• Home
  • About Us
    • JoinCalifornia
    • Use as a Reference
  • Political History
    • 2021 Senate to Assembly District Table
    • Term Limits in California
    • Legislative Committee Reports
    • Notable No Votes
    • Redistricting
    • Scott Lay’s Sofa Degree
    • Legislative Staff
  • Nelson S. Dilworth Collection
    • California’s Military History
  • Leroy F. Greene Collection
  • Covering the Capitol
  • Article Topics
    • Top Stories
    • 2014 Election
    • 2012 Election
    • Current Research
    • Constitutional Officers
    • Congress
    • State Senate
    • State Assembly
    • Deaths

One Voter Project

The Online Home of California's Political History

December 1, 2014 By Alex Vassar Leave a Comment

Those we lost in 2014

John Vasconcellos, the second longest serving member of the California Legislature (with 38 years), was one of the notables to leave us in 2014. Another was State Treasurer Bert A. Betts, who as a B-24 pilot in WWII, flew “30 consecutive missions over Germany and enemy occupied territory without once failing to complete a mission.”

A more recent figure in the Capitol, Ira Ruskin served in the Assembly until terming out in 2010. Six months after leaving office, doctors diagnosed Ruskin as having incurable brain cancer. He lived with the cancer for more than three years. As the opponent of the first candidate I ever worked for, Ruskin’s victory in 2004 played a major part in motivating my interest in California’s political history.

FEBRUARY
Shirley Temple Black – Actress and Congressional candidate (1967)
Ollie Speraw – State Senator (1979-1984)
Jim Keysor – Assemblyman (1970-1978)

MAY
Bert A. Betts – State Treasurer (1959-1970)
John Vasconcellos – State Assemblyman (1966-1996), State Senator (1996-2004)
Mickey Harrington – Legislative candidate

JULY
Ira Ruskin – State Assemblyman (2004-2010)

SEPTEMBER
John F. Foran – State Assemblyman (1962-1976), State Senator (1976-1986)
Richard “Dick” Dickerson – State Assemblyman (1998-2002)

OCTOBER
Earl S. Smittcamp – Disaster Acting Governor (1967-2014)

Filed Under: Current Research, Deaths, Editorial, JoinCalifornia, State Assembly, State Senate, Top Stories

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent News

What Happened in the 2022 Election

November 13, 2022

[Updated 12/12] That was interesting. An election season that roared by in … [Read More...]

Running Unopposed in 2022

March 26, 2022

The California State Capitol According the Notice to Candidates, issued by … [Read More...]

Dilworth Video

October 8, 2021

An introduction to the story of State Senator Nelson Dilworth and the amazing … [Read More...]

NEW BOOK: California Lawmaker 2021

February 12, 2021

From confrontations in the tense years before the Civil War to the recent work … [Read More...]

Women in Statewide Office

January 29, 2021

As an update to a post from 2018, which noted that three was the highest number … [Read More...]

Latest Tweets

  • Just now
  • More Tweets by Alex Vassar

Fun Fact

Since 1850, there have been 110 people who have served more than 20 years in the California Legislature.

California Lawmaker 2021

Now Available on Amazon

Recent Posts

  • Mike McGuire to be California’s next Senate pro Tem August 29, 2023
  • 2011 Senate District to Assembly District Conversion Table (2012-2024) August 14, 2023
  • State Medals February 7, 2023
  • What Happened in the 2022 Election November 13, 2022

Copyright © 2023 · Education Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in