Ira Ruskin

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Ira Ruskin
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 21st district
In office
December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2010
Preceded by Joe Simitian
Succeeded by Rich Gordon
Personal details
Born (1943-11-12) November 12, 1943
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Cheryl
Residence Redwood City
Alma mater University of California, Berkeley
Stanford University
Occupation politician

Ira Ruskin (born November 12, 1943) is an American politician from Redwood City, California. A Democrat, he is a former member of the California State Assembly and of Redwood City Council.

Family and Personal Life

Ira and his wife Cheryl (a licensed landscape designer) reside in Redwood City, California. They have no children.

In May 2011 Ruskin told friends he has been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor and withdrawing from the political arena to concentrate on his health.

Education

He received a B.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley in 1968 and an M.A. in communications (with an emphasis on filmmaking) from Stanford University in 1983.

Political career

From 1995 to 2004, Ruskin was a member of the Redwood City Council. For three of those years (1999–2001) he was the Mayor of Redwood City.

In 2004, Ruskin was elected to the California Assembly. He defeated Republican Steve Poizner in the general election. Ruskin had local government experience but initially lacked major campaign funding. The Assembly race heated up when Poizner donated $6 million to his campaign. Ruskin began a major fundraising and grassroots effort, which attracted attention from around California. With the assistance of several of California's public employee unions and massive grassroots support from people throughout the community, Ruskin was able to win the race .

In November 2006 Ruskin was re-elected to the California State Assembly by a wide margin of 75,388 votes, 67.4% to his challenger Virginia Chang Kiraly's 36,628 votes, 32.6% . He was re-elected to his third Assembly term in 2008.

Term limits in California prevented Ruskin from running for re-election in 2010. Ruskin plans to run for a State Senate seat in 2012 .

Ruskin has served on the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (as Chair), the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water System Financing Authority, the CalFED ABAG Task Force (as Chair), the Water Management Subcommittee, the Organization of Chinese Americans, the San Mateo County Advisory Board, the Redwood City Education Foundation, the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Criminal Justice Council, the San Mateo County Joint Powers Authority (for emergency medical response), and the San Mateo County Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Advisory Board.

Awards

Ruskin was the recipient of the first-ever award from DAWN (a Democratic feminist organization) to a man for "excellent work performed on behalf of freedom and equality for women." He helped bring attention to the plight of the Bosnian Muslim women in a public forum which included the live transatlantic interview of rape camp survivors. Ruskin became involved in public policy and politics after working on rape as a genocidal weapon in Bosnia.

External links

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