Christine Kehoe

Christine Kehoe
Member of the California Senate from the 39th district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 6, 2004
Preceded by	Dede Alpert
Member of the California State Assembly from the 76th district
In office December 4, 2000 – December 6, 2004
Preceded by	Susan Davis
Succeeded by	Lori Saldaña
Member of the San Diego City Council from the 3rd District
In office December 6, 1993 – December 4, 2000
Preceded by	John Hartley
Succeeded by	Toni Atkins
Personal details
Born	October 3, 1950 (1950-10-03) (age 61) Troy, New York
Political party	Democratic
Residence	San Diego, California
Alma mater	State University of New York, Albany
Occupation	Legislative aide Newspaper editor

Christine T. Kehoe (born October 3, 1950) 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. She was previously a member of the California State Assembly (2000–2004) and of San Diego City Council (1993–2000).

Early life and activism

Kehoe was born in 1950 in Troy, New York. She earned a bachelor's degree from University at Albany, The State University of New York in 1977. She became active in politics in 1978 as a volunteer with the Center for Women's Studies and Services. In 1980, Senator Kehoe was San Diego County's chair for the campaign to defeat the Lyndon LaRouche AIDS discrimination initiative. She was editor of San Diego Gayzette during 1984–1986, coordinator of the San Diego AIDS Assistance Fund 1987–1988, executive director of the Hillcrest Business Association 1988–1989, and a city council aide during 1989–1992.

Kehoe, who is a lesbian,^[1] is a strong supporter of equal rights for gays and lesbians. A former chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, she is one of four openly LGBT members of the California State Legislature, alongside Senator Mark Leno (D–San Francisco) and Assemblymembers Tom Ammiano (D–San Francisco) and John Pérez (D–Los Angeles).

City Council

Kehoe represented San Diego's 3rd City Council District from 1993 to 2000, and the 76th District in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2004. She was the city's first openly gay elected official.^[1] In 1998, she ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 49th Congressional District against incumbent Congressman Brian Bilbray, but was defeated.

As City Councilmember, she facilitated a decrease in crime in her district by initiating a public/private partnership that built a center housing a library, theater and Head Start classrooms, in addition to other community services. She was also instrumental in the construction of Interstate 15 after multiple delays.

State Assembly

Kehoe was first elected to the California State Assembly in 2000, winning the primary election unopposed and the general election with 61 percent of the vote.^[2] She was re-elected without difficulty in 2002.

Kehoe was elected Assembly Speaker pro Tempore, the Assembly's second highest-ranking position. She is the second woman to hold the post.^[3]

State Senate

After two terms in the Assembly, Kehoe ran for the California State Senate in 2004 to succeed Dede Alpert in the 39th district. Alpert was termed out in 2004 after eight years in the State Senate.

The district includes the San Diego County communities of City Heights, Clairemont, Del Mar, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Hillcrest, Kearny Mesa, La Jolla, Lemon Grove, Linda Vista, Mira Mesa, Mission Beach, Mission Hills, Mission Valley, Normal Heights, North Park, Ocean Beach, Old Town, Pacific Beach and Valencia Park.

She was re-elected in 2008.

Organizations and memberships

Kehoe has been an ardent supporter of increased environmental protection for the state's resources in her appointed position on the California Coastal Commission. Kehoe is a member of the Sierra Club, the National Organization for Women (NOW), National Women's Political Caucus, Uptown Democratic Club, and California Women in Government, the San Diego Democratic Club, and the Women's Transportation Seminar. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the California Elected Women's Association for Education and Research (CEWAER).

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Yeager, Kenneth (1998). Trailblazers: Profiles of America's Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials. Haworth Press. p. 83. ISBN 078900299X. http://books.google.com/books?id=zg700lNwT4EC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&d. 
2. ^ California Secretary of State: 2000 election results
3. ^ Sen. Christine Kehoe: biography

External links

• Official Senate webpage
• www.christinekehoe.org

California Assembly
Preceded by Susan Davis	California State Assemblywoman, 76th Assembly District 2000-2004	Succeeded by Lori Saldaña
California Senate
Preceded by Dede Alpert	California State Senator, 39th Senate District 2004-present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Kehoe, Christine
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 3, 1950
Place of birth	Troy, New York
Date of death
Place of death