Former Republican congressman Richard Pombo to run for California House seat

The one-time House Resources Committee chairman is running for the Central Valley seat being vacated by Rep. George Radanovich (R-Mariposa), setting up a GOP primary battle against state Sen. Jeff Denham and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson. Former California Secretary of State Bill Jones is said to be considering entering the race, too. The district is strongly Republican.

"I have decided to run . . . to go back to Washington and get back in the middle of the wars," Pombo said Tuesday on KMJ-AM (580), a talk radio station in Fresno.

The 14-year House veteran was defeated by Democrat Jerry McNerney in a nationally watched race, in part because of efforts by environmentalists opposed to Pombo's efforts to relax environmental laws. He was the only California House incumbent to lose a seat in the 2006 election, when Democrats took over the House in a campaign that highlighted scandals under GOP rule. Pombo came under attack for ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and for putting family members on his campaign payroll.

Pombo's Tracy ranch is outside of the 19th Congressional District, but there is no district residency requirement to run for Congress. Asked about probable attacks on him as a carpetbagger, Pombo, who turns 49 on Friday, said by phone, "I've always been a Central Valley guy, and this is a Central Valley district."

Pombo vowed, if elected, to revive his efforts to rewrite the Endangered Species Act. Environmental groups are gearing up for a new battle.