William Jules "Bill" Filante (b. October 22, 1929 in Brooklyn, NY died December 9, 1992 in Terra Linda, CA) was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 physician and politician from California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 and member of the Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Party.

State Assembly

Filante first won election to the Marin

Marin County, California

Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...

-Sonoma

Sonoma County, California

Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....

 based 9th district in the California State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

 in 1978 by defeating Democratic incumbent Mike Wornum. Thanks to his moderate voting record, Filante became a pro at winning crossover votes, enough to hold his left-leaning seat with relative ease for 7 terms. He left the Assembly in 1992 to run for Congress

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

Congressional race

Filante made a run for the Marin

Marin County, California

Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...

 county-based 6th Congressional district being vacated by Democrat Barbara Boxer

Barbara Boxer

Barbara Levy Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California . A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives ....

, who was running for the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

. Even though the 6th District was heavily Democratic, Filante had represented a large chunk of it in the state legislature for 14 years and tried to parlay his moderate reputation into a win. However, just before the start of the campaign, Filante underwent brain surgery and spent most of the race recuperating. Fellow GOP assemblywoman Bev Hansen

Bev Hansen

Beverly K. "Bev" Hansen is an American politician from California and a member of the Republican Party. A former staffer to onetime state Senator Jim Nielsen, Hansen was first elected to the California State Assembly in 1986 from the 7th District, representing Lake and Napa counties and parts of...

 often served as his surrogate. In the end, Democrat Lynn Woolsey

Lynn Woolsey

Lynn C. Woolsey is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes all of Marin County and most of Sonoma County. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and its co-chair...

 won handily. Filante died of a brain tumor later that December.

Electoral history

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Member, California State Assembly

California State Assembly

The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

: 1979-1993

!|Year
!|Office
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1978
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Michael Wornum
| align="right" |46,485
| |43.4%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |55,304
| |51.7%
|
|-
|1980
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Anne Charles
| align="right" |59,786
| |45.2%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |67,603
| |51.1%
|
|-
|1982
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Paul Chignell
| align="right" |55,035
| |44.9%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |67,619
| |55.1%
|
|-
|1984
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Paul Chignell
| align="right" |63,867
| |43.4%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |83,402
| |56.6%
|
|-
|1986
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Joanna Willman
| align="right" |53,553
| |45.1%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |65,154
| |54.9%
|
|-
|1988
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Francis Parnell
| align="right" |65,065
| |43.5%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |84,661
| |56.5%
|
|-
|1990
|California State Assembly
District 9
|
| |Vivien Bronshvag
| align="right" |52,659
| |42.5%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |63,672
| |51.4%
|
|-
|1992
|U.S House of Representatives
District 6
|
| |Lynn Woolsey
| align="right" |190,322
| |66%
|
| |Bill Filante
| align="right" |98,171
| |34%
|

External links

• JoinCalifornia, Election History for the State of California