Tom J. Bordonaro Jr. (born March 22,1959) is an American politician serving as the Assessor of San Luis Obispo County,California,since 2002. A Republican,he served two terms in the California State Assembly from 1994 to 1998,making him the first wheelchair-user to be elected to the legislative body.
In his first year of college,Bordonaro was left a quadriplegic after breaking his neck in a car crash.[1]
Career
Bordonaro was elected to the California State Assembly in 1994 representing the 33rd district,representing parts of the lower Central Coast. He was the first wheelchair-user elected to the legislative body.[2]
Bordonaro ran in the 1998 special election replacing Walter Capps,who died of a heart attack after taking office. Considered the more conservative candidate,he won the Republican nomination over Newt Gingrich-endorsed Assemblyman Brooks Firestone[1]. Gerald Ford had previously described Bordonaro as an "extremist" for his stance on abortion and Democratic nominee Lois Capps used the quote in media attacks against him.[3][4] Capps,Walter's widow,ultimately won with 53.46% to Bordonaro's 44.78% of the total vote. He ran in the regularly scheduled general election and lost again.
He was elected San Luis Obispo County Assessor in 2002,defeating 25-year incumbent Dick Frank,and has been unnoposed in every election besides 2018.[2]
↑ Gizzi, John (March 20, 1998). "Bordonaro and Pauken lose in California and Texas". Human Events. Vol.54, no.11. p.265.
↑ Segura, Gary; Woods, Nathan (2002). "Targets of Opportunity: California's Blanket Primary and the Political Representation of Latinos". In Cain, Bruce; Gerber, Elisabeth (eds.). Voting at the Political Fault Line: California's Experiment with the Blanket Primary. University of California Press. p.259. doi:10.1525/9780520935778-015. ISBN978-0-520-93577-8.
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