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    Lou Correa, CA-46 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire
    • May 5, 2026

    Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

    Name: Lou Correa

    Current job title: U.S. Representative

    Age: 68

    Political party affiliation: Democratic

    Incumbent: Yes

    Other political positions held: State Assemblymember, state senator, Orange County Board of Supervisors

    City where you reside: Santa Ana

    Campaign website or social media: loucorrea.com

    From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)

    Immigration reform: California is the fourth-largest economy in the world. We are world leaders in high-tech and biotech, and national leaders in agriculture, light manufacturing, venture capital, among others. California’s world leadership comes from being able to attract the world’s best and brightest, including hard-working immigrants. Right now, this immigration crackdown is hurting our California economy, from agriculture to high-tech to housing construction. Instead of cracking down on American citizens and hard-working immigrant taxpayers, we should be working on Immigration reform.

    Tariffs: California’s economy is also heavily dependent on international trade, and tariffs have weakened California’s economy by creating uncertainty and raising prices. We must prioritize fair trade that protects American jobs, while keeping prices affordable for the average working family. Putting tariffs on Canadian lumber used to build housing, or tariffs on Australian imports, a friendly ally with which we have a trade surplus, are both short-sighted.

    And moving tariffs unpredictably and capriciously only serves to hurt California and national consumers. Remember, 40% of America’s port trade comes through Long Beach-Los Angeles Ports.

    Housing: Skyrocketing housing costs are a national problem, especially in California. The high cost of housing is driving people out of the Golden State. Today, we in Congress are moving legislation to address the housing construction challenges, such as over-burdensome regulation and the exorbitant cost of construction, among others.

    Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    The foundation of our democratic government is our vote. The role of both the federal and state governments should be to secure our elections from foreign interference and domestic voter suppression efforts.

    Our duty is to also ensure that all Americans, eligible to vote, have a real opportunity to vote and have their vote counted. And anyone who tries to deny an eligible American citizen the right to vote must be criminally punished. And measures must be in place to prevent voter suppression from happening before and during elections, federal and non-federal elections.

    Today, there is much discussion about adding more requirements to vote. Yet, there is no discussion about encouraging everyday working Americans to vote and to ensure that their votes are actually counted.

    In California, you register to vote by signing a voter registration card, under penalty of perjury, attesting that you are a citizen and that you’re eligible to vote. The information is then checked. No one would risk their freedom and presence in this nation by voting illegally. A study by the conservative Heritage Foundation found that, from 2000 to 2025, 1.4 billion ballots were cast, and fewer than 70 non-citizens were convicted of illegally voting.

    Yes, 70 is too many. But let’s compare that to the thousands of Americans who don’t vote. We must continue to encourage hard-working Americans to vote.

    What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Border security is and should be one of our priorities. And let’s be clear that border security does not begin or end at the border. It’s working with other nations to ensure that we are secure from foreign terrorists.

    But let’s remember that in recent years, more Americans have died from domestic terrorist attacks than from foreign terrorist attacks.

    We have failed to address our nation’s need for workers, from farmworkers to high-tech scientists to doctors and nurses. Our federal government needs to accommodate our nation’s economic health, by welcoming hard-working immigrants, like we have done for 250 years.

    We need immigration reform. We have proposed simple solutions, like the “registry bill” that changes a date in existing law, from 1972 to 2015, providing the opportunity to anyone who’s been in this nation before that date, to apply for adjustment of status, provided they are of good moral character and meet all requirements. This “registry bill date” has been changed a number of times since its original date of 1912. Let’s do it again.

    Today, our anti-immigrant posture is choking our economic growth. From the dairy farms of Wisconsin, whose employees are 90% undocumented, to the high-tech factories of California, our short-sighted immigration policy is hurting our economic growth.

    Homeland Security was created after Sept. 11, to protect our nation against foreign terrorists. Today, the vast majority of Homeland Security resources have been directed to immigration deportations, and ICE’s overzealous efforts have resulted in the deaths of American citizens and violations of our constitutional rights. This is wrong.

    It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Clearly, the administration is focused on punishing California. Our priority in Washington, D.C., should be helping Americans in their time of need. Right now, both red and blue states are being left stranded. FEMA is not helping disaster victims. Members of Congress need to push the administration to help states during disasters. Remember, Congress has the power of the purse.

    We can do this. Just like we worked across the aisle to pass legislation to force the disclosure of the Epstein files, we can also force the administration to provide disaster relief to Americans in need.

    The administration is talking about asking for $200 billion for the “Iranian War.” Yet we are cutting health care for Americans, cutting food aid for America’s hungry and under-funding FEMA. Why are we overlooking the domestic needs of American taxpayers and funding a war we did not authorize? This is not what our constituents want.

    Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Yes. The core issue is public trust in our elected officials and our government. The mere appearance of self-enrichment hurts public trust. The public wants to know that we are “behaving” when not being watched.

    There are too many cases of members of Congress engaged in individual stock trading that do not pass the smell test. Whether intentional or not, this behavior erodes the public trust in our democratic institutions.

    When we decide to enter public service, we make a decision to serve the public interest, and not our pocketbooks. Banning individual stock trading is the correct public policy.

    The way you ensure that lawmakers are not engaged in questionable stock trading, or any other self-enriching activities, is to have strong oversight and full disclosure and to have well-funded and well-staffed oversight by our Congressional Ethics Committee, by the Federal Elections Commission and the FBI. And full public online disclosure of our financial activities to allow the public to see what their local congressmembers are doing.

    Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    I grew up in Anaheim at a time when my chest would hurt when I would play outdoors. Because of state and federal regulations, we have cleaned the air we breathe. We need to do more and also continue to make sure the water we drink is clean, that the food we eat is free of contaminants and that our oceans and beaches are clean. Our children and grandchildren deserve to inherit a clean and prosperous California, just like we did.

    We can have strong regulations that work, alongside giving consumers cost-effective choices when it comes to energy. As we move from carbon to renewables, let consumers make individual cost-effective choices.

    Banning gasoline cars overnight is not practical for working-class families. Moving away from renewable energy options and defunding research and development of emerging renewable technologies, as this administration has done, is short-sighted. China is now emerging as the world-leader in manufacturing cost-effective electric vehicles and leading the world in “clean energy technology.” Why are we giving up our technological edge to China?

    Of equal importance, we must rebuild a cost-effective energy grid and clean water and transportation infrastructure, that comply with environmental regulations and are not “stopped” by over-burdensome regulations. We need to rebuild our California infrastructure to keep our economy growing, in a clean and responsible manner. And we must build it in a timely, cost-effective manner.

    President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Very unlikely.

    Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    We live in a dangerous world, and we must always be vigilant to protect our citizens, here and abroad. We in Congress have funded our national defense to protect our nation. We are always vigilant to protect against another “Pearl Harbor” or another Sept. 11. I will vote to continue to fund a strong, well-prepared military.

    Yet, this latest war in Iran was entered into without congressional consultation, let alone congressional approval. The goals of this Iranian military engagement are still not clear, and the definition of victory is still unclear.

    It’s too easy for us to again become entangled in a long-protracted war, where our “policing” presence will be long-term.

    Former Secretary of Defense General James Mattis (2017-2019) would often say, “When diplomacy fails, that’s when I buy more bullets.” We need to exhaust all diplomatic efforts before going to war.

    Under these circumstances, I will vote against funding this expensive war. I prioritize voting to fund health care for our constituents, and food for our hungry, and further invest in research and development and the well-being of Americans, over the funding of this war.

    Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Yes. Our Constitution reserves the right to declare war to Congress. Sadly, Congress has ceded too much of this authority to the executive over the last few decades. Both Democratic and Republican congresses have given the president the ability to engage militarily without congressional approval.

    War should be the last option, after all diplomatic efforts are exhausted. Then the president must look for congressional approval to enter war, short of a national emergency. And when there is an emergency, the president must seek Congress’ approval immediately.

    Why? Because wars don’t always go as planned. And to win a war, America must have a consensus that this is the right course, given that war will cost American lives and American treasure.

    And we must have specific goals when declaring war, and specifics to determine when we have achieved those goals. For a president to say that his “gut feeling” will decide when the war is over, is irresponsible and reckless.

    Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Congress has failed to curtail the executive branch’s power to declare war. We must also regain our oversight power by using our “power of the purse.” Congress must not continue to fund a war when Congress was not consulted, nor did it authorize it. We must stop giving a blank check to the executive branch to continue to declare wars without Congress’s permission.

    War is unpredictable. Our national debt is now staggering. The last time we had a balanced budget, Bill Clinton was president. We can’t cut taxes, spend more on defense and pretend that we are being fiscally responsible.

    Congress should also use its oversight power to audit all government expenditures for fraud, waste and abuse, including our military branches. Only the U.S. Coast Guard is audited today. The other military branches should also be audited.

    Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    As we debate whether to put “guard rails” on emerging artificial intelligence, we should draw on lessons that we learned from not putting guard rails on social media. We must put guardrails on both social media and on AI.

    The internet and social media open doors to unlimited topics and subject matter for users of all ages. Social media is a new way to bully and emotionally hurt people, especially young people. Strangers with bad intentions have access to our most precious children, right in front of us, without us knowing.

    The guard rails should start by monitoring social media to catch sexual predators and to stop fraud schemes that prey on all of us, especially our elderly. These are very smart criminals, always coming up with new ways to hurt our loved ones and us. We have to be proactive in monitoring for crimes, while being careful not to infringe on our constitutional freedoms of expression.

    But this effort requires all interested parties to work collaboratively, from social media firms to federal and state and local police authorities, to parents to consumers.

    Yes, we should always be on alert to stop efforts that infringe on our freedom of speech on social media. But clearly, crimes on social media are not protected speech on the internet.

    There are too many cases of underage suicides because of social media bullying, and too many instances of our seniors’ life savings being stolen.

    We can do this.

    Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Our streets may be safer, but we still have challenges. Our schools may be making progress, but we only see challenges. Our window into our own world is dominated by the press and social media.

    What we see in the daily news is much negativity and not enough of our successes and good in our society and schools. Rarely do we see or read about the students who graduate at the top of their class. Rarely do we attend the local high school girls’ volleyball game, or Friday night high school football game to cheer on the hard work and talent of our children. Rarely do we attend a high school graduation that talks about our success stories. And rarely do these events get news coverage.

    Yes, we continue to have challenges, too many to list, but we also have lots of good and blessings in our neighborhoods.

    My role in Congress is to focus on solving problems in our neighborhoods by working alongside my neighbors and locally elected officials.

    We have many blessings in our communities. Let’s celebrate them. You’ll usually find me attending local high school sports events on weekends. Let’s celebrate our successes while continuing to fix our challenges.

    There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Yes, I support term limits.

    How many years? We have to balance with having experienced elected officials, with subject matter expertise, who can make good decisions for their constituents, based on their own knowledge and not have to rely on a poll, nor the advice of a consultant, nor the advice of a lobbyist, nor the advice of a staffer, nor the advice of a political party boss. Congressmembers need to make final decisions and anticipate the implications of their decisions.

    How many years? California term limits started at six years for the Assembly, and eight years for the Senate. To address the issue of having experienced legislators, they were adjusted to 12 years for each chamber.

    In Congress, today, we have members who serve from two years to those serving as many as 40 years. This is a decision for the voters, probably in 10 and 20 years.

    What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Knowing my constituency. Knowing who I work for. I’ve lived in our community for over six decades. And, the more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same. We are blue-collar, hard-working American families that are looking for the “American dream.” We want safe streets, affordable health care, good quality public schools for our kids, good-paying jobs and the ability to buy a house to call our own.

    I grew up living from apartment to apartment. My parents had no formal education, but they instilled in me the values of honesty, hard work, and sacrifice. Our dream was to buy our own home. We gathered all our nickels and dimes and bought our home.

    My hidden talent is that I don’t have to rely on a poll or a political party platform to tell me what my constituents are looking for or what their challenges are. We are one community, and we look after each other, and we try to share the little we have with those who have less.

    Everyone knows me, and I know them. We grew up together. Their children grew up with my children.

    I remember who I work for when I am voting in Washington. I am honored and blessed to serve. I am honored to serve in Congress. Serving is my passion. Thank you for the honor and opportunity to represent you.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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