Brian Maryott, the 57-year-old Republican challenging first-term incumbent Rep. Mike Levin, has been named to his national party’s Young Gun “Contender” list.
Maryott, in the 49th Congressional District, is one of 35 candidates in its “second tier” of the 2020 Young Guns program, the National Republican Congressional Committee said Thursday.
Other Young Guns contenders this year include former radio host Carl DeMaio, 45, and former Rep. Darrell Issa, 66, in the 50th District race for resigned Duncan Hunter’s old seat.
“Founded in the 2007–2008 election cycle by Congressmen Eric Cantor, Kevin McCarthy and Paul Ryan, the Young Guns program began as an organization of House Republicans dedicated to electing open seat and challenger candidates nationwide,” notes Wikipedia. “The Young Guns fostered a strategy of opposing anything proposed by President Obama and earned the Republican Party moniker ‘The Party of No.’”
The NRCC has raised $70.3 million this election cycle and spent $58.6 million on programs that include Young Gun candidates. The committee didn’t say how much Maryott, DeMaio and Issa might get if they are elevated to Young Gun status.
As of Dec. 31, Maryott had raised $826,554 and spent $505,623, according to OpenSecrets.org, while Levin has raised $1.9 million and spent $1.1 million in the district with 34.9% Democratic voter registration and 31.2% GOP registration.
Maryott has been a donor himself, contributing $2,800 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, for example.
In a statement, House Republican Leader McCarthy said: “These hard-working candidates have proven their ability to run strong, competitive campaign operations. We’re going to ensure these contenders are victorious in November by forcing their Democratic opponents to own their party’s radical socialist agenda.”
The NRCC said its Young Guns program requires candidates to work towards specific goals and meet benchmarks throughout the election cycle to ensure their campaigns remain competitive, well-funded and communicative within their districts.
Contender candidates have completed stringent program metrics and are on the path to developing a mature and competitive campaign operation.
“I’m proud that the hard work and momentum our campaign is building in all corners of the 49th District is being recognized by the NRCC,” said Maryott, the mayor of San Juan Capistrano. “I’m committed to winning this race in November to return our district to commonsense governance, not the partisan whims of Mike Levin and his socialist allies,”
California’s 49th District encompasses portions of both northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. The district covers the coastal cities of Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Del Mar. The inland portion of the district contains Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Santa Margarita, and Mission Viejo.
