Leo T. McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Leo Tarcissus McCarthy was a New Zealand
-born American politician
and businessman. He served as the 43rd Lieutenant Governor
of California
from 1983 to 1995.
McCarthy was born in Auckland
, but moved with his parents to San Francisco, California
at the age of four. He went to elementary school at Mission Dolores. He then went to high school at St. Ignatius College Preparatory
in San Francisco, and also attended college and law school within the city, receiving his B.A.
in history
from the University of San Francisco
and a law degree
from San Francisco Law School
.
McCarthy served in the United States Air Force
from 1951-1952 during the Korean War
, briefly taking part in a Strategic Air Command
mission to Saudi Arabia to simulate the start of World War III.
In 1958, the year that saw the Democrats capture statewide offices for the first time since World War II, McCarthy managed the successful campaign for State Senate of John Eugene McAteer, and, after the election, served as McAteer's Administrative Assistant.
McCarthy first ran for office himself in 1963 when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He served there until 1967. In 1968, he was elected to the State Assembly
, serving as Speaker of the Assembly from 1974 to 1980. (Art Agnos, elected Mayor of San Francisco in 1988, had his political start as McCarthy's first legislative assistant, and later as the Speaker's Chief of Staff.) As Speaker, McCarthy earned a reputation as a partisan, take-no-prisoners insider in Democratic Party politics.
McCarthy unexpectedly lost the Speakership to Willie Brown
in 1980. McCarthy had been facing a stiff challenge from Howard Berman
. Seeing his fellow Democrats so divided Brown worked with Republicans to gain the Speakership. Both of the losers in this struggle soon left the legislature. Berman ran for Congress and McCarthy ran for statewide office.
McCarthy was first elected to statewide office to the first of three consecutive four-year terms as Lieutenant Governor of California
in 1982, at the same time that Republican
George Deukmejian
was elected Governor
. In 1986, the incumbent McCarthy ran against Republican Mike Curb
, a former film producer and music promoter with a reputation for opposing drug use by artists. In a hotly contested race for lieutenant governor that centered largely around violent crime and drug policy, McCarthy sought to denigrate Curb's image with voters as an anti-drug campaigner by alleging that Curb made a fortune in making 'exploitation films' that glorified drugs, sex, and violence. Curb was so incensed at the charges that he filed a $7-million libel and slander suit against Leo T. McCarthy. McCarthy won the election.
Despite his election to lieutenant governor, the controversy surrounding the McCarthy campaign's tactics in the 1986 race was never fully dispelled, and in 1988, McCarthy lost an election bid for the United States Senate
against the Republican incumbent, Pete Wilson
. McCarthy later won a third term as Lieutenant Governor in 1990, with Wilson winning the election for Governor.
In 1992
, McCarthy entered the Democratic primary election for the U.S. Senate, but lost the nomination to Congresswoman
(now Senator) Barbara Boxer
. McCarthy continued as Lieutenant Governor until 1995 due to term limits, which prevented him from seeking re-election to a fourth four-year term. McCarthy's twelve years are the longest any California lieutenant governor has served. Upon leaving politics, he created an investment company, The Daniel Group, located in San Francisco.
He helped found the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San Francisco
.
McCarthy was married on December 17, 1955 to the former Jacqueline Lee Burke. They had four children: Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall. They had eleven grandchildren: Courtney, Kevin, Kieran, Cormac, Kathlyn, Marisa, Thomas, Collin, Connor, Kate and, Jack. After a long illness, McCarthy died from a kidney ailment at his home in San Francisco on February 5, 2007.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born American politician
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
and businessman. He served as the 43rd Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
of 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...
from 1983 to 1995.
McCarthy was born in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, but moved with his parents to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
at the age of four. He went to elementary school at Mission Dolores. He then went to high school at St. Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory is a preparatory school in the Jesuit tradition serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1855. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, in the Sunset District of San Francisco, St. Ignatius is one of the oldest secondary schools in the U.S. state...
in San Francisco, and also attended college and law school within the city, receiving his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and a law degree
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from San Francisco Law School
San Francisco Law School
San Francisco Law School is a private, non-profit law school in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1909, the law school became non-profit in 1941 and moved to its present location in 1968...
.
McCarthy served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1951-1952 during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, briefly taking part in a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
mission to Saudi Arabia to simulate the start of World War III.
In 1958, the year that saw the Democrats capture statewide offices for the first time since World War II, McCarthy managed the successful campaign for State Senate of John Eugene McAteer, and, after the election, served as McAteer's Administrative Assistant.
McCarthy first ran for office himself in 1963 when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He served there until 1967. In 1968, he was elected to the 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...
, serving as Speaker of the Assembly from 1974 to 1980. (Art Agnos, elected Mayor of San Francisco in 1988, had his political start as McCarthy's first legislative assistant, and later as the Speaker's Chief of Staff.) As Speaker, McCarthy earned a reputation as a partisan, take-no-prisoners insider in Democratic Party politics.
McCarthy unexpectedly lost the Speakership to Willie Brown
Willie Brown (politician)
Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served over 30 years in the California State Assembly, spending 15 years as its Speaker, and afterward served as the 41st mayor of San Francisco, the first African American to do so...
in 1980. McCarthy had been facing a stiff challenge from Howard Berman
Howard Berman
Howard Lawrence Berman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He earlier served in the California State Assembly from 1974 to 1982, and as the U.S...
. Seeing his fellow Democrats so divided Brown worked with Republicans to gain the Speakership. Both of the losers in this struggle soon left the legislature. Berman ran for Congress and McCarthy ran for statewide office.
McCarthy was first elected to statewide office to the first of three consecutive four-year terms as Lieutenant Governor of California
Lieutenant Governor of California
The Lieutenant Governor of California is a statewide constitutional officer elected separately from the Governor who serves as the "vice-executive" of California. The Lieutenant Governor of California is elected to serve a four year term and can serve a maximum of two terms...
in 1982, at the same time that 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...
George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
was elected Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
. In 1986, the incumbent McCarthy ran against Republican Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
, a former film producer and music promoter with a reputation for opposing drug use by artists. In a hotly contested race for lieutenant governor that centered largely around violent crime and drug policy, McCarthy sought to denigrate Curb's image with voters as an anti-drug campaigner by alleging that Curb made a fortune in making 'exploitation films' that glorified drugs, sex, and violence. Curb was so incensed at the charges that he filed a $7-million libel and slander suit against Leo T. McCarthy. McCarthy won the election.
Despite his election to lieutenant governor, the controversy surrounding the McCarthy campaign's tactics in the 1986 race was never fully dispelled, and in 1988, McCarthy lost an election bid 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...
against the Republican incumbent, Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
. McCarthy later won a third term as Lieutenant Governor in 1990, with Wilson winning the election for Governor.
In 1992
United States Senate elections, 1992
The 1992 United States Senate election was an election for the United States Senate in which the victory of Bill Clinton in the presidential election was not accompanied by major Democratic gains in the Senate....
, McCarthy entered the Democratic primary election for the U.S. Senate, but lost the nomination to Congresswoman
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...
(now Senator) 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 ....
. McCarthy continued as Lieutenant Governor until 1995 due to term limits, which prevented him from seeking re-election to a fourth four-year term. McCarthy's twelve years are the longest any California lieutenant governor has served. Upon leaving politics, he created an investment company, The Daniel Group, located in San Francisco.
He helped found the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
.
McCarthy was married on December 17, 1955 to the former Jacqueline Lee Burke. They had four children: Sharon, Conna, Adam and Niall. They had eleven grandchildren: Courtney, Kevin, Kieran, Cormac, Kathlyn, Marisa, Thomas, Collin, Connor, Kate and, Jack. After a long illness, McCarthy died from a kidney ailment at his home in San Francisco on February 5, 2007.
Sources
- Online archive of California
- LEO T. MCCARTHY: 1930-2007
- Candidate Bio
- Leo T. McCarthy, Oral History Interview, California State Archives, 1995-1996