John Seymour (California politician)

Last updated

John Seymour's voice
Seymour, while a U.S. senator, commemorates National Hispanic Heritage Month
Recorded September 16, 1992
John Seymour
John F Seymour.jpg
United States Senator
from California
In office
January 10, 1991 –November 4, 1992

John Francis Seymour Jr. [1] [2] (born December 3, 1937) is an American retired politician who served as a United States senator from California from 1991 to 1992. A member of the Republican Party, he was appointed to continue Pete Wilson's term but lost the special election to finish it to Democratic nominee and former San Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein. [3] As of 2024, he is the last Republican to serve as a U.S. senator from California and the last man to have served as a United States Senator from California for the Class 1 Senate seat. Seymour was also the last U.S. senator from Southern California until Alex Padilla took office on January 20, 2021, replacing Kamala Harris when she was inaugurated as vice president of the United States.

Contents

Life and career

Born in Chicago, Seymour attended public schools in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1955 to 1959 and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1962. Seymour was the president of the California Association of Realtors from 1978 to 1982, and worked in the real estate business from 1962 to 1981.

Seymour served Anaheim as a member of its city council from 1974 to 1978, as the 39th mayor of Anaheim from 1978 to 1982, and as a state senator from 1982 to 1991. In the California Senate, his voting record was that of a moderate or liberal Republican; he voted to ban assault weapons, to outlaw discrimination against people with AIDS, and to increase spending for social programs including education and mental health benefits. [4] As mayor of Anaheim, Seymour was instrumental in recruiting the Los Angeles Rams to move to Anaheim Stadium. [5]

In 1991, Seymour was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Pete Wilson to serve in the seat Wilson had vacated to become governor. Seymour's appointment lasted until the 1992 special election to select a replacement who would serve until the normal expiration of Wilson's term in 1995. Former San Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein defeated Seymour in the special election.

After his Senate term, Seymour served as director of the California Housing Finance Agency for two years, [6] and later served as CEO of the nonprofit Southern California Housing Development Corporation and on the boards of directors of several housing-related companies including IndyMac Bank, Orange Coast Title Insurance, Los Angeles Federal Savings Bank, and Irvine Apartment Communities. [7] Seymour currently lives in San Marcos, California.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Boxer</span> American politician (born 1940)

Barbara Sue Boxer is an American politician, lobbyist, and former reporter who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the U.S. representative for California's 6th congressional district from 1983 until 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dianne Feinstein</span> American politician (1933–2023)

Dianne Emiel Feinstein was an American politician who served as a United States senator from California from 1992 until her death in 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Wilson</span> Governor of California from 1991 to 1999

Peter Barton Wilson is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from California from 1983 to 1991 and as the 36th governor of California from 1991 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the 29th mayor of San Diego from 1971 to 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Harman</span> American politician (born 1945)

Jane Margaret Harman is an American former politician who served as the U.S. Representative for California's 36th congressional district from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee (2002–2006), before she chaired the Homeland Security Committee's Intelligence Subcommittee (2007–2011).

This article covers the history of women in the United States Senate and various milestones achieved by female senators. It includes a list of all women who have served in the Senate, a list of current female senators, and a list of states represented by women in the Senate. The first female U.S. senator, Rebecca Latimer Felton, represented Georgia for a single day in 1922, and the first woman elected to the Senate, Hattie Caraway, was elected from Arkansas in 1932. Since its establishment in 1789, 60 women have served in the upper house of the United States Congress. As of December 9, 2024, there are 24 women serving as U.S. senators out of 100 possible seats. Additionally, Kamala Harris as vice president serves as President of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quentin L. Kopp</span> American politician

Quentin Lewis Kopp is an American attorney and politician. He served as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and in the California State Senate. Kopp ran unsuccessfully for mayor of San Francisco in 1979 against Dianne Feinstein. Kopp advocated for the extension of BART to SFO which was completed in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Padilla</span> American politician (born 1973)

Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from California, a seat he has held since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Padilla served as the 30th secretary of state of California from 2015 to 2021 and was a member of the California State Senate and the Los Angeles City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2006 United States Senate election in California was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein won re-election to her third full term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 California gubernatorial election</span>

The 1990 California gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. The Republican candidate, Senator Pete Wilson, defeated the Democratic candidate, former San Francisco mayor Dianne Feinstein.

The California Republican Party (CAGOP) is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in the U.S. state of California. The party is based in Sacramento and is led by chair Jessica Millan Patterson, the first Latina to lead the party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Mountjoy</span> American politician

Richard Lee Mountjoy was an American Republican politician from Monrovia, California. He served in the California State Assembly from 1978 to 1994, and the California State Senate from 1994 to 2000. He was also the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2004 United States Senate election in California took place on November 2, 2004, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer ran for re-election and defeated Republican former Secretary of State Bill Jones. Boxer's 6.96 million votes set the all-time record for the most votes cast for one candidate in one state in one election, although it was surpassed by Senator Dianne Feinstein's 7.75 million votes in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 United States Senate special election in California</span>

The 1992 United States Senate special election in California took place on November 3, 1992, at the same time as the regular election to the United States Senate in California. Feinstein defeated future California governor Gray Davis in the Democratic primary, while Seymour defeated William E. Dannemeyer in the Republican primary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1994 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1994 United States Senate election in California was held November 8, 1994. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein won re-election to her first full term. By a margin of 1.9%, this election was the closest race of the 1994 Senate election cycle. This election was the first time ever that an incumbent Democratic Senator from California was re-elected or won re-election to this seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2012 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1982 United States Senate election in California took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa decided to retire after one term. Republican Pete Wilson, the mayor of San Diego, won Hayakawa's open seat over Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and several minor candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2016 United States Senate election in California was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of California, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection</span>

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for vice president of the United States in the 1984 election. Former Vice President Walter Mondale won the 1984 Democratic nomination for president of the United States, and chose New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. Ferraro was the first woman to be a part of a national ticket for a major party. Mondale chose Ferraro in hopes of energizing the base and winning the votes of women, but also because he viewed her as a solid legislator who had won the approval of Speaker Tip O'Neill. If elected, she would have been the first female vice president but the feat would later be accomplished by Kamala Harris in 2020. The Mondale–Ferraro ticket ultimately lost to the Reagan–Bush ticket. Until 2024, this was the last time the Democratic vice presidential nominee was neither the incumbent vice president nor a senator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent California, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 United States Senate elections in California</span> Elections for Californias class 1 Senate seat

The 2024 United States Senate elections in California were held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the state of California. There were two ballot items for the same Class 1 seat: a special election to fill the seat for the final month of the 118th United States Congress, and a regular general election for a full term that starts on January 3, 2025, starting in the 119th United States Congress. This was the second time in a row for this to happen.

References

  1. ↑ "Stocks". Bloomberg News . January 30, 2024.
  2. ↑ Decker, Cathleen (May 26, 1991). "Seymour's Overdrive for Success". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  3. ↑ "States in the Senate - California's United States Senators" . Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  4. ↑ New Senator from California is named, The New York Times, 1991/01/03.
  5. ↑ Bailey, Eric (October 4, 1993). "Ex-Senator Has Gained New Agenda: Profile: John Seymour is enjoying his role as housing agency's executive director". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Orange Coast Title Company". Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ "IndyMac Announces the Appointment of Senator John Seymour -Ret.- to the Board of Directors of IndyMac Bancorp, Inc" (Press release). Retrieved April 18, 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Anaheim, California
1978–1982		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 1) from California
1991–1992
Served alongside: Alan Cranston 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican Party nominee for United States Senator from California (Class 1)
1992 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former US Senator
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.