11:30 am Social • 12:00 pm Lunch

Holiday Inn Airport Hotel
2155 E. Convention Center Way
Ontario, CA 91764

ABOUT DUF SUNDHEIM, Candidate for United States Senate

In 2003, California was suffering from a severe energy crisis, rising taxes, a growing budget deficit and an out of touch Governor.

Duf was frustrated that the leadership of the California Republicans seemed more concerned with internal fights than the plight of the people. Even though he had never been a delegate to the California Republican Party, he ran to be its Chairman – and won.

Duf’s first major act as Chairman was to vigorously campaign for the recall of Governor Gray Davis. Duf believed the recall would have a transformative effect on California and usher in many of the changes the state needed but Sacramento was reluctant to make. The recall succeeded, the first in the history of California, the second in the history of the U.S. And with it came a new administration that dealt decisively with the car tax, political gerrymandering, excessive tailpipe emissions, criminal recidivism and workers’ compensation.

In 2012, Duf reached across the political aisle to help the Democrat Mayor of San Jose, Chuck Reed, pass sweeping pension reform with the support of 70% of the San Jose voters. During this period Duf also was an advisor to Superintendent John Porter in San Jose’s underserved Franklin-McKinley School District. They tirelessly battled the bureaucracy and special interests to ensure the district put the children first, doubling the number of students’ who earned grades that placed them on the Sylvandale Honor Roll.

Although Duf has played a key role in political reforms, he is just as proud of his work outside of politics. Duf learned a lot about respecting all individuals through his close relationship with his younger brother, who has a developmental disability. While playing football at Stanford, he saw other children with challenges. At the age of 22 he co-founded a national program where college athletes worked with disadvantaged youth. The program eventually had 54 chapters nationwide.

After Duf graduated from Stanford University with Honors and Distinction in Economics; he coached football at Stanford and published a book on Bay Area restaurants. He then received a law degree from Northwestern University with the aid of an Exceptional Student Post-Graduate Fellowship.

As an attorney, Duf viewed himself as a legal obstetrician and pediatrician, giving birth to and helping form healthy young companies. Clients included:

• Two women opening a yogurt store
• Stanford grads playing in the NFL (as their agent)
• The developer of the Jurassic Park video game
• A special effects company in Hollywood
• A burgeoning tech giant in Silicon Valley

Duf knows that people create jobs and that government regulation can crush them.

During this period Duf also received the State Bar Pro Bono Award.

Today, Duf owns his own small business serving as a federal court mediator and volunteer settlement judge. In these rolls Duf regularly helps people long opposed to one another find common sense, long-term solutions to their problems.

Duf and his wife Cheryl live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Cheryl is an Infant Mental Health Specialist, working in the field of early intervention with young children and families. They are the proud parents of two grown sons, Jordan and Eric.

Members $35 | Non Members $40 | Table of 10 $350

RSVP | (909) 815-7498 or rsvp@lincolnclubsbc.com