Marilyn C. Brewer (born May 26, 1937) is a

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

who served from 1994 to 2000 as a

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

woman representing southern Orange County's 70th District. Born in western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, Brewer earned her

Associate's degree An associate degree or associate's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of academic qualification above a high school diploma and below a bachelor's degree. ...

from

Fullerton College Fullerton College (FC) is a public community college in Fullerton, California. The college is part of the California Community Colleges System and the North Orange County Community College District. Established in 1913, it is the oldest communi ...

in 1983. She served as an aide to Orange County supervisor Tom Riley until her election to the State Assembly. In 1994 she ran for an open seat in the

representing Newport Beach. Her two more conservative rivals in the GOP primary, Irvine city councilman Barry Hammond and attorney Tom Reinecke (son former California Lt. Gov.

Ed Reinecke Howard Edwin "Ed" Reinecke (January 7, 1924 – December 24, 2016) was an American politician from California. He served three terms in the United States House of Representatives. He was the 39th lieutenant governor of California from 1969 unt ...

) split the conservative vote, allowing the more moderate Brewer to win the primary. In the general election she received 71.7% of the vot

In the State Assembly, Brewer served as Chairman, Vice Chair of the Appropriations and Insurance Committees. She was also a member of the Rules, Human Services, Transportation, Governmental Organization, and Labor/Employment committees. She was reelected twice more in 1996(61.5

& 1998 (95.7% with only opposition from a Natural Law Party (United States), Natural Law Party candidate

before California

term limits A term limit is a legal restriction on the number of Term of office, terms a Incumbent, person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in Presidential system, presidential and Semi-presidential republic, semi-president ...

of three terms in the State Assembly led to her leaving the state house in 2000. In 2005 Brewer ran in a special election for

California's 48th congressional district California's 48th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers East County, San Diego as well as the Temecula Valley. Major cities in the district include Temecula, Murrieta, and portions of Es ...

left vacant after incumbent Congressman

Christopher Cox Charles Christopher Cox (born October 16, 1952) is an American attorney and politician who served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a 17-year Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the United States House ...

resigned to become Chairman of the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...

. Brewer lost the nomination to

State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

John Campbell by a 28% margin, but did beat eight other Republicans in the

primary election Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pr ...

. Although she won the endorsement of

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

, the Republican party chose to officially endorse Campbell after Brewer began to court independents and Democrats. The

American Independent Party The American Independent Party (AIP) is an American political party that was established in 1967. The American Independent Party is best known for its nomination of Democratic then-former Governor George Wallace of Alabama, who carried five s ...

candidate,

Minuteman Project The Minuteman Project is an organization which was founded in the United States in August 2004 by a group of private individuals who sought to extrajudicially monitor the United States–Mexico border's flow of illegal immigrants. Founded by ...

founder

Jim Gilchrist James Walter Gilchrist Jr. is an American political activist and the co-founder and president of The Minuteman Project Inc., The Minuteman Project, an activist group whose aim is to prevent Illegal immigration to the United States, illegal imm ...

, fell only 2.3% short of overtaking Brewer in the

open primary Primary elections or primaries are elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election. In a partisan primary, a political party selects a candidate. Depending on the state and/or party, there may be an "open pri ...

. In October 2006, California Governor

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...

appointed Brewer to serve as a member of th
"Little Hoover Commission"

References

External links

Official Brewer for Congress web siteJoin California Marilyn Brewer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewer, Marilyn 1937 births Living people Republican Party members of the California State Assembly Politicians from Orange County, California People from Monessen, Pennsylvania Women state legislators in California 21st-century American women 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century members of the California State Legislature

See also

References

External links