Thousand Oaks resident John A. Davidson is looking to create an upset this year and unseat longtime serving Congresswoman Lois Capps. Davidson, a Republican, is running for the California House of Representatives seat which Capps, a Democrat, has held for over 10 years, since 1998. District 23 covers a swath of land stretching across Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Issues wise, Davidson describes a commitment to “lowering taxes and regulations on business” and a desire to help create “real meaningful private sector jobs that will strengthen the tax base and help right the floundering economic ship that has become America.” Davidson supports a “secure border” and the strengthening of the border “with a more efficient presence to keep terrorists from slipping into our country unnoticed.”

He is in favor of energy independence and sustainability, and supports the use of alternative forms of energy such as nuclear, clean coal and natural gas. On the issue of healthcare reform, Davidson says that “real healthcare reform means consumers should be given more choices and greater access to high quality care. It also means governments should not be in the business of competing with healthcare providers.”

Davidson also would seek to end “unnecessary government mandates” and feels that any successful healthcare reform “must address the expensive and predatory lawsuits against doctors and hospitals that drive up control costs for insurance providers.”

Davidson, whom the candidate listing of the California Secretary of State describes as a “small business owner,” is a longtime face in the insurance industry and is a Vietnam veteran. If elected, this would be the first time he has held a seat as a congressional representative.

Davidson has described himself in recent campaign updates as a “true conservative", receiving support from a wide variety of voters and groups, including young voters and the Ventura County Tea Party.

Davidson has expressed particular excitement over the “growing support , particularly from college students in Santa Barbara who are concerned about the job market, insurance rates, and a national deficit that increases $29,000 every second.” On Sunday, the Davidson campaign sent out a communiqué to followers, in which Davidson described knocking on “over 1,200 doors with 16 volunteers, most of them college students.”

Davidson describes himself as the candidate who understands the concerns of the regular voter and who “will be their voice in Congress.”

He has received endorsements from such politicians as Bill Archer, Tony Strickland, Ed Waage, Peter Foy and Ed Royce. Voters will decide this next month if Davidson is the best candidate to take on Capps, come general election time.

The June 8 primary will winnow down what is currently a rather sizable field of contenders for the Republican nomination. If John Davidson has his druthers, he will be the eventual victor of District 23.