that are driving too many businesses out of California. Chris will also invest in the 21st-century workforce by cutting tuition fees at public universities, fully funding K-12 education, and supporting local-hire job training programs – which will make sure no one is left behind.As a father of two daughters, Chris is a vocal champion for reproductive rights and will stand up for access to safe, legal abortions. After the end of Roe v Wade, state legislatures have become the frontlines for the battle for women's health. Chris knows that everyone must have the freedom to access reproductive health care services, and he stood up to the right-wing extremists in his city when they proposed a draconian abortion ban. That's why he's endorsed by Planned Parenthood and reproductive justice advocates across the district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public safety

Jobs and the economy

Housing and homelessness

Coastal protection

Freedom to choose

Eduction

Low taxes

Gun safety

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Martin Luther King

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

President Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena."

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Willingness to make the right decision, even at personal cost.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Willingness to sacrifice my own personal interests for the community.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Honesty, integrity, effectiveness.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Inspire others to reach their highest potential.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Waiter. I did not last long because I spilled a tray of water down the back of a patron.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Profile in Courage by John F. Kennedy

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The state legislature provides policy direction and the governor implements the policy.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Budget deficit

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, as well as business and public safety experience.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes, it is imperative to gain bipartisan support for legislation, which reflects the community.

What committees interest you?

Public Safety

Eduction

Military and Veteran Affairs

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

It is critical to keeping the public's trust.

Chris Duncan did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was a senior attorney and prosecutor at the Department of Homeland Security for 16 years. I seek to bring integrity, experience, and professionalism to the City Council. I will collaborate with other City Council Members and staff to end the gridlock and get thing done for San Clemente.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Public health/economy - Ensure we implement health measures necessary for our local businesses to operate and flourish.Community Safety - Support and properly trained and equip our public safety officials and support personnel.Infrastructure/Environment - Clean and beautify our beaches, parks, and gateways.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I support our essential workers, law enforcement officers, and first responders. They are the backbone of our city.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

City Council Members have the greatest effect of people's every day lives.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Moral courage.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Moral courage.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To make the right decision for the City's residents, even if it comes at personal cost or is not politically expedient.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Standing up for vulnerable people even at personal cost.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

A

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Absolutely. City Council Members must know how government works in order to bring other council members and staff together to get things done. I have 16 years of national security and law enforcement experience in Republican and Democratic administrations bringing people together to accomplish complex and difficult missions.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I believe legal and government experience are critical skills for City Council Members. I am the only candidate with this experience.

Note: Duncan submitted the above survey responses to [the profile publisher] on September 15, 2020.

Show past responsesHide past responses

February 10 submission

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Chris will make South County families his top priority. He's not a politician and not beholden to the special interests or partisan fighting. He'll focus on the issues most important to our community, including:

Education

As the parent of three young children in our local public schools, Chris will invest in our public schools and ensure funds are directed to the classroom, not spent on bureaucracy. He'll focus on programs that are proven to be effective for academic success, personal development and creating opportunity, including STEAM, early childhood education and career technical education (CTE) programs. He'll also work to improve our higher education system and keep costs down so California students can attend our CSU, UC and community colleges around the state.

Public Safety

Chris has made the safety of our country his top priority as a Federal prosecutor and Homeland Security attorney. He knows that there is nothing more important than the safety of our communities and our families. He'll fight to ensure our law enforcement agencies have the resources, tools, and support they need to keep our communities safe, pass common sense gun safety legislation and more. He will take on crime related to homelessness, while getting our local law enforcement out of the business of mental health care and drug abuse management, so they can focus on keeping Orange County safe.

Jobs & the Economy

Chris will work across party lines to improve our local and state economy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My most important examples are my parents. They taught me the value of hard work, integrity and the importance of going against the grain to do the right thing. From an early age, they pushed me to bring people together to solve problems.

But as far as public figures, I love the leadership styles of JFK and Martin Luther King, Jr. They both brought different people together by focusing on what they had in common and appealed to their better angels, instead of dividing them. They also inspired people to get out of their comfort zone, stand up for each other, and live more fulfilling lives. They also both had failings and weren't perfect, but had moral courage to to do the right thing even at great personal cost.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The ability to work across the aisle and the courage to make the right decisions when things are tough. Too many politicians put partisanship and the special interests ahead of the needs of their community.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Representing the interests of their community. Period. They must put partisanship and the special interests aside to get things done for the people they represent.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

An early event that had a big impact on me was the Challenger disaster when I was 10 years old (in the 4th grade). Like many others, we were gathering to watch at school and horrified at the result. I had so much respect for Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who had the bravery to step forward into the unknown. But it taught me that doing big things comes with risk.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked as a delivery kid for a local Pharmacy, bringing essentials to shut-in senior citizens for a summer in high school. It was an incredible experience that ended up expanding my horizons and letting me see life from a whole new perspective. I bonded with these seniors who came from a different generation and had incredible wisdom and life experience they took time and effort to share despite their poverty and poor health.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, in enacting laws and policies that direct how government agencies will operate, and setting their priorities, it is critical to have had experience working within them. I have 16 years of experience working with every aspect of government and community leaders as an attorney and executive in federal law enforcement agencies.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

California has many challenges to address that will impact residents for decades and generations to come - from infrastructure and transportation to education and the environment. But over the next decade, we must focus most of economic development, opportunity and growth.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

It should be a partnership looking for what is best for our longterm future, but with a natural tension between state and local priorities and challenges.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, the best policies result from diverse coalitions that share common values. It is impossible to build an effective coalition without first forging personal relationships founded on mutual trust ands respect with the other legislators you seek to collaborate with. And those relationships should also be based on common goals, not on partisanship. I bring a unique ability to work with people of all political ideologies to get things done.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Accountability & Administrative Review

Budget

Housing & Community Development

Jobs, Economic Development & the Ecomomy

Public Safety

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

If it helped my ability to deliver for my constituents, I would consider it, but my district would always be my top priority over party.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Right now, I am focused on helping my community in the State Assembly.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I recently met a neighbor whose brother is a mentally ill and homeless veteran. The story has really stuck with me - my neighbor was not financially equipped to help his brother and was looking for help from other sources. Our representatives at every level must do better for our veterans.