Robert Campbell (California politician)

Robert J. Campbell (born December 20, 1937) is an American politician who served 16 years in the California State Assembly, from 1980 to 1996. He represented the 11th district. He is a Democrat.^[1]

Biography

His family settled in Richmond, California when he was a child. After high school graduation he attended Contra Costa College and San Francisco State University, where he received a B.A. degree in 1961. He later received an M.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley. He served in the U.S. Army and the California National Guard from 1961 to 1972. He worked in the insurance industry.^[1]

Political career

He developed an interest in politics while still in college and worked on several election campaigns. He was elected to the Richmond city council in 1975. In 1980 he was elected to the state Assembly as a Democrat and won re-election seven times in the heavily Democratic district. His priorities were education and environmental protection. He chaired the Ways and Means subcommittee on education for six years and served on the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee for 15 years. He was often the author of bills involving funding for schools and community colleges.^[2][3]

In 1996 he was forced to retire due to term limits. He then ran for California State Senate but lost in the primary to Democrat Barbara Lee.^[1] He was then appointed to the California Coastal Commission by Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante.^[4]

References

1. 1 2 3 Robert J. Campbell papers, California state archives
2. ↑ "College Funds OKed", Union Democrat, September 14, 1983
3. ↑ "Bill would abolish college fees", Modesto Bee, June 14, 1985
4. ↑ "Liberal Ex-Assemblyman Named to Coastal Panel; Environment: Republicans criticize Speaker Bustamante's interim appointment of Bob Campbell", Los Angeles Times, December 10, 1996