“Compassion.” “Moral leadership.” “Devoted.”

Southern California residents, as well as local lawmakers and politicos on both sides of the aisle, remembered former President Jimmy Carter’s public service, and his humanity, as news of his death reverberated through the political world Sunday afternoon.

Carter, the 39th U.S. president, was 100 years old. He was the longest-living American president and was in office from 1977 to 1981.

And his impact was greatly felt, even in Southern California.

It was Carter for whom Rep. Lou Correa cast his first presidential ballot after he had turned 18, the Orange County Democrat said Sunday.

And it was Carter’s presidency that inspired Mike Madrid, a longtime political consultant, to get into politics — albeit because of what he termed