The development comes after Ms. Schipske launched a Facebook page earlier this year, indicating she was mulling a write-in run under LB's term limits law to again represent LB's 5th Council district (a position she held from 2006-2014.)

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Parts of Long Beach make up about 13% of the district.

Voter registration in state Senate district 34 is roughly 40% Dem, 31% Repub and about 24% stating no party preference. In the 2014 election that brought her to the state Senate, Repub Nguyen solidly defeated Dem Jose Solorio roughly 58% to 42%. The district includes "Little Saigon" areas of Westminster and Garden Grove which are voter strongholds for Sen. Nguyen, a former OC Supervisor.

However in 2016, the state Senate district voted for Hillary Clinton for President over Donald Trump roughly 58% to 36%. On Facebook, Ms. Schipske regularly praised Mrs. Clinton, mourned her loss and has lambasted President Trump.

Dems have also announced plans in the 2018 election cycle to try and unseat longtime OC Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R, HB), hoping to capitalize on what they view as anti-Trump sentiment (including among likely Hispanic voters.) State Senate district 34 includes heavily Hispanic parts of Santa Ana...and the District voted for 52.6% for Cong. Loretta Sanchez (D, Santa Ana) over SF DA Kamala Harris for U.S. Senate (a race Harris easily won statewide.)

District majorities also voted for Dems Gov. Brown (2014), President Obama (2012) and Sen. Feinstein (2012).

Attempts to reach Ms. Schipske by email and by phone as of mid-morning June 15 have been unsuccessful.

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The development comes a few months after Ms. Schipske (who represented the 5th Council district from mid-July 2006 to mid-July 2014) launched a Facebook page indicating she was mulling a write-in bid to replace one-term incumbent Councilwoman Stacy Mungo; her page drew multiple responses from her former constituents urging her to make the run. During her two Council terms, Councilwoman Schipske publicly disagreed with policies advocated by then-Mayor Bob Foster, including some recommended budget cuts that slashed LB police and fire service levels for taxpayers. Schipske sought a number of reforms not supported by Foster or Council majorities under him. They included open government/transparency measures not supported by Mayor Foster or Mayor Garcia that included making communications by LB officials on the public's business (when using their private or non.gov email networks) public records, a motion then-Vice Mayor Garcia joined in killing by not providing a second.) [The CA Supreme Court has since ruled that these are public records under the Public Records Act.]

Councilwoman Schipske also opposed efforts by Mayor Foster and Mayor Garcia to tear down LB's less than 40 year old City Hall, give up part of LB's Civic Center for private development, and commit LB taxpayers to pay increasing annual sums to a private entity to operate LB's Civic Center for 40+ years. She was the sole dissenter on Council votes to approve the transaction (without a vote of the people and without putting a less costly City Hall retrofit out to a public bid or RFP process.)

Senator Nguyen played a role in facilitating the Civic Center transaction, when she supported SB 562 (2015 bill by Senator Lara) that facilitated that transaction. [LBREPORT.com coverage here.]

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It's not unusual for prospective candidates to launch Facebook pages or websites seeking one office and then switching to pursue another. In 2012, then-Councilman O'Donnell announced an Assembly run but dropped out and sought re-election to the Council in 2012 [exiting mid-way through his term] when then-incumbent Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal sought another Assembly term [after being basically shoved out of a state Senate bid by then-Assemblyman/now state Senator Ricardo Lara.] Then-Vice Mayor Suja Lowenthal initially announced her candidacy for Mayor in 2014, dropped out of that race and sought an Assembly seat in 2014 in which (to the surprise of some) she finished third to her Dem Council colleague O'Donnell and a Repub [and O'Donnell was elected.]

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Seeking a return to the Council would require Schipske to win a majority of votes cast in an April contest if it were with Mungo alone, OR pull Mungo below 50% if there were a multi-candidate field in which Schipske finished first or second, which would allow her to proceed to a June runoff with her name on the ballot. Two Councilmembers have succeeded with write-in bids: Dee Andrews (won write-in majority avoided runoff in 2016) and Patrick O'Donnell (finished second in write-in, finished first in runoff in 2012). Mayor O'Neill also waged and won write-in campaigns in 2002...but all were heavily supported by LB's establishment. A write-in bid by then-incumbent 5th district Councilwoman Jackie Kell fell short in 2006...when she was outpolled by then-newcomer Schipske.

Former Councilwoman Schipske hasn't yet responded to our request (earlier this morning) for comment. Further as we learn it.

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