Debbie Cook
Encyclopedia
Deborah "Debbie" Cook is the former mayor of Huntington Beach, California
, and was the Democratic
candidate for California's 46th congressional district
in 2008. Cook was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.
where her father was stationed with the United States Navy
. Her father served in both World War II and the Korean War. Debbie was baptized into the Episcopal Church
by her grandfather, an Episcopal Minister, who also baptized her four brothers. Upon her father’s retirement from the Navy the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
.
In 1966 Cook and her family moved to California where Debbie attended Corona del Mar High School
in Newport Beach, California
. During high school Debbie was a runner-up in the Miss Newport Beach contest, earned a student pilot’s license, completed an Outward Bound course and successfully climbed Mount Whitney
.
where she studied earth science. Cook also has a J.D from Western State University College of Law
. Debbie worked part-time during college and excelled on both the women’s volleyball
and swim teams. Cook met her husband, John Fisher, in a co-ed volleyball class during 1975 and they were married shortly later.
Cook and her husband settled in Westminster, California
. Cook coached and taught volleyball in Huntington Beach, and served as Parent Teacher Association president for Vista View School in Fountain Valley
.
In 1978 Debbie and John purchased a small office-equipment business which they ran for 14 years. During those years Cook obtained a patent
for the business’s shelving system.
Cook served as attorney for the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, and took part in the efforts to preserve the Bolsa Chica Wetlands from development.
She also has served as President of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities, Chair of the League of California Cities Administrative Policy Committee and Chair of the Orange County Parks Commission.
She helped lead the fight to prevent the Orange County Sanitation District from massive dumping of partially treated wastewater into the ocean. In 2007, Huntington Beach joined the U.S. Mayor’s Agreement on Global Warming.
against incumbent Republican Dana Rohrabacher
. Cook defeated Huntington Beach business owner Dan Kalmick in the June 3, 2008 primary for the Democratic nomination.
The Treasurer of the California Republican Party filed suit against Cook and the Orange County Registrar regarding Cook's ballot designation. The suit has been seen as frivolous and politically motivated. It was dismissed by the California Court of Appeals.
According to FEC reports, Cook outraised Rohrabacher in the first and second quarters of 2008, although Rohrabacher in total had raised $323,966 compared to Cook's $157,269 by the end of the second quarter 2008.
In the end, Cook failed to oust the incumbent, winning only 42.4% of the vote to Rohrabacher's 53.2%.
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, and was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for California's 46th congressional district
California's 46th congressional district
California's 46th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Los Angeles County and Orange County...
in 2008. Cook was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.
Early life
Cook was born on January 22, 1954 in Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
where her father was stationed with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Her father served in both World War II and the Korean War. Debbie was baptized into the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
by her grandfather, an Episcopal Minister, who also baptized her four brothers. Upon her father’s retirement from the Navy the family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
In 1966 Cook and her family moved to California where Debbie attended Corona del Mar High School
Corona del Mar High School
Corona del Mar High School is a school located in the East Bluff neighborhood of Newport Beach, California, and belongs to the Newport Mesa Unified School District...
in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
. During high school Debbie was a runner-up in the Miss Newport Beach contest, earned a student pilot’s license, completed an Outward Bound course and successfully climbed Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . It is on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park...
.
College, marriage and family
Cook attended California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
where she studied earth science. Cook also has a J.D from Western State University College of Law
Western State University College of Law
Western State University, College of Law is a private, for-profit American law school in Fullerton, California. It was the first law school established in Orange County and has over 11,000 alumni....
. Debbie worked part-time during college and excelled on both the women’s volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and swim teams. Cook met her husband, John Fisher, in a co-ed volleyball class during 1975 and they were married shortly later.
Cook and her husband settled in Westminster, California
Westminster, California
-Government:In the state legislature Westminster is located in the 34th, Senate District, represented by Democrat Lou Correa and Republican Tom Harman respectively, and in the 67th and 68th Assembly District, represented by Republicans Jim Silva and Van Tran respectively...
. Cook coached and taught volleyball in Huntington Beach, and served as Parent Teacher Association president for Vista View School in Fountain Valley
Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 55,313 at the 2010 census. A classic bedroom community, Fountain Valley is a middle-class residential area.- History :...
.
In 1978 Debbie and John purchased a small office-equipment business which they ran for 14 years. During those years Cook obtained a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for the business’s shelving system.
Political career
At 37, Cook went to law school, earning a degree from Western State University and joining the California bar in 1994.Cook served as attorney for the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, and took part in the efforts to preserve the Bolsa Chica Wetlands from development.
City Council and Mayor
Cook was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council in 2000, and was reelected in 2004. The office of the Mayor of Huntington Beach is a rotating position within the city council, and she has held that office twice.She also has served as President of the Orange County Division of the League of California Cities, Chair of the League of California Cities Administrative Policy Committee and Chair of the Orange County Parks Commission.
She helped lead the fight to prevent the Orange County Sanitation District from massive dumping of partially treated wastewater into the ocean. In 2007, Huntington Beach joined the U.S. Mayor’s Agreement on Global Warming.
2008 campaign for Congress
On February 2, 2008 Debbie Cook announced her Democratic candidacy for California's 46th congressional districtCalifornia's 46th congressional district
California's 46th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Los Angeles County and Orange County...
against incumbent Republican Dana Rohrabacher
Dana Rohrabacher
Dana Tyron Rohrabacher is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 45th and 42nd, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party...
. Cook defeated Huntington Beach business owner Dan Kalmick in the June 3, 2008 primary for the Democratic nomination.
The Treasurer of the California Republican Party filed suit against Cook and the Orange County Registrar regarding Cook's ballot designation. The suit has been seen as frivolous and politically motivated. It was dismissed by the California Court of Appeals.
According to FEC reports, Cook outraised Rohrabacher in the first and second quarters of 2008, although Rohrabacher in total had raised $323,966 compared to Cook's $157,269 by the end of the second quarter 2008.
In the end, Cook failed to oust the incumbent, winning only 42.4% of the vote to Rohrabacher's 53.2%.
External links
- Debbie Cook for Congress official campaign site
- City of Huntington Beach City Council Biographieshttp://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/Government/Elected_Officials/city_council/council_bios/index.cfm
- Daily Pilot Cook Declares Feb 4, 2008http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2008/02/04/politics/doc47a7967f5aaff914211186.txt
- OC Voice Interview with Debbie Cook (Peak Oil)http://www.ocvoice.com/OC_VOICE/Cook.html
- SCAG Energy Summit: Debbie Cook http://www.scag.ca.gov/rcp/pdf/summit/energyspeakerbios.pdf
- Congress candidate sued for using "Mayor" on ballot.