Tom Del Beccaro, a former chairman of the California Republican Party, said Tuesday he has formed an exploratory committee for potentially entering the 2016 U.S. Senate race to succeed Barbara Boxer.
Del Beccaro, 53, is from Lafayette, California. He served as chairman of the state GOP from 2011 to 2013.
Democrats are heavily favored to keep Boxer's seat. They control every statewide elected office. Still, Del Beccaro is the second Republican to take the step of forming an exploratory committee. The other is Assemblyman Rocky Chavez of Oceanside in San Diego County.
Del Beccaro said in a press release that tax and environmental policies have resulted in economic stagnation for too many Californians, and he would seek changes that would help the private sector spur economic growth.
Del Beccaro hasn't run for political office before, but he's been active in GOP circles at the state and local level. He's a business and real estate lawyer who also writes frequently about politics.
State Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat, is the only candidate to officially enter the race since Boxer last month announced her decision not to seek another term.
