The 34th Senate District seat is now held by termed-out Democrat Joe Dunn and represents Stanton and parts of six other Orange County cities.
There were 300 Republicans polled for the survey, but one thing it didn't ask was how a third GOP candidate might change the dynamics of the primary race. Last week Lupe Moreno, an outspoken opponent of illegal immigration, began collecting signatures to run for the seat.
"I'm not sure how it's going to change. I'm just going to focus on my campaign and run hard," Tran said.
MORE VAN TRAN
In other Van Tran news, this week he announced endorsements from the Family Action Political Action Committee, an Orange County-based group that supports socially conservative candidates, and former Orange County Republican Party Chairman Tom Fuentes.
Fuentes also endorsed Diane Harkey, a Dana Point City Councilwoman who is running for the vacant 35th District state Senate seat.
BALLOT GETTING LONGER
Costa Mesa residents may be faced with a mile-long November ballot, with a county-wide transportation tax and the typical dozen or more council candidates. Now they can also start anticipating a utility tax.
Mayor Allan Mansoor this week expressed interest in the tax as a way to pay for burying the city's utility lines, a project that could cost more than $850 million and take at least 20 years. If voters agreed, the tax would be charged to all users of whichever utilities the council chooses -- water, gas or cable TV, for example. Most such taxes are between 5% and 7%.
"We all use utilities, residents and businesses alike, so in my mind it's a fair way to share the cost of something that's going to be an improved benefit for all of us," Mansoor said.
