Marta Jorgensen Democrat Marta Jorgensen has announced she’ll run in next year’s 24th Congressional District race, a seat Republican Elton Gallegly has held for 22 years.

Gallegly (R-Thousand Oaks) beat Jorgensen in 2008 with 56 percent of the votes.

Jorgensen, a resident of Solvang, captured 42 percent with about $20,000 in campaign funds. Gallegly raised more than $743,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The 24th Congressional District covers inland Santa Barbara County and most of Ventura County, including Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and Camarillo.

Jorgensen is touting healthcare and environmental reforms to jumpstart the economy. She spent 27 years as a vocational nurse and opened a computer school for young people.

She credits her time as a nurse with helping her see that the healthcare system has become “a bureaucracy out of control.”

Jorgensen is a strong proponent of the CEED (Community Energy and Economic Development) Program designed to harness the new administration’s desire to promote renewable energy, green jobs and green companies throughout the country. The program was initially created as part of Jorgensen’s 2008 campaign but is now free-standing.

Gallegly, a former Simi Valley mayor, ran a small business for 20 years before he was elected to public office. He began his 12th term in 2008.

Although he hasn’t made a formal announcement, the congressman told the Acorn he would be running again in 2010.

“We’ve run a fulltime campaign for 23 years,” Gallegly said. “We’re being very aggressive, as we always have. I’ve filed papers, and the campaign contributions are coming in wonderfully, many of which are unsolicited.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” he added. “We’re moving ahead to stop things like this government healthcare program, and of course fighting illegal immigration is at the top of my list.”