Candidate for
United States Representative; District 48

Darrell Issa is the Republican Nominee in the race to succeed Rep. Ron Packard in California's 48th Congressional District. Issa, 46, is founder and CEO of Directed Electronics, the industry-leading manufacturer of automobile security systems. Directed is headquartered in Vista and has 150 employees. A high-tech industry leader, Issa is Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association and a member of the Board of Governors of the Electronics Industry Association. He is also a Director of the San Diego Economic Development Association and the Greater San Diego County Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, Issa received Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Issa is well known to Republicans throughout California. In 1996, he served as a co-chair of the campaign to pass the California Civil Rights Initiative (Prop. 209) and was Chairman of the California Republican Party's statewide Victory '96 effort. Issa also served as Chairman of the Volunteer Committee for the 1996 Republican National Convention, recruiting and organizing the activities of more than 10,000 volunteers. In 1998 he made a strong bid for United States Senate, narrowly losing a close race to then State Treasurer Matt Fong. After the election, Issa endorsed Fong and actively raised money for his campaign. Issa is the Immediate Past Chairman of the San Diego County Lincoln Club, an influential Republican organization.

The grandson of immigrants, Darrell Issa was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He enlisted in the Army during his senior year in high school and attended college on an ROTC scholarship. In the Army, Issa served as a bomb disposal technician, tank platoon commander, and a computer R&D specialist. He attained the rank of Captain.

Darrell and wife Kathy work together at DEI. Their home of 15 years is in Vista. They have one son, William, who is a college student.