Rich Gordon
Encyclopedia
Richard S. Gordon is an American
politician
from Menlo Park, California
who currently serves in the California State Assembly
representing the 21st district
. A Democrat, he formerly served for 13 years on the San Mateo County
Board of Supervisors
.
whilst he was in his teens. He then attended the University of Southern California
, working at Disneyland to fund his studies. He graduated from USC in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.
On leaving USC, Gordon became a minister in the United Methodist Church
, receiving a Masters of Divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary at Northwestern University
in 1973. He returned to San Mateo County in 1976, working for the YMCA
in Redwood City
. He later worked for Youth and Family Assistance.
When Ted Lempert
was elected to the Assembly in 1996, a vacancy opened up on Board of Supervisors and Gordon ran for the seat. In the special election held on April 8, 1997, Gordon took 41% of the vote in a seven-candidate field and was elected. He was re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
(D-Redwood City) was termed out
of the California State Assembly in 2010, Gordon declared his candidacy for the seat. He was one of three Democrats to file for the seat and, in the primary election held on June 8, 2010, he took 39% of the vote. His nearest challenger was almost 2,000 votes behind on 31.5%. He faced Republican and Libertarian opponents in the general election but prevailed handily.
; his partner of 26 years is Dr. Dennis McShane. The couple were married on August 16, 2008 during the brief window of legal same-sex marriages in California that ended with the passage of Proposition 8
in November 2008. He is one of eight openly LGBT
members of the California Legislature, alongside Speaker John Pérez
(D–Los Angeles), Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano
(D–San Francisco), Ricardo Lara
(D–Bell Gardens), Cathleen Galgiani
(D–Livingston) and Toni Atkins
(D–San Diego), as well as Senators Christine Kehoe
(D–San Diego) and Mark Leno
(D–San Francisco).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
who currently serves 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...
representing the 21st district
California's 21st State Assembly district
California's 21st State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Rich Gordon of Menlo Park.-District profile:San Mateo County - 30.22%*Atherton*East Palo Alto...
. A Democrat, he formerly served for 13 years on the San Mateo County
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
Board of Supervisors
County board of supervisors
The Board of Supervisors is the body that supervises the operation of county government in all counties in Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Sussex County, New Jersey as well as a handful of counties in New York...
.
Early life and career
Gordon, a fourth generation Californian, was born and raised in San Mateo County before his family moved to Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
whilst he was in his teens. He then attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, working at Disneyland to fund his studies. He graduated from USC in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.
On leaving USC, Gordon became a minister in the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, receiving a Masters of Divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1973. He returned to San Mateo County in 1976, working for the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in Redwood City
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
. He later worked for Youth and Family Assistance.
Political career
Gordon first ran for public office in 1992, seeking a seat on the San Mateo County Board of Education. He defeated an incumbent to take the seat and was re-elected in 1996.When Ted Lempert
Ted Lempert
Ted Lempert is a Democratic politician who served two stints in the California State Assembly from 1988 until 1992 and from 1996 until he was term limited in 2000. Lempert represented the Peninsula subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area. Lempert is currently the President of Children Now. He was...
was elected to the Assembly in 1996, a vacancy opened up on Board of Supervisors and Gordon ran for the seat. In the special election held on April 8, 1997, Gordon took 41% of the vote in a seven-candidate field and was elected. He was re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
State Assembly candidacy, 2010
When Assemblyman Ira RuskinIra Ruskin
Ira Ruskin is an American politician from Redwood City, California. A Democrat, he is a former member of the California State Assembly and of Redwood City Council.- Family and Personal Life:...
(D-Redwood City) was termed out
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
of the California State Assembly in 2010, Gordon declared his candidacy for the seat. He was one of three Democrats to file for the seat and, in the primary election held on June 8, 2010, he took 39% of the vote. His nearest challenger was almost 2,000 votes behind on 31.5%. He faced Republican and Libertarian opponents in the general election but prevailed handily.
Personal
Gordon is openly gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
; his partner of 26 years is Dr. Dennis McShane. The couple were married on August 16, 2008 during the brief window of legal same-sex marriages in California that ended with the passage of Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
in November 2008. He is one of eight openly LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members of the California Legislature, alongside Speaker John Pérez
John Pérez
John A. Pérez is a union organizer and politician from Los Angeles, California, who has been the Speaker of the California State Assembly since March 1, 2010. A Democrat, he represents the 46th district in the California State Assembly.-Early life and career:Pérez grew up in El Sereno and Highland...
(D–Los Angeles), Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano
Tom Ammiano
Tom Ammiano is an American politician and LGBT rights activist from San Francisco, California. Ammiano is a Democrat who has served as a member of the California State Assembly since 2008, representing the 13th district...
(D–San Francisco), Ricardo Lara
Ricardo Lara
Ricardo Lara is a politician from Los Angeles County, California who serves in the California State Assembly, where he represents the 50th district...
(D–Bell Gardens), Cathleen Galgiani
Cathleen Galgiani
Cathleen Galgiani is an American politician who currently serves in the California State Assembly, where she has represented the 17th district since December 2006...
(D–Livingston) and Toni Atkins
Toni Atkins
Toni G. Atkins is an American Democratic politician and a member of the California State Assembly from San Diego's 76th district. She formerly served on San Diego City Council, leaving office in December 2008 due to term limits...
(D–San Diego), as well as Senators Christine Kehoe
Christine Kehoe
Christine T. Kehoe is an American politician from San Diego, California. A Democrat, she has served since 2004 as a member of the California State Senate representing the 39th district...
(D–San Diego) and Mark Leno
Mark Leno
Mark Leno is an American politician, representing California's 3rd Senate district, which includes parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County, as well as the entirety of Marin County. He was elected in 2008 and is the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate...
(D–San Francisco).