John H. Rousselot
Encyclopedia
John Harbin Rousselot was a U.S. Representative
from southern California. (Although the territory he represented was generally the same, in eastern Los Angeles County, the district was renumbered several times during his congressional career.)
Born in 1927 in Los Angeles, California
, Rousselot attended the public schools of San Marino
and South Pasadena
. He received a B.A. from Principia College
, Elsah, Illinois
, in 1949, and went to work as an insurance agent. During the 1950s he also was an author and public relations consultant.
From 1954 to 1955, Rousselot served as assistant to the public relations director of Pacific Finance Corp., Los Angeles, California
. He served as deputy to the chairman of the California Board of Equalization in 1956, and was director of public information for the Federal Housing Administration
in Washington, D.C., from 1958 to 1960.
Rousselot resigned his position at the FHA to return to southern California to run for Congress. His first notable political activity had been as a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention, and he had served as a member of the executive committee of the California Republican State Central Committee in 1956-57.
Rousselot was elected as a Republican
to the Eighty-seventh
Congress (January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963) from California's 25th congressional district
, defeating Democratic incumbent George A. Kasem
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Eighty-eighth
Congress in 1962, losing to Democrat Ronald B. Cameron
.
During the next few years, Rousselot worked as a management consultant and also served as Western regional director of the ultraconservative John Birch Society
. His longtime association with this group was a continuing source of controversy throughout his career in elective office.
Rousselot was elected to the Ninety-first
Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Glenard P. Lipscomb
in California's 24th congressional district
, and reelected to the six succeeding Congresses (June 30, 1970 – January 3, 1983). In the Republican primary for the 1970 special election he narrowly egded out former congressman Patrick Hillings and former football star and doctor Bill McColl
. In the special general election he handily defeated Democrat Myrlie Evers
, the widow of assassinated civil rights activist Medger Evers. The district still was numbered the 24th when he won full terms in 1970 and 1972, but a 1973 redistricting ordered by the California Supreme Court renumbered it the 26th. Rousselot was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1982 after a partisan redistricting divided his old congressional district, leading him to run in the 30th District represented by Democrat Matthew Martinez, who won the general election by 54% to 46%.
Rousselot served as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan
in 1983, and as president of the National Council of Savings Institutions, a lobbying group, from 1985 to 1988. He was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the One Hundred Third Congress in 1992 in the newly-redrawn 25th Congressional District, which ultimately was won by Republican Howard McKeon
.
Rousselot died of heart failure in Irvine, California
, in 2003.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from southern California. (Although the territory he represented was generally the same, in eastern Los Angeles County, the district was renumbered several times during his congressional career.)
Born in 1927 in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Rousselot attended the public schools of San Marino
San Marino, California
San Marino is a small, affluent city in Los Angeles County, California. Incorporated in 1913, the City founders designed the community to be uniquely residential, with expansive properties surrounded by beautiful gardens, wide streets, and well maintained parkways...
and South Pasadena
South Pasadena, California
South Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,619, up from 24,292 at the 2000 census. It is located in in the West San Gabriel Valley...
. He received a B.A. from Principia College
Principia College
Principia College is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Elsah, Illinois. The campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River between Alton and Grafton, located about thirty miles north of St. Louis. In 1934, Principia College graduated its first class as a full...
, Elsah, Illinois
Elsah, Illinois
Elsah is a village in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 U.S. census, the village had a total population of 673. Cyrus Bunting is the the village's current acting mayor.Elsah is a part of the Metro-East region and the St...
, in 1949, and went to work as an insurance agent. During the 1950s he also was an author and public relations consultant.
From 1954 to 1955, Rousselot served as assistant to the public relations director of Pacific Finance Corp., Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. He served as deputy to the chairman of the California Board of Equalization in 1956, and was director of public information for the Federal Housing Administration
Federal Housing Administration
The Federal Housing Administration is a United States government agency created as part of the National Housing Act of 1934. It insured loans made by banks and other private lenders for home building and home buying...
in Washington, D.C., from 1958 to 1960.
Rousselot resigned his position at the FHA to return to southern California to run for Congress. His first notable political activity had been as a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention, and he had served as a member of the executive committee of the California Republican State Central Committee in 1956-57.
Rousselot was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Eighty-seventh
87th United States Congress
-House of Representatives :-Senate:* President: Richard Nixon , until January 20, 1961** Lyndon Johnson , from January 20, 1961* President pro tempore: Carl Hayden -House of Representatives:...
Congress (January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963) from California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district
California's 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that covers part of Los Angeles County and extends out to broad stretches of interior California along the Nevada border. It includes the cities of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster, and the...
, defeating Democratic incumbent George A. Kasem
George A. Kasem
George Albert Kasem was a U.S. Representative from California's 25th congressional district.Born in Drumright, Oklahoma, Kasem graduated from John H...
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Eighty-eighth
88th United States Congress
The Eighty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1965, during the last year of...
Congress in 1962, losing to Democrat Ronald B. Cameron
Ronald B. Cameron
Ronald Brooks Cameron was a U.S. Representative from California's 25th congressional district.-Biography:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Cameron graduated from Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, Ohio, 1945....
.
During the next few years, Rousselot worked as a management consultant and also served as Western regional director of the ultraconservative John Birch Society
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
. His longtime association with this group was a continuing source of controversy throughout his career in elective office.
Rousselot was elected to the Ninety-first
91st United States Congress
The Ninety-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1969 to January 3, 1971, during the first two years...
Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Glenard P. Lipscomb
Glenard P. Lipscomb
Glenard Paul Lipscomb was a United States Congressman from the state of California.Born in Jackson County, Michigan, Lipscomb moved to California with his parents in 1920, where the family settled in Los Angeles. He was educated in the Los Angeles public schools, including Belmont High School...
in California's 24th congressional district
California's 24th congressional district
California's 24th congressional district covers most of Ventura and inland Santa Barbara counties.The district is currently represented by Republican Elton Gallegly.-Voting:-List of representatives:-Election results:-1952:...
, and reelected to the six succeeding Congresses (June 30, 1970 – January 3, 1983). In the Republican primary for the 1970 special election he narrowly egded out former congressman Patrick Hillings and former football star and doctor Bill McColl
Bill McColl
William Frazier "Bill" McColl is a former NFL defensive end and tight end from 1952 to 1959 for the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Stanford, where he was a two-time consensus All-American and third runner up in the 1951 Heisman Trophy voting. In 1951, he was the first person to...
. In the special general election he handily defeated Democrat Myrlie Evers
Myrlie Evers-Williams
SynopsisEarly LifeLife with MedgarMedgar Evers MurderLife After Medgar'NAACP/ HonorsAccomplishmentsWhoopi Goldberg played her in Ghosts of Mississippi...
, the widow of assassinated civil rights activist Medger Evers. The district still was numbered the 24th when he won full terms in 1970 and 1972, but a 1973 redistricting ordered by the California Supreme Court renumbered it the 26th. Rousselot was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1982 after a partisan redistricting divided his old congressional district, leading him to run in the 30th District represented by Democrat Matthew Martinez, who won the general election by 54% to 46%.
Rousselot served as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in 1983, and as president of the National Council of Savings Institutions, a lobbying group, from 1985 to 1988. He was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination to the One Hundred Third Congress in 1992 in the newly-redrawn 25th Congressional District, which ultimately was won by Republican Howard McKeon
Howard McKeon
Howard Philip "Buck" McKeon is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Rousselot died of heart failure in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, in 2003.