Steve Cooley is the two-time District Attorney from Los Angeles County. Most Republicans like him. He was a stand up guy in the Tookie Williams case. See here. He has been hardcore on the illegal immigration issue. I have personally heard him call for the Pardoning of the imprisoned borsed guards and he is relentless in tracking down illegal alien murderers. He opened a public integrity unit that got a guilty plea from a member of my school board.
However, some question his view on three strikes. Cooley wants to change the three strike law and that is drawing alot of controversy. See here. He is also drawing an opponent, Steve Ipsen, president of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys. Ipsen is a Republican, he needs to raise some $$ to be competitive, but 3 strikes will be an issue. See article here.