Camarillo, CA - California State Assemblyman Jeff Gorell announced today that he intends to run for the House of Representatives in California's 26th Congressional District. Gorell has opened a committee and begun raising funds for the race and intends to make a more formal public announcement in January.

"Partisan games and gridlock in Washington are crippling our great nation. I'm sick and tired of it, as are most Americans." said Gorell. "We need real leadership, not political posturing, to fix our broken Congress. The challenges facing both this community and America are too critical to leave to anyone who retreats into the trenches of party politics or lacks the vision, passion and leadership to be a champion for people of the 26th Congressional District."

"We deserve a congressional representative who will focus on uniting the community" continued Gorell. "In the Legislature, I have built a reputation as an independent leader capable of working across the aisle. By placing people above parties, we achieved results on the important issues facing the district such as protecting homes in Port Hueneme against beach erosion; helping position our port to be more globally competitive and energy efficient; enacting new state tax incentives to protect our local manufacturing jobs; and launching the bi-partisan 'Gold Team California' to attract new jobs."

"It's this vision and level of leadership that will be required to address the important federal issues that will face our community in the near future. For example, it's almost a certainty that our local Navy Base Ventura County will be threatened for closure in 2015 along with the elimination of thousands of jobs there. The people of Ventura County need and deserve a true champion to unite the community around defending this important defense and economic asset. On this and other key issues, I intend to prove to voters that I am that champion."

."Furthermore, our nation is at a crossroads. Americans have lost faith in federal health care. Local families are losing their insurance, premiums are skyrocketing, and many Californians will soon be losing their choice of doctors.

I am running for Congress to fix the health care mess in Washington and preserve Americans' ability to choose their own health insurance and keep their doctor," declared Gorell. "I am looking forward to running an honorable campaign and ultimately serving the people of the 26th Congressional District," said Gorell

Gorell intends to release a full list of campaign co-chairs and supporters in January. Early public endorsements already include House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy; Congressman Elton Gallegly (ret.); Michael Reagan; Congressman Howard "Buck" McKeon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; Congressman Robert J. Lagomarsino (ret.); Ventura County District Attorney Michael D. Bradbury (ret.); Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy; Moorpark Mayor Janice Parvin; Port Hueneme Mayor Tony Volante (ret.); Ventura County Auditor-Controller Christine Cohen (ret.); Santa Paula City Councilmember Jim Tovias; Senator Tony Strickland (ret.); Simi Valley Mayor Bob Huber; Ventura City Councilmember Jim Monahan and Santa Paula City Councilmember Bob Gonzalez.

Assemblyman Gorell was elected to the legislature in 2010 and currently serves as vice chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee. Gorell is also an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve. A decorated veteran of two tours to Afghanistan, Gorell was recently selected for promotion to Commander. He is also on the faculty of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks where he been an adjunct professor of public policy since 2006. He is teaching a course on California Policy Process this winter semester.