Candidates

Ken Calvert

(Rep)

Contact Information

Candidate Background

Candidacy

Undergraduate education: Chaffey Community College

Undergraduate education: San Diego State University

Ken Calvert was born in Corona, Calif., and still lives there. He earned an associate's at Chaffey Community College in 1973 and a bachelor's at San Diego State University in 1975.

After graduation, he managed his family's restaurant in Corona for five years. He then entered the real estate industry and ran Ken Calvert Real Properties until he was elected to Congress in 1992.

Calvert is divorced.

Profile

Ken Calvert, an eight-term Republican with a conservative, pro-business voting record, got his first taste of politics when he was still a teenager.

In 1970, shortly after high school, he joined the campaigns of former state legislator Victor Veysey. Calvert joined Veysey's Washington, D.C., office as an intern after a 1972 victory, setting the stage for a future career.

After finishing college and returning to California, Calvert went to work at the family business, the Jolly Fox restaurant.

At age 29, Calvert made his first run for Congress in 1982. He narrowly lost the Republican primary in the 37th District to Riverside County Supervisor Al McCandless.

Ten years later, Calvert tried again. This time, he won the race for the 43rd District, which included Riverside, Corona, Norco, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta. The district has grown to include parts of Orange County, including San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

His first year in office was marred by personal crises. His father Ira, a former mayor of Corona and owner of several restaurants, committed suicide. At about the same time, Calvert was divorcing his wife of 15 years when police stopped him with a convicted prostitute in his car.

Calvert weathered those personal and political problems to remain in office and he has won re-election by wide margins in recent years.

He has long focused on issues he considers important to his district, including traffic congestion, air pollution and water supplies.

Calvert has pushed for the development of new energy sources, such as hydrogen. He also wants to standardize gasoline formulations developed to meet California's strict clean air requirements.

When it comes to tax cuts, Calvert favors eliminating the marriage and estate taxes, while creating tax credits for Medicare and prescription drugs. He favors letting employees direct how some of their Social Security money is invested. Critics say it amounts to privatization of the program.

Calvert supports tighter border enforcement, including a mandatory employment verification system to track illegal immigrants.

He wants to enforce existing gun laws rather than creating new ones. There ought to be zero tolerance for those who use guns in a crime, he said.

He opposes public funding of abortions, favors a ban on late-term abortions and supports the idea that teenagers must obtain parental consent before receiving abortions.

In May 2008, Calvert criticized the California Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage: "We can practice tolerance while still holding true to cultural values that protect the institution of marriage as a union between only a man and a woman," he said.

Calvert, viewed as a Republican team player, is little-known outside his home district. But he received unwelcome national publicity in 2006 over a land deal. He denied any conflict over pushing federal funding for a planned freeway interchange 16 miles from the property he sold at a profit.

Committee Assignments: Appropriations

2007 American Conservative Union Rating: 88 points out of 100

2007 Americans for Democratic Action Rating: 15 points out of 100

Campaigns

Ken Calvert won his House seat in 1992, defeating Democrat Mark A. Takano with 47 percent of the vote.

He was re-elected in 1994 with 55 percent, again defeating Takano. In 1996, he was re-elected with 54 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Guy Kimbrough.

Calvert won a fourth term in 1998, defeating Democrat Mike Rayburn with 55 percent of the vote. Calvert won again in 2000 with 74 percent of the vote. He faced no major-party opposition.

He was re-elected in 2002, defeating Democrat Louis Vandenberg with 64 percent of the vote. He defeated Vandenberg again in 2004 with 61 percent of the vote.

Calvert faced the poorly financed Vandenberg for a third time in 2006, winning easily with 60 percent of the vote.

In 2008, Calvert faced Democratic challenger Bill Hedrick, winning with 51 percent of the vote.

Calvert lost his first attempt at a U.S. House seat in 1982, losing to Riverside County Supervisor Al McCandless in the Republican primary.