Charles M. Calderon
Encyclopedia
Charles M. Calderon began his second stint in the California State Assembly
in 2006. He represents the 58th District, which includes the cities of Montebello
, Pico Rivera
, Hacienda Heights
Rowland Heights
, South San Gabriel
, South San Jose Hills
, Valinda
and portions of City of Industry
, Downey
, La Mirada
, Whittier
and East Los Angeles
.
Calderon was first elected to the Assembly in 1982. In 1988-89, he became leader of a power struggle for control of the Assembly. The "Gang of Five", as they were called–Calderon, Gary Condit
, Steve Peace of Chula Vista, Gerald Eaves of Rialto, and Rusty Areias of Los Banos, California–were conservative Democrats who tried to wrest power from Willie Brown
, then Speaker of the Assembly. Calderon was nominated for the office of Speaker, but Brown prevailed by a vote of 40-34. Brown stripped all five of committee leadership positions and staff.
In 1990, Calderon left the Assembly, and he was elected to the California State Senate
. From September 1996 until the end of his term, Calderon served as the first Hispanic Senate Majority leader in California history. He ran unsuccessfully for Attorney General in 1998, losing the primary to Bill Lockyer
. Prior to his 2006 election to the Assembly, he served as California Health Care Commissioner and was a Partner with the law firm
of Nossaman
.
Calderon, who is serving his 20th year in the California legislature, is the longest-serving member of that body. He is also the first person to have served as Majority Leader in both the California Assembly and California Senate.
Prior to his 1982 election to the Assembly, Calderon was a prosecutor and also served on the Montebello School Board.
Calderon graduated from California State University, Los Angeles
and earned a law degree from the UC Davis School of Law
.
His brothers Ronald S. Calderon
and Thomas M. Calderon have both served in the State Assembly. Ronald currently holds Charles' former Senate seat; Thomas has been out of the legislature since an unsuccessful run for Insurance Commissioner in 2002.
Calderon has a wife named Lisa, and they have three children.
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
in 2006. He represents the 58th District, which includes the cities of Montebello
Montebello, California
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
, Pico Rivera
Pico Rivera, California
Pico Rivera is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is situated approximately 11 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, and on the southern edge of the area known as the San Gabriel Valley...
, Hacienda Heights
Hacienda Heights, California
Hacienda Heights is an unincorporated census-designated place in and below the Puente Hills of the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
Rowland Heights
Rowland Heights, California
Rowland Heights is an unincorporated community of , located in and below the Puente Hills in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. The population of the census-designated place was 48,993 at the 2010 census, up from 48,553 at the 2000 census...
, South San Gabriel
South San Gabriel, California
South San Gabriel is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census, up from 7,595 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South San Gabriel is located at ....
, South San Jose Hills
South San Jose Hills, California
South San Jose Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 20,551 at the 2010 census, up from 20,218 at the 2000 census.- Description :...
, Valinda
Valinda, California
Valinda is a census-designated place in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,822, up from 21,776 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and portions of City of Industry
Industry, California
Industry is an industrial suburb of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County. Home to over 2,500 businesses and 80,000 jobs, but only 219 residents at the 2010 census - down from 777 residents as of the 2000 United States census - the city is almost entirely industrial...
, Downey
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, La Mirada
La Mirada, California
La Mirada is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of the Gateway Cities. The population was 48,527 at the 2010 census, up from 46,783 at the 2000 census....
, Whittier
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
and East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
.
Calderon was first elected to the Assembly in 1982. In 1988-89, he became leader of a power struggle for control of the Assembly. The "Gang of Five", as they were called–Calderon, Gary Condit
Gary Condit
Gary Adrian Condit is a former American politician, a Democrat who served in the House of Representatives from 1989 to 2003...
, Steve Peace of Chula Vista, Gerald Eaves of Rialto, and Rusty Areias of Los Banos, California–were conservative Democrats who tried to wrest power from Willie Brown
Willie Brown (politician)
Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served over 30 years in the California State Assembly, spending 15 years as its Speaker, and afterward served as the 41st mayor of San Francisco, the first African American to do so...
, then Speaker of the Assembly. Calderon was nominated for the office of Speaker, but Brown prevailed by a vote of 40-34. Brown stripped all five of committee leadership positions and staff.
In 1990, Calderon left the Assembly, and he was elected to the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
. From September 1996 until the end of his term, Calderon served as the first Hispanic Senate Majority leader in California history. He ran unsuccessfully for Attorney General in 1998, losing the primary to Bill Lockyer
Bill Lockyer
William Westwood "Bill" Lockyer is an American politician. He is the current 32nd State Treasurer of California, elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. He has also served as California Attorney General and President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate...
. Prior to his 2006 election to the Assembly, he served as California Health Care Commissioner and was a Partner with the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Nossaman
Nossaman
Nossaman LLP is a national law firm with over 150 attorneys and lobbyists located in seven offices throughout the United States. The Firm’s expertise is focused in distinct areas of law and policy, as well as in specific industries, ranging from transportation, healthcare and financial services to...
.
Calderon, who is serving his 20th year in the California legislature, is the longest-serving member of that body. He is also the first person to have served as Majority Leader in both the California Assembly and California Senate.
Prior to his 1982 election to the Assembly, Calderon was a prosecutor and also served on the Montebello School Board.
Calderon graduated from California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
and earned a law degree from the UC Davis School of Law
UC Davis School of Law
The University of California Davis School of Law , referred to as UC Davis School of Law and commonly known as King Hall and UC Davis Law, is an American Bar Association approved law school located in Davis, California on the campus of the University of California, Davis. The school received ABA...
.
His brothers Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald Steven Calderon is the California State Senator from the 30th Senate District. He was elected to the Senate in 2006....
and Thomas M. Calderon have both served in the State Assembly. Ronald currently holds Charles' former Senate seat; Thomas has been out of the legislature since an unsuccessful run for Insurance Commissioner in 2002.
Calderon has a wife named Lisa, and they have three children.