Robert W. Naylor
Encyclopedia
Robert Wesley Naylor is a former California State Assembly
man, who represented the San Francisco Bay Area
's 20th Assembly District
from 1978–1986, who was Assembly Republican Leader from 1982–1984 and California Republican Party
Chair from 1987–1989.
Born in Reno, Nevada
, Naylor earned his A.B.
from Stanford University
in 1966. While at Stanford, he was editor of The Stanford Daily
and earned Phi Beta Kappa
honors. Naylor earned his LL.B.
from Yale Law School
in 1969 and was admitted to the California bar in January 1970.
Naylor was a United States Army
Lieutenant
and served in the Vietnam War
. where he was co-director of the Vietnam Orphans Airlift in 1975. Upon returning from Vietnam, Naylor became an attorney, working on political and tax law
.
In 1978, Naylor was elected to represent southern San Mateo County
as the Assemblyman for the 20th District
. Re-elected to a second term in 1980, he was elected Assembly Republican Leader in 1982. During his tenure as Assembly Republican Leader, Naylor helped craft legislation tying increases in funding for public education with education reform measures, and pushed for pro-growth economic policies and a balanced state budget
without tax increases. Re-elected to the Assembly in 1982 and 1984, Naylor did not seek a fifth term in the Assembly, instead choosing to seek the Republican nomination for the United States Senate
, but won only 3.1% of the vote.
Shortly after leaving the Assembly at the end of his term in 1986, Naylor was elected Chairman of the California Republican Party
, serving from 1987–1989. As party chair, he presided over Republican efforts to win California in the 1988 presidential election
, which proved to be the last time Republicans have carried the state in a presidential election. Naylor has represented California as a delegate to ten Republican National Convention
s, including in 1972
, 1976
, and 1980
(he was an alternate delegate in 2008
).
In 1991, President
George H. W. Bush
appointed Naylor to the Board of Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
, where Naylor served from 1991–1995. He was also Chairman of the Association for California Tort Reform and was a founding member of the Board of Directors
of Calnet Business Bank, headquartered in Sacramento
. He also served as a director of the Civil Justice Association of California. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Leland Stanford Mansion
Foundation and as Co-Chair of Californians for an Effective Legislature.
He joined the law firm
of Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor as a partner
, specializing in government law. The firm was renamed Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross & Leoni when Naylor left the firm in 2011 to launch Robert W. Naylor Advocacy.
Naylor resides in the Encino area of Los Angeles
with his wife, Linda Kasem. They have two daughters: Karen and Kristen.
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...
man, who represented the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
's 20th Assembly District
California's 20th State Assembly district
California's 20th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Bob Wieckowski of Fremont.-District profile:Alameda - 24.72%*Castro Valley - 25.43%*Fairview*Fremont...
from 1978–1986, who was Assembly Republican Leader from 1982–1984 and California Republican Party
California Republican Party
The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....
Chair from 1987–1989.
Born in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, Naylor earned his A.B.
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...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1966. While at Stanford, he was editor of The Stanford Daily
The Stanford Daily
The Stanford Daily is the student-run, independent daily newspaper serving Stanford University. The Daily is distributed throughout campus and the surrounding community of Palo Alto, California, United States. It has published since the University was founded in 1892.The paper publishes weekdays...
and earned Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
honors. Naylor earned his LL.B.
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 Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1969 and was admitted to the California bar in January 1970.
Naylor was a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and served in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. where he was co-director of the Vietnam Orphans Airlift in 1975. Upon returning from Vietnam, Naylor became an attorney, working on political and tax law
Tax law
Tax law is the codified system of laws that describes government levies on economic transactions, commonly called taxes.-Major issues:Primary taxation issues facing the governments world over include;* taxes on income and wealth...
.
In 1978, Naylor was elected to represent southern 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...
as the Assemblyman for the 20th District
California's 20th State Assembly district
California's 20th State Assembly District is one of 80 districts in the California State Assembly. It is currently represented by Democrat Bob Wieckowski of Fremont.-District profile:Alameda - 24.72%*Castro Valley - 25.43%*Fairview*Fremont...
. Re-elected to a second term in 1980, he was elected Assembly Republican Leader in 1982. During his tenure as Assembly Republican Leader, Naylor helped craft legislation tying increases in funding for public education with education reform measures, and pushed for pro-growth economic policies and a balanced state budget
Balanced budget
A balanced budget is when there is neither a budget deficit or a budget surplus – when revenues equal expenditure – particularly by a government. More generally, it refers to when there is no deficit, but possibly a surplus...
without tax increases. Re-elected to the Assembly in 1982 and 1984, Naylor did not seek a fifth term in the Assembly, instead choosing to seek the Republican nomination 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...
, but won only 3.1% of the vote.
Shortly after leaving the Assembly at the end of his term in 1986, Naylor was elected Chairman of the California Republican Party
California Republican Party
The California Republican Party is the California affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party chairman is Tom Del Beccaro and is based in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. The RPC also has a headquarters in Sacramento....
, serving from 1987–1989. As party chair, he presided over Republican efforts to win California in the 1988 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1988
The United States presidential election of 1988 featured no incumbent president, as President Ronald Reagan was unable to seek re-election after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Reagan's Vice President, George H. W. Bush, won the Republican nomination, while the...
, which proved to be the last time Republicans have carried the state in a presidential election. Naylor has represented California as a delegate to ten Republican National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
s, including in 1972
1972 Republican National Convention
The 1972 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held from August 21 to August 23, 1972 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. It nominated the incumbents Richard M. Nixon of California for President and Spiro T. Agnew of Maryland for Vice...
, 1976
1976 Republican National Convention
The 1976 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States met at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, from August 16 to August 19, 1976. The convention nominated incumbent Gerald Ford for President, but only after narrowly defeating a strong challenge from former California...
, and 1980
1980 Republican National Convention
The 1980 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States convened at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, from July 14 to July 17, 1980. The 32nd Republican National Convention nominated former Governor Ronald W. Reagan of California for President of the United States and former...
(he was an alternate delegate in 2008
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
).
In 1991, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
appointed Naylor to the Board of Trustees of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to encourage outstanding current and future secondary school teachers of American history, American government, and social studies in grades 7 through 12 to undertake graduate study of the roots, framing,...
, where Naylor served from 1991–1995. He was also Chairman of the Association for California Tort Reform and was a founding member of the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Calnet Business Bank, headquartered in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. He also served as a director of the Civil Justice Association of California. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Leland Stanford Mansion
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park
Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park is a state and federally protected area in Sacramento, California. It features the Leland Stanford House, a mansion once owned by Leland Stanford, Governor of California from 1862 to 1863, U.S. Senator from 1885 to 1893, railroad tycoon, member of the Big...
Foundation and as Co-Chair of Californians for an Effective Legislature.
He joined the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor as a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
, specializing in government law. The firm was renamed Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross & Leoni when Naylor left the firm in 2011 to launch Robert W. Naylor Advocacy.
Naylor resides in the Encino area of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with his wife, Linda Kasem. They have two daughters: Karen and Kristen.