Robert "Bob" Epple (November 18, 1948 – April 13, 2011) was an American attorney and politician from California and a member of the Democratic Party.[1][2]
Bob Epple | |
|---|---|
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 63rd district | |
| In office November 30, 1988 – November 30, 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Wayne Grisham |
| Succeeded by | Phil Hawkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1948 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | April 13, 2011 (aged 62) Norwalk, California |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Cheryl (m. 1972)Colleen (m. 2010) |
| Children | 1 |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
Epple first ran for elective office in 1980, when he challenged entrenched GOP state senator Bill Campbell in what was then a safe Republican district.[3]
He then served as an elected member of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees from 1981 until 1988, when he ran for the California State Assembly.[4]
Epple challenged incumbent assemblyman Wayne Grisham (R-La Mirada) in the 1988 election.[5] Democrats considered Grisham vulnerable after he lost a special state senate election the year before against then Norwalk councilman Cecil Green within roughly the same geographic area.[6] With help from Sacramento Democrats and Speaker Willie Brown, Epple narrowly defeated Grisham. [7]
Reelected easily in 1990, Epple had a much tougher time in 1992, when he opted to run in the newly drawn 56th Assembly District, based around Cerritos, Bellflower, Downey and part of Long Beach. Although he represented a portion of the new district before reapportionment, he had to move there to seek reelection, mainly to open up a his old Norwalk-based 63rd district (which had been redrawn as a majority-Latino district) for a Latino candidate.[8] He faced conservative businessman Phil Hawkins, in what became one of the most expensive California legislative races that year. Epple managed to only barely beat Hawkins by 542 votes.[9] When they faced off in a rematch two years later, Hawkins beat Epple by more than 10 points in a strong year for Republicans nationally.[10]
In 2004 Epple's wife Cheryl, then an elected member of the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, died suddenly of a heart attack. [11] He replaced her on the board and was reelected in 2005 and 2010.
On April 13, 2011 Epple died after a long battle with leukemia.[12]
Electoral history
edit| Year | Office | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | California State Senate District 33 |
Bob Epple | 49,823 | 27.1% | Bill Campbell | 133,740 | 72.9% | |||
| 1988 | California State Assembly District 63 |
Bob Epple | 48,611 | 50.1% | Wayne Grisham | 48,391 | 49.9% | |||
| 1990 | California State Assembly District 63 |
Bob Epple | 36,728 | 59.6% | Diane Boggs | 24,888 | 40.4% | |||
| 1992 | California State Assembly District 56 |
Bob Epple | 61,330 | 47.8% | Phil Hawkins | 60,788 | 47.4% | |||
| 1994 | California State Assembly District 56 |
Bob Epple | 43,178 | 43.2% | Phil Hawkins | 53,535 | 53.5% |
References
edit- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/2677
- ^ https://patch.com/california/cerritos/memorial-service-planned-for-former-state-assemblyman06f46ffa8c
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1980-11-04
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/2677
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1988-11-08
- ^ California Journal Vol. XIX, No.5 (May 1988) "Campaign '88". StateNet Publications, May 1988.
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1988-11-08
- ^ California Journal Vol. XXIII, No.12 (December 1992) "'92 Election Results". StateNet Publications, December 1992
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1992-11-03
- ^ https://www.joincalifornia.com/election/1994-11-08
- ^ https://www.talonmarks.com/news/2004/07/09/board-member-epple-dies-of-heart-attack/
- ^ https://patch.com/california/cerritos/memorial-service-planned-for-former-state-assemblyman06f46ffa8c