John Campbell



John Bayard Taylor Campbell III, a Republican, has represented the 48th Congressional District of California in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005. (map)

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Voting record
Campbell is a Republican, and has a tendency to vote with his party. His votes show the he is:


 * Against gay marriage (voted for Same Sex Marriage resolution) []
 * Pro-campaign finance reform (voted for the 527 Reform Act)
 * Approves of the presidents decision to send more troops to Iraq (voted NO on Iraq War Policy resolution)
 * Does not support increased funding for public education and does not support affirmative action (voted NO College Access and Opportunity Act)
 * Against federal gun control (Trigger Lock Amendment - prevents funds in the Commerce Department FY2007 Appropriation bill from being used to enforce a law requiring guns be sold with locks on guns)
 * Pro-religion (votes yes to Public Expression of Religion Act)
 * Against Federal Support of Medicare (Voted NO to Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act)

The 527 Reform Act is interesting because it takes the power of campaign contribution out of the hands of 527 organizations and puts it into the hands of the candidate's party. The Public Expression of Religion Act is also interesting because it makes it harder to sue the Federal Government for not upholding segregation, and thus can be interpreted as pro-religious.

Interest group ratings:


 * Pro gun organizations support him (Gun Owners of California, NRA)
 * Educational organizations do not support him (National Association for College Admission Counseling)
 * Labor organizations do not support him
 * Pro life organizations support him (National Right to Life Committee, Life Priority Network)
 * Civil Rights organizations tend not to support him most of the time.
 * Veteran’s Organizations are split down the middle (Disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
 * Public Health Organizations do not support him (American Public Health Association)
 * Pro-Marijuana Law Reform Organizations tend not to support him; (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws)
 * Animal Rights Organizations are split over him
 * Immigrant organizations do not support him; anti-immigrant organizations support him.

National security and foreign policy
On June 15, 2007, Campbell was one of two representatives to vote against the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2008, which makes spending decisions for some Defense Department medical and construction expenses, VA construction, administration and medical programs and spending for a few related national and international agencies.

Biography
Born July 19, 1955, in Los Angeles, California, Campbell earned his B.A. in Economics from UCLA in 1976 and his M.S. in Business Taxation from USC in 1977. After receiving his Master's degree, Campbell became a Certified Public Accountant and joined Ernst & Young as a tax accountant.

In 1985, Campbell became President and CEO of Campbell Automotive Group. In 1990, he became President and CEO of Saturn of Orange County. Campbell became Chairman and CEO of Saab of Orange County in 1999.

Elected to represent southern Orange County's 70th District in the California State Assembly in 2000 and was re-elected in 2002.

In the 2004 35th State Senate District, Campbell won 64% of the vote. As a California Senator, Campbell served as Vice Chair of both the Business Professions and Economic Development Committee and the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee. He was also a member of the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee; the Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee; the Environmental Quality Commitee; and the Government Modernization, Efficiency, and Accountability Committee.

After Congressman Chris Cox resigned to become Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Campbell became a candidate to replace Cox in a special election]] on October 4, 2005. Campbell faced a strong third-party challenge from American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist. On October 4, Campbell garnered 45.5% of the vote, below the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. He faced Democrat Steve Young, American Independent James Gilchrist, Libertarian Bruce D. Cohen and Green Bea Tirtilli in the December 6 runoff, which he won with 44.4% of the vote. Campbell was sworn in on December 7.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Democrats nominated Steve Young, and the Libertarian Party nominated Bruce Cohen to face Campbell in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Campbell retained his seat.

Committees

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises
 * Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
 * Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity
 * Subcommittee on Capital Markets Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Contact
DC Office: 2402 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-5611 Web Email Website

District Office- Newport Beach: One Newport Place Suite 1010 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Phone: 949-756-2244

Articles and resources

 * Official website
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Tiger Beat: Music, Culture, and Politics