John Campbell (California politician) explained

John Campbell
Office1:Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
Term Start1:December 7, 2005
Term End1:January 3, 2015
Predecessor1:Christopher Cox
Successor1:Mimi Walters
District2:35th
Predecessor2:Ross Johnson
Successor2:Tom Harman
Party:Republican
State Senate2:California State
Birth Name:John Bayard Taylor Campbell III
Birth Date:19 July 1955
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Spouse:Catherine Campbell
Children:2
Education:University of California, Los Angeles (BA)
University of Southern California (MS)
Term Start2:December 6, 2004
Term End2:December 6, 2005
State Assembly3:California
District3:70th
Term Start3:December 4, 2000
Term End3:November 30, 2004
Predecessor3:Marilyn Brewer
Successor3:Chuck DeVore

John Bayard Taylor Campbell III (born July 19, 1955) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from California from 2005 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the California State Assembly (2000–2004) and California State Senate (2004–2005). In Congress, Campbell represented the state's 48th congressional district for four terms and 45th congressional district for one term. On June 27, 2013, he announced that he would not seek reelection in 2014.[1]

Business career

In 1985, Campbell became President and CEO of Campbell Automotive Group. In 1990, he became president and CEO of Saturn of Orange County. Campbell became Chairman and CEO of Saab of Orange County in 1999.

California Legislature

Elected to represent southern Orange County's 70th District in the California State Assembly in 2000, Campbell won 60% of the vote in a five-way race to replace term-limited Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer. Campbell was reelected in 2002 with 67% of the vote.

In the 2004 race to replace the term-limited Ross Johnson in the 35th State Senate District, Campbell won the Republican primary with 61% of the vote against fellow Assemblyman Ken Maddox, who received 30% of the vote. In the general election, Campbell won with 64%. Then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a close ally of Campbell, endorsed him in the race.[2]

As a state Senator, Campbell served as Vice Chair of both the Business Professions and Economic Development Committee and the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee. He was also a member of the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee; the Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee; the Environmental Quality Committee; and the Government Modernization, Efficiency, and Accountability Committee.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

Party leadership and caucus membership

On June 17, 2009, Campbell signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 1503, the bill introduced as a reaction to conspiracy theories which claimed that U.S. President Barack Obama is not a natural born U.S. citizen.[3] Campbell stated on Hardball with Chris Matthews that he believed that Obama was a natural born U.S. citizen and that he believed the bill would end the conspiracy theories surrounding Obama's citizenship.

On July 13, 2006, Campbell was one of 33 Republican House members to vote against renewing the Voting Rights Act for 25 years, mostly out of his objections to the bilingual ballots that the VRA mandated, which he and his fellow Republicans called an "unfunded mandate".[4] [5]

On December 15, 2010, Campbell was one of fifteen Republican House members to vote in favor of repealing the United States military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on openly gay service members.[6] [7]

In 2011, Campbell voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 as part of a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial.[8]

He sponsored the Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act which would make it easier for taxpayers to make donations to the federal government. In 2010 Campbell signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.[9]

Campbell is a member of the Congressional Constitution Caucus.[10]

Political campaigns

See main article: 2005 California's 48th congressional district special election. After Congressman Christopher Cox resigned to become Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Campbell became a candidate to replace Cox in the 48th Congressional District Special Election, scheduled for October 4, 2005. Campbell received endorsements from most of the important Republican officials in the state but faced some criticism as his stance on illegal immigration was seen as being too lenient. He faced a strong third-party challenge from American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist. On October 4, Campbell garnered 46% of the vote, below the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. He faced Democrat Steve Young, American Independent Jim Gilchrist, Libertarian Bruce D. Cohen and Green Bea Tirtilli in the December 6 runoff, which he won with 44% of the vote. Campbell was sworn in on December 7.

Campbell was re-elected to his first full term in 2006 with 60% of the vote. In 2008 and 2010, he was re-elected with 56% and 60%, respectively, of the vote. In 2012, he was re-elected with 59% of the vote.[11]

In 2009, several watchdog groups claimed Campbell took $170,000 in campaign contributions from car dealers, and then introduced legislation exempting them from consumer protection laws.[12] [13]

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: BREAKING NEWS: Congressman John Campbell Retiring . Emami . Chris . June 27, 2013 . OC Political . June 27, 2013.
  2. News: Governor takes sides in GOP's primary for state Senate seat. February 5, 2004. Sacramento Bee.
  3. Web site: Bill Summary & Status – 111th Congress (2009 – 2010) – H.R.1503 – Cosponsors – THOMAS (Library of Congress) . Thomas.loc.gov . 2010-09-01 . 2016-07-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160703230832/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR01503:@@@P . dead .
  4. Web site: Campbell III. John. Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006. Representative John Campbell. July 13, 2006. May 18, 2015.
  5. News: Neuman. Johanna. Voting Rights Act Renewal Wins House Approval. Los Angeles Times. July 14, 2006. May 18, 2015.
  6. Chris Geidner, House Passes DADT Repeal Bill, Metro Weekly (December 15, 2010).
  7. http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/111/house/2/638 House Vote 638 – Repeals 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
  8. Web site: NDAA Bill: How Did Your Congress Member Vote? . Ibtimes.com. December 16, 2011. April 11, 2013.
  9. Web site: Americans for Prosperity Applauds U.S. Representative John Campbell : Signs No Climate Tax Pledge . Americansforprosperity.org . 2017-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080635/http://americansforprosperity.org/noclimatetax//wp-content/uploads/2010/07/campbell.pdf . 2014-10-06 . dead .
  10. Web site: Members. Congressional Constitution Caucus. 8 May 2018.
  11. Web site: 2012 House Races. November 29, 2012. July 2, 2013. POLITICO.
  12. Web site: Petition Congress: Stop the special interest bill! . 2009-10-23 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091026181803/http://action.change-congress.org/signUp.jsp?key=2754&tag=102309-E . 2009-10-26 .
  13. Web site: Rep. Campbell's Constituents: Ford, Hondas, Chevys, Beemers… – Sunlight Foundation Blog. Blog.sunlightfoundation.com. 2009-10-27. 2010-09-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20091223070953/http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2009/10/21/rep-campbells-constituents-ford-hondas-chevys-beemers/. 2009-12-23. dead.