David Kunnghee Min born March 5, 1976 is an American lawyer and politician serving as the state senator for California’s 37th Senate district, which encompasses parts of Orange County. A member of the Democratic Party, Min previously worked as an assistant law professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Law before his election to the California State Senate. In the 2018 elections, Min ran for California’s 45th congressional district but was unsuccessful, losing in the nonpartisan blanket primary to incumbent Mimi Walters and fellow UC Irvine professor Katie Porter, who eventually defeated Walters in the general election.
Dave Min Biography 2025
Min was elected to the state senate in 2020, securing victory in a competitive race against Costa Mesa mayor Katrina Foley in the primary and narrowly defeating Republican John Moorlach in the general election. In 2025, Min ran for and won the seat for California’s 47th congressional district, defeating Republican Scott Baugh.
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Dave Min Biography Details
Born
March 5, 1976 (age 48)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political party
Democratic
Spouse
Jane Stoever
(m. 2005)
Children
3
Education
University of Pennsylvania (BS)
Harvard University (JD)
Website
Campaign website
Dave Min Early Life
Born in Providence, Rhode Island to Korean American parents who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1972 to pursue doctoral degrees at Brown University, Min grew up in Palo Alto in the San Francisco Bay Area. He earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and the School of Arts and Sciences, followed by a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Before entering politics, Min was an assistant law professor at UC Irvine, focusing on banking, capital markets, and real estate finance. He also testified before the House Financial Services Subcommittee in 2012 on the impact of Dodd-Frank financial regulations. Min passed the California bar exam in February 2022.
Dave Min Bio
Category
Details
Full Name
David Kunnghee Min
Date of Birth
March 5, 1976
Place of Birth
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political Party
Democratic
Spouse
Jane Stoever (married 2005)
Children
Three
Education
University of Pennsylvania (BS), Harvard University (JD)
Profession
Politician, Lawyer
Political Career Overview
Category
Details
Current Position
State Senator, California’s 37th Senate District
Previous Office
Candidate for California’s 45th Congressional District (2018)
Political Affiliation
Democratic Party
Notable Campaigns
2020 California State Senate, 2025 California’s 47th Congressional District
Won State Senate seat, defeating John Moorlach (51.1% vs. 48.9%)
Congressional Campaign 2018
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
Mimi Walters (R)
86,764
51.7%
Katie Porter (D)
34,078
20.3%
Dave Min (D)
29,979
17.8%
Brian Forde (D)
10,107
6.0%
John Graham (NPP)
3,817
2.3%
Kia Hamadanchy (D)
3,212
1.9%
California State Senate Election 2020
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
John Moorlach (R)
132,275
47.3%
Dave Min (D)
78,293
28.0%
Katrina Foley (D)
68,952
24.7%
California State Senate General Election Results
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
Dave Min (D)
270,522
51.1%
John Moorlach (R)
258,421
48.9%
Congressional Campaign
Category
Details
District
California’s 47th Congressional District
Opponent
Scott Baugh (R)
Primary Election
Min advanced to the general election, finishing first
Endorsement
Katie Porter (incumbent) endorsed Min for the 47th district seat
DUI Incident
Arrested and convicted for DUI in 2023
Early Life and Education
Category
Details
Birthplace
Providence, Rhode Island
Parents’ Background
Korean American immigrants to the U.S. in 1972
Hometown
Palo Alto, California
Undergraduate Education
University of Pennsylvania, Wharton and Arts & Sciences
Graduate Education
Harvard Law School
Career in Law and Policy
Role
Organization
Focus Area
Staff Attorney
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Financial Regulation
Banking Committee Counsel
U.S. Senate (Chuck Schumer)
Banking Policy
Senior Policy Advisor
U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee
Economic Policy, Mortgage Finance
Associate Director
Center for American Progress
Financial Markets Policy
State Senate Legislative Priorities
Legislation Focus
Details
Domestic Abuse Protections
Expanded protections for survivors of domestic abuse
Transit System Harassment
Studied harassment on California’s transit systems
Child Custody Privacy
Made child custody cases private by default
Gun Control
Limited gun shows and sales on state-owned property
Offshore Drilling
Legislation to terminate offshore oil drilling leases in Orange County
California’s 47th Congressional District Primary
Candidate
Votes
Percentage
Dave Min (D)
104,000+
51.6%
Scott Baugh (R)
98,000+
48.4%
General Election Overview
Category
Details
Incumbent
Katie Porter (vacating the seat to run for Senate)
Opponent
Scott Baugh (Republican)
Min’s Stance
Advocate for progressive policies on healthcare, economic justice, and climate change
Dave Min Personal Life
Category
Details
Spouse
Jane Stoever (Clinical Professor of Law, UC Irvine)
Children
Three
Family Focus
Focus on domestic violence issues through spouse’s work
DUI Incident
Incident
Details
Arrest Location
Sacramento, California
Charges
DUI (Blood Alcohol Level nearly twice the legal limit)
Legal Consequences
Pleaded no contest, sentenced to three years informal probation
Dave Min Legislative Legacy
Legislation Introduced
Focus Area
Domestic Violence Bills
Expanded protections for survivors
Environmental Bills
Offshore drilling restrictions and oil spill response
Public Safety Bills
Transit harassment and gun control
Dave Min Advocacy and Political Goals
Category
Advocacy Focus
Domestic Abuse Prevention
Expanded support systems for domestic abuse survivors
Economic Policy
Address economic inequality, advocate for financial regulation
Environmental Issues
Combat climate change, promote clean energy policies
Dave Min Election Challenges
Election Year
Candidate Outcome
Key Challenge
2018
Lost Congressional Primary
Defeated by Mimi Walters and Katie Porter in the primary
2020
Won State Senate
Narrow victory against incumbent John Moorlach in general election
2025
Congressional Race
Facing Republican Scott Baugh in the general election for CA-47
Dave Min Net Worth
Dave Min an estimate net worth a minimum of $13.7 million.
Dave Min Summary
Dave Min is a Korean American politician and lawyer serving as the state senator for California’s 37th Senate District. He has a background in law, specializing in banking and capital markets, and was a law professor at UC Irvine. Min ran for Congress in 2018 but was defeated, and in 2020, he successfully won a seat in the California State Senate. His legislative focus includes domestic violence, environmental protection, and economic reform. Min is currently running for California’s 47th Congressional District in 2025, having won the primary election.
