Capizzi to Enter State Attorney General Race

SANTA ANA —  Orange County Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi’s campaign staff announced Thursday he will officially become a candidate for California attorney general and will make his formal announcement next week.

His principal Republican challenger, David Stirling, joined the race last August and recently took a leave of absence as Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren’s chief of staff.

Capizzi, a 33-year veteran of the county prosecutor’s office, has been traveling the state since late summer gathering support from the law-enforcement community.

Early polls showed Capizzi leading Stirling, and three possible Democratic challengers, but Stirling’s campaign said Thursday their own recent polls show their candidate with solid leads over Capizzi.

“We’re doing fantastic,” said Stirling spokesman Mike MeCey.

Both Capizzi and Stirling are perceived as strong law-enforcement candidates for the office.

MeCey said Stirling has received the endorsement of 20 county sheriffs to 17 for Capizzi.

How the two have fared in fund-raising will soon be known when funding-disclosure reports become public in the next week or two, MeCey said.

“We have hit all of our fund-raising goals,” MeCey said. But he declined to discuss how much has been raised until disclosure reports become public.

He conceded that Capizzi enjoys strong support from the state’s district attorneys. “There’s no surprise there, he’s a member of their association, and they are circling the wagons,” MeCey said.

Democrats who have indicated they may join the race are Sen. Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward), president pro tem of state Senate, Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) and former Democratic Congresswoman Lynn Schenk.

Capizzi’s formal announcement will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday on the steps of the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana.