John Seymour (California politician)

John Francis Seymour Jr.[1][2] (born December 3, 1937) is a retired American politician who served as a United States Senator from California from 1991 to 1992. A member of the Republican Party, he was appointed to continue Pete Wilson's term but lost the special election to finish it to Democratic candidate and former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein.[3] He is the most recent member of the Republican Party to serve as a U.S. Senator from California. Seymour was also the last U.S. Senator from Southern California until Alex Padilla took office on January 20, 2021, replacing Kamala Harris who became Vice President.

John Seymour
United States Senator
from California
In office
January 7, 1991  November 4, 1992
Appointed byPete Wilson
Preceded byPete Wilson
Succeeded byDianne Feinstein
Member of the California State Senate
from the 35th district
In office
1982–1991
Succeeded byJohn Lewis
39th Mayor of Anaheim
In office
1978–1982
Preceded byBill Thom
Succeeded byDon Roth
Personal details
Born
John Francis Seymour Jr.

(1937-12-03) December 3, 1937
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Judy Seymour
Children6
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
Years of service1955-1959

Life and career

Born in Chicago, Seymour attended public schools in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1955 to 1959 and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1962. Seymour was the President of the California Association of Realtors from 1978 to 1982, and worked in the real estate business from 1962 to 1981.

Seymour served Anaheim as a member of its city council from 1974 to 1978, as the 39th Mayor of Anaheim from 1978 to 1982, and as a State Senator from 1982 to 1991. In the California Senate, he voted to ban assault weapons, to outlaw discrimination against people with AIDS, and to increase spending for social programs including education and mental health benefits.[4] As Mayor of Anaheim, Seymour was instrumental in recruiting the Los Angeles Rams to move to Anaheim Stadium.[5]

In 1991, Seymour was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Pete Wilson to serve in the seat Wilson had vacated to become governor. Seymour's appointment lasted until the 1992 special election to select a replacement who would serve until the normal expiration of Wilson's term in 1995. Former San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein defeated Seymour in the special election.

After his Senate term, Seymour served as director of the California Housing Finance Agency for two years,[6] and later served as CEO of the nonprofit Southern California Housing Development Corporation and on the boards of directors of several housing-related companies including IndyMac Bank, Orange Coast Title Insurance, Los Angeles Federal Savings Bank, and Irvine Apartment Communities.[7] Seymour currently lives in San Marcos, California.

See also

References

  • United States Congress. "John Seymour (id: S000269)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-03-31
  1. https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1152101&privcapId=6762113
  2. Decker, Cathleen (May 26, 1991). "Seymour's Overdrive for Success". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  3. "States in the Senate - California's United States Senators". Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  4. New Senator from California is named, The New York Times, 1991/01/03.
  5. Bailey, Eric (October 4, 1993). "Ex-Senator Has Gained New Agenda: Profile: John Seymour is enjoying his role as housing agency's executive director". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "IndyMac Announces the Appointment of Senator John Seymour -Ret.- to the Board of Directors of IndyMac Bancorp, Inc". Retrieved April 18, 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by
Bill Thom
Mayor of Anaheim, California
1978–1982
Succeeded by
Don Roth
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
Pete Wilson
U.S. senator (Class 1) from California
1991–1992
Served alongside: Alan Cranston
Succeeded by
Dianne Feinstein
Party political offices
Preceded by
Pete Wilson
Republican Party nominee for United States Senator from California (Class 1)
1992
Succeeded by
Michael Huffington
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