U.S. House, California - 4th District
Northeast -- Roseville, Rocklin
Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
2008: Tom McClintock (R) vs. Charlie Brown (D)
2006: Rep.
Democrat Charlie Brown’s chances appear worse this time around. The former Air Force lieutenant colonel ran against Doolittle in 2006 when Democrats heavily criticized the incumbent for his past association with Jack Abramoff. But Doolittle’s decision to retire puts Brown against a new GOP nominee for the open seat, state Sen. Tom McClintock, who is known statewide as the conservative candidate in the 2003 recall election. Democrats are working against a district that is traditionally conservative where voters gave President Bush 61 percent of the vote in 2004.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Tom McClintock, R
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: 2000 (%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: No Clear Favorite
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
Laden with rivers, lakes and the mountain ranges that give their names to Sierra and Nevada counties, the largely rural 4th starts at the Oregon border in the state’s northeast corner, then drops down along the Nevada border to Lake Tahoe in the east and near Sacramento in the district’s southwest corner.
The mining counties of Placer and El Dorado lend the 4th its Gold Rush feel, although technology drives one of the fastest growth rates in the state. Placer, El Dorado and Nevada counties are home to facilities of big technology names like Hewlett-Packard and Oracle, and are home to more than three-fourths of the district’s population. These areas continue to draw those who want to leave California’s crowded cities but still work in technology fields.
Timber and agriculture also play important roles in the district’s economy, and the 4th is a popular vacation destination. Numerous ski resorts dot the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and Lake Tahoe in eastern El Dorado and Placer counties offers skiing, hiking, golf and shopping. Here, visitors may choose from resorts, condominiums and cabins. Placer, with cheap property and abundant natural beauty, is rapidly becoming a draw for retirees. Despite Roseville’s relatively small size, the Placer County city has a strong retail sector, and often ranks among California’s top 10 cities (top 3 percent) in retail sales.
The 4th has California’s highest percentage of white residents (84 percent) and is safe Republican territory. Republicans hold a 17 percentage point edge in party registration, and George W. Bush took 61 percent of the vote here in the 2004 presidential election. The district gave GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger 72 percent of its vote in 2006.
Major Industry
Technology, agriculture, mining, tourism
Military bases
Sierra Army Depot, 1 military, 640 civilian (2007)
Cities
Roseville, 79,921; Rocklin, 36,330; Orangevale (unincorporated), 26,705
notable
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Lake Tahoe is the second-deepest lake in the United States and the tenth-deepest lake in the world.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 639,088
- Under 18: 26%
- Over 65: 14%
- Married: 60.4%
- Non-Hispanic White: 84%
- Black: 1%
- Hispanic: 9%
- Asian: 2%
- Foreign Born: 6.3%
- Language other than English: 10.0%
- Median Household Income: 49,387
- Owner Occupied Housing: 73%
- Income above $200k: 2.9
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 63.1%
- Blue Collar: 20.4%
- Services: 16.5%
- Bachelor's Degree: 25%
- Graduate Education: 8.0%
- Civilian Veterans: 79,018
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Tom McClintock (R) | 184,543 | 50.2% |
| Charlie Brown (D) | 182,967 | 49.8% | ||
| 2006 | general | John Doolittle (R) | 135,818 | 49% |
| Charlie Brown (D) | 126,999 | 45.9% | ||
| Dan Warren (LIBERT) | 14,076 | 5.1% | ||
| 2004 | general | John Doolittle (R) | 221,926 | 65.4% |
| David Winters (D) | 117,443 | 34.6% | ||
| 2002 | general | John Doolittle (R) | 147,997 | 64.8% |
| Mark Norberg (D) | 72,860 | 31.9% | ||
| Allen Roberts (LIBERT) | 7,247 | 3.2% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 37% | George W. Bush: 61% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 36% | George W. Bush: 58% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KIRBY, WILLIAM WARNER (I) | September 30, 2007 | $10,482.00 | |||||
| HOLMES, JOHN MICHAEL (R) | July 30, 2008 | $26,094.00 | $30,227.00 | $25,094.00 | |||
| BROWN, CHARLES (D) | November 24, 2008 | $2,547,989.00 | $2,453,067.00 | $71,299.00 | $1,993,773.00 | $158,327.00 | $95,263.00 |
| DOOLITTLE, JOHN (R) | September 30, 2008 | $405,812.00 | $437,012.00 | $42,800.00 | $228,568.00 | $13,204.00 | $152,852.00 |
| OLLER, THOMAS (RICO) (R) | September 30, 2008 | $168,889.00 | $165,615.00 | $109,276.00 | $3,273.00 | $209,105.00 | |
| EGLAND, ERIC IVER (R) | September 30, 2008 | $199,169.00 | $146,227.00 | $197,564.00 | $52,943.00 | ||
| JONES, SUZANNE VERONICA (R) | September 30, 2008 | $10,458.00 | $10,347.00 | $3,029.00 | $109.00 | $2,258.00 | |
| TERBOLIZARD, THEODORE TERBO (R) | June 30, 2008 | $42,464.00 | $42,356.00 | $10,372.00 | $108.00 | ||
| OSE, DOUG (R) | September 30, 2008 | $7,858,158.00 | $7,914,755.00 | $12,837.00 | $544,903.00 | $15,860.00 | $281,097.00 |
| MCCLINTOCK, THOMAS (R) | November 24, 2008 | $3,504,122.00 | $3,346,535.00 | $42,300.00 | $3,018,529.00 | $157,586.00 | $228,347.00 |
