Douglas Harry Bosco (born July 28, 1946) is an American lawyer, politician, and newspaper owner from California. He is a former U.S. Representative, serving four terms as a Democrat from 1983 to 1991.

Douglas Bosco
Member of the California Industrial Welfare Commission
In office
January 28, 2000 – July 2004
GovernorGray Davis
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded byJoseph J. McCarthy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1991
Preceded byDonald H. Clausen (Redistricting)
Succeeded byFrank D. Riggs
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 2nd district
In office
December 4, 1978 – December 6, 1982
Preceded byBarry Keene
Succeeded byDan Hauser
Personal details
Born
Douglas Harry Bosco

(1946-07-28) July 28, 1946 (age 78)
Brooklyn, New York, US
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseGayle Guynup
ResidenceSanta Rosa, California
EducationWillamette University (BA, JD)
OccupationAttorney
newspaper owner

Early life

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Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bosco attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, California. He graduated from the Capitol Page School in Washington, D.C. in 1963, received a B.A. from Willamette University in 1968 and a J.D. from the Willamette University College of Law in 1971. Bosco was admitted to the California bar in 1971 and commenced practice in San Rafael. He served as director of the California Department of Human Relations in 1973, and became executive director of the Marin County (California) Housing Authority in 1974.

Political career

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California State Assembly (1978-82)

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Bosco was elected to the California State Assembly in 1978 and was re-elected in 1980. In 1979 he wrote, with then-governor Jerry Brown, the Renewable Resources Investment Act, which set up a state fund to protect fisheries, forests, urban forests and the coastline.[1][2] He served as a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention and to the California Democratic State Convention in 1982.

United States House of Representatives (1983-91)

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In 1982 Bosco won the Democratic nomination for California's 1st congressional district, which had been renumbered from the 2nd District after redistricting. Then, in a major upset, he defeated 20-year Republican incumbent Donald H. Clausen by just over two points. In Congress Bosco, an advocate of fishery and natural resource conservation, authored the California Wilderness Act and the Smith River National Recreation Area Act.[3][4] In 1989, along with Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi, Bosco co-authored legislation to preserve the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, protecting the coast of northern California from offshore oil drilling.[5][6][7][8]

Bosco went on to serve four terms in the House, but lost in 1990 by 42%-43% (with 15% to a Peace and Freedom Party candidate) to Republican Frank D. Riggs, who in turn was defeated for re-election in 1992 by Democrat Daniel E. Hamburg. In 1994, Bosco attempted a comeback to his congressional seat by challenging Hamburg in the primary, but lost by 38%-62%.[9] Hamburg went on to lose the general election to Riggs in a rematch, 47%-53%.[10]

Post-political career

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Bosco continues to be influential in state and local politics. He serves as chairman of the California State Coastal Conservancy, preserving public access to California's coastline.[11]

In 2012, Bosco became a part-owner of the local newspaper in Santa Rosa, California, The Press Democrat.[12] Formerly a resident of Occidental, California, Bosco currently resides with his family in Santa Rosa.

Electoral history

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1982 United States House of Representatives elections[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Douglas H. Bosco 107,749 49.8
Republican Donald H. Clausen (Incumbent) 102,043 47.2
Libertarian David Redick 6,374 2.9
Total votes 216,166 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican
1984 United States House of Representatives elections[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Douglas H. Bosco (Incumbent) 157,037 62.3
Republican Floyd G. Sampson 95,186 37.7
Total votes 252,223 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
1986 United States House of Representatives elections[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Douglas H. Bosco (Incumbent) 138,174 67.5
Republican Floyd G. Sampson 54,436 26.6
Peace and Freedom Elden McFarland 12,149 5.9
Total votes 204,759 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
1988 United States House of Representatives elections[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Douglas H. Bosco (Incumbent) 159,815 62.9
Republican Samuel "Mark" Vanderbilt 72,189 28.4
Peace and Freedom Eric Fried 22,150 8.7
Total votes 254,154 100.0
Turnout  
Democratic hold
1990 United States House of Representatives elections[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Riggs 99,782 43.3
Democratic Douglas H. Bosco (Incumbent) 96,468 41.9
Peace and Freedom Darlene G. Comingore 34,011 14.8
Total votes 230,261 100.0
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic

References

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  1. ^ "Renewable Resources Investment Fund" (PDF).
  2. ^ "CA Public Resources Code Section 34000". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  3. ^ "Douglas Bosco — Chairman – California State Coastal Conservancy". scc.ca.gov.
  4. ^ "Smith River National Recreation Area Act, Congressional Record, Douglas Bosco, 1990" (PDF).
  5. ^ "Sanctuary Watch 40th Anniversary - Cordell Bank: From Hidden Gem to Historic Discovery". sanctuaries.noaa.gov.
  6. ^ "To approve the designation of the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, to disapprove a term of that designation, and to prohibit the exploration for, or the development or production of, oil, gas, or minerals in any area of that Sanctuary. (1989 - H.J.Res. 281)". GovTrack.us.
  7. ^ A Citizen's Guide to Expanding our National Marine Sanctuaries, page 8.
  8. ^ "Lodi News-Sentinel - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  9. ^ "Archives". Los Angeles Times.
  10. ^ "California's 1st Congressional District". Ballotpedia.
  11. ^ "California State Coastal Conservancy – The Coastal Conservancy acts with others to preserve, protect and restore the resources of the California Coast. Our vision is of a beautiful, restored and accessible coastline". scc.ca.gov.
  12. ^ "Local group to buy The Press Democrat, affiliated publications".
  13. ^ 1982 election results
  14. ^ 1984 election results
  15. ^ 1986 election results
  16. ^ 1988 election results
  17. ^ 1990 election results

Sources

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California Assembly
Preceded by California State Assemblyman, 2nd District
1978–1982
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 1st congressional district

1983–1991
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative
Succeeded byas Former US Representative

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress