Dr. Steven Choi sworn in to the Senate alongside new diverse class of Senate Republicans

Senator Dr. Steven Choi and his wife at the swearing in ceremony at the State Capitol.

Senator Dr. Steven Choi (R-Irvine) celebrated a momentous day with California Senate Republicans as three new members and one returning member of the Senate Republican Caucus were sworn in. Joining Senator Dr. Choi at the oath of office ceremony included newly elected Senators Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) and Megan Dahle (R-Bieber), and returning member Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa).

Senator Dr. Choi defeated a heavily backed Democrat incumbent and made history as the first Senate Republican to oust a Democrat incumbent in a Presidential general election since 1980. A former member of the State Assembly, Choi also served as the mayor of Irvine and as a professor at both the University of Southern California and UC Irvine.

“I am honored and humbled to have been elected to serve as a voice for my constituents in the Capitol,” said Sen. Choi. “California used to be a place where families came to pursue their American Dream. Sadly, now they are strapped with high prices, burdensome regulations, and rising crime. I will work to make California a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

With the California State Senate reaching 50% women for the first time, the Senate Republican Caucus is also celebrating for the first time that a majority of the caucus membership will be women with three of the five Republican women are Latinas.

Other new and returning members of the now nine member Senate Republican Caucus include Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego), Sens. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks), Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa), Kelly Seyarto (R-Murrieta) and newly elected Sens. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) and Megan Dahle (R-Bieber).