Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has been a champion for the people of the 47th Congressional District since the moment she burst onto the political scene in the fall of 1996.  She astonished the nation by defeating entrenched right-wing incumbent Bob Dornan, in what was believed to be a safe Republican seat.  Just as stunning was the fact that Loretta achieved victory in Orange County , in one of the most conservative congressional districts in the nation.  Since then, she has become an experienced legislator and concerned public servant, proudly representing her diverse constituency – a mirror of the changing face of America.  Loretta is the first and only Hispanic woman ever to be elected to Congress from Orange County .  She is currently serving her sixth term, winning re-election in November, 2006 with more than 62% of the vote.

The national attention she garnered from her upset victory in 1996, coupled with her centrist vision, helped her rise quickly through the ranks to become one of the most influential and recognizable leaders in Washington, D.C.  In 1998, after just one term in Congress, then-President Bill Clinton made Loretta co-chair of the Democratic National Committee.  In the 110th Congress, Loretta is serving as the Vice Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee and is Chairwoman of the Border, Maritime and Global Counter-Terrorism Subcommittee of Homeland Security.  She is also a Member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Loretta travels to her home district from Washington, D.C. each week to work in the community and meet with constituents.  She has focused much of her time on issues such as education, public safety and crime reduction, economic development and protections for senior citizens.  Born and raised in the district she serves, she is acutely aware of the issues facing her constituency.

She has personally visited every school in her district.  As a Head Start child, graduate of the public school system and Pell Grant recipient, Loretta understands firsthand the value of these federal programs.  She regularly hosts "Community Office Hours", a grassroots approach to generating community interest in and accessibility to the congressional representative.

Prior to her election to Congress, Loretta was a financial manager at the Orange County Transportation Authority.  She was an assistant vice president at Fieldman Rollap and Associates, specializing in advising clients of the firm in the area of municipal finance.  She as an associate at Booz, Allen and Hamilton, putting financial plans together for municipalities as well as private companies.  She eventually started her own consulting business in Santa Ana , assisting public agencies and private firms with financial matters.

Loretta attended Chapman University in Orange, California, where she was selected in January 2002 to serve as the university's first Latina member of the Board of Trustees.  She received her bachelor's degree in economics in 1982 (voted "Business Student of the Year") and then entered American University in Washington, D.C. , where she earned her Master's Degree in Business Administration in 1984.

The 47th Congressional District encompasses the Southern California cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove and portions of Anaheim and Fullerton.  It is home to Disneyland and the Anaheim Angels.