Patricia Rae Hunter, known by her nickname Tricia, is a former California state Assemblywoman in San Diego, California. A nurse by profession and a former member of the Registered Nurse Board, she won a special election to the state Assembly in 1989 in a major upset that caught both political parties by surprise. In the Assembly, she became known as an expert in health care and an advocate for the practicing registered nurses . Considered a moderate, she was disliked by conservatives and faced vigorous primary challenges . She was reelected by a comfortable margin in 1990, and in 1991, an attempt was made to recall her but it failed . However, the following year, redistricting dramatically changed the boundaries of her district and she had to run in a different district in 1992. That year, she was narrowly defeated by Democrat Julie Bornstein. After the election, she also worked for the Flannery Group, a lobbying firm. She sought to return to the state Assembly in 1996, but lost a close race to Democrat Howard Wayne

Howard Wayne

Howard Wayne is a politician running for the District 6 opening on the San Diego City Council. Previously, he served as Democratic politician in the California State Assembly from 1996 until 2002, representing California's 78th State Assembly district.-Pre Assembly Career and Life:Wayne received...

, a former state Assistant Attorney General. After her second election loss, she was appointed Special Assistant to the Health and Human Services Agency and to the California Medical Assistance Commission by Governor 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...

. In 2004, she sought to return to the state Assembly again in, but lost the election to Democrat Lori Saldaña

Lori Saldaña

Lori R. Saldaña is an American politician from San Diego, California. A Democrat, she is a former member of the California State Assembly from the 76th Assembly district . She served from 2004 to 2010, when term limits prevented her from seeking re-election...

.

Hunter is currently a member of the Government Relations Group, a lobbying group that she helped found. She continues to be outspoken on health care issues and do volunteer nursing work.