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 2024
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 2024, Min ran for and won the seat for California’s 47th congressional district, defeating Republican Scott Baugh.
Dave Min Biography Details
| Born | March 5, 1976 (age 48)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
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| Political party | Democratic |
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| Spouse | |
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| Children | 3 |
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| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BS)
Harvard University (JD) |
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| Website | Campaign website |
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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, 2024 California’s 47th Congressional District |
Key Legislative Focus | Domestic abuse protection, offshore drilling, transit harassment |
Election Results 2020 | 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 |
2024 | 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 2024, having won the primary election.
