John Garamendi

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**John Garamendi**
Image:JohnGaramendi.jpg Lt. Governor-elect John Garamendi
46th Lieutenant Governor of California
Term of office:	2007 (scheduled inauguration) –
Governor(s):	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Predecessor:	Cruz Bustamante
Successor:	Incumbent (Lt.Governor-elect)
Born:	January 24, 1945 Mokelumne Hill, California
Political party:	Democratic
Spouse:	Patricia W. Garamendi

John Raymond Garamendi (born January 24, 1945) is a U.S. politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He has been the California State Insurance Commissioner since 2003, having previously been the first occupant of that office from 1991 to 1995. He was the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1995 to 1998. He is now Lieutenant Governor-elect, defeating Republican Tom McClintock in the 2006 mid-term elections.

Born in Mokelumne Hill, California of Basque descent, Garamendi received a Bachelor's degree in business from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. Garamendi is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Garamendi won election to the California State Assembly in 1974 and to the State Senate in 1976. Garamendi ran unsuccessfully in the 1982 Democratic gubernatorial primary, where he was defeated by Tom Bradley and in the 1986 Democratic primary for California State Controller when he lost to Gray Davis, but in 1990 was successful in his campaign to become California's first Commissioner of Insurance.

Instead of seeking re-election to the Insurance Commissioner's office in 1994, Garamendi ran for Governor of California but lost the Democratic primary by 15% to State Treasurer Kathleen Brown, [1] who in turn lost the general election by 15% to incumbent Republican Governor Pete Wilson. [2]

Shortly thereafter, President Bill Clinton appointed Garamendi to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Interior, the second-highest post in the U.S. Department of the Interior.

After four years in the private sector, Garamendi won election to a second term as Insurance Commissioner by less than 5%. [3] Seven months into his term as Insurance Commissioner, on August 7, 2003, Garamendi announced his candidacy for Governor in the gubernatorial recall election but dropped out two days later in favor of Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.

Halfway through his term as Insurance Commissioner, on July 16, 2004, Garamendi announced his candidacy for the 2006 race to replace the term-limited Bustamante as Lieutenant Governor. [4] Bustamante had run to replace Garamendi as Insurance Commissioner.

Former Vice President Al Gore had endorsed Garamendi for Lt. Governor. Garamendi was also endorsed by the Sierra Club, the California Teachers Association, the California League of Conservation Voters, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Professional Firefighters Association, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, to name a few.

In the June 6, 2006 Democratic primary, Garamendi defeated state senators Liz Figueroa and Jackie Speier, receiving 43% of the vote. The margin of votes between Garamendi and Speier was very tight during much of the election night, with each receiving about 40% of the vote, but in later returns Garamendi pulled ahead. In November 2006 he faced Republican Tom McClintock and several candidates from smaller political parties in the general election. California elects governors and lieutenant governors separately; state treasurer Phil Angelides was the Democratic nominee for Governor of California, but Garamendi could not, in any formal sense, be called Angelides's running mate.

The Field Poll released on August 1, 2006 showed Garamendi was preferred in the Lieutenant Governor’s race by 48% of voters, compared to only 38% support for McClintock. Garamendi’s lead included majority support from Democrats and independent voters and a significant showing among Republicans. His favorable/unfavorable rating is 3-to-1 positive. [5]

Garamendi is married and has six children. His wife, Patti, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Congress in 1992 against Republican Richard Pombo.

[edit] See also

2003 California recall

[edit] External links

Announcement of him winning the primary

Preceded by: Eugene A. Chappie	California State Assemblymember 5th district 1974—1976	Succeeded by: David Knowles
Preceded by: Clare L. Berryhill	California State Senator 1st district 1977—1990	Succeeded by: Patrick Johnston
Preceded by: None	California Insurance Commissioner 1991–1995	Succeeded by: Chuck Quackenbush
Preceded by: Harry W. Low	California Insurance Commissioner 2003–present	Succeeded by: Steve Poizner
Preceded by: Cruz Bustamante	Lieutenant Governor of California 2007 (scheduled inauguration)	Succeeded by: incumbent