 He stepped down from the Minutemen to return to private life in 2006.In 2009, following the announcement that embattled 59th District Assemblyman Anthony Adams would not seek re-election, Donnelly announced his candidacy.Appealing to Tea Party voters, he ran in the 2010 semi-closed primary election, and narrowly won the Republican nomination over Covina City Councilman Christopher Lancaster, son of former state Assemblyman William H. Lancaster.