Mark Takano

Mark Allan Takano (/təˈkɑːnoʊ/; born December 10, 1960) is an American politician who has been the United States Representative for California's 41st congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Takano has served on the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees since 1990. Upon taking office, Takano became the first openly gay person of Asian descent in Congress.

Mark Takano
Chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Assumed office
January 3, 2019
Preceded byPhil Roe
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 41st district
Assumed office
January 3, 2013
Preceded byNew Constituency (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born
Mark Allan Takano

(1960-12-10) December 10, 1960
Riverside, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (Before 1983)
Democratic (1983–present)
EducationHarvard University (AB)
University of California,
Riverside (MFA)
WebsiteHouse website

Early life, education, and academic career

Takano was born in 1960 in Riverside, California.[1] His family was relocated and interned from California to a "War Relocation Camp" during World War II.[2] He is Sansei, that is, the grandson of people born in Japan who immigrated to the United States.[3] He attended La Sierra High School of the Alvord Unified School District, where he graduated as class valedictorian.[4] In high school, he also participated in the Junior State of America, a national student-run organization centered around debate and civic engagement in young people, and was elected the Lieutenant Governor of the Southern California State.[5] He graduated from Harvard University with an AB in Government in 1983.[6] He later graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing for the Performing Arts from the University of California, Riverside in 2010.[7]

Takano taught British literature in public schools for twenty-three years.[2] He was a member of the Republican Party through college, when he became a member of the Democratic Party.[6] In 1990 he was elected to the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees.[8] While on the board, he shepherded a measure that provided Riverside Community College employees with domestic partner benefits.[2]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

1992
See also: 1992 United States House of Representatives elections

Takano ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives during the 1992 elections in the California's 43rd congressional district. He won a seven-candidate Democratic primary with 29% of the vote.[2][9] Republican Ken Calvert defeated Takano by 519 votes, 47–46%.[10][11]

1994
See also: 1994 United States House of Representatives elections

In 1994, Takano defeated Raven Lopez Workman in the Democratic primary, 70–30%.[12] During the campaign, Republican State Assemblyman Ray Haynes outed Takano, calling him a "homosexual liberal".[13] In the general election, Calvert defeated Takano 55–38%.[14][15]

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 41

In July 2011, Takano announced he would run for the U.S. House in the newly redrawn California 41st congressional district, established in the redistricting following the 2010 United States Census.[1] Five candidates ran for the open seat. In the June 2012 open primary, John Tavaglione, a Republican, ranked first with 45% of the votes. Takano ranked second with 37%.[16] In the November general election, Takano defeated Tavaglione 58–42%.[17][18] Takano became the first openly gay member of the House who is not white.[2][19][20]

Committee assignments

After Corrine Brown's indictment on July 8, 2016, she temporarily stepped down as ranking member of the Veterans Committee, leaving Takano as acting ranking member until the end of the 114th Congress.[21]

Tenure

When Representative Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) circulated a draft letter opposing an immigration reform bill in 2013, asking for signatures, Takano marked it up in red pen like a high school assignment and gave it an F, with comments like, "exaggeration -- avoid hyperbole."[22]

Takano co-chairs the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus[23] and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus,[24] the Congressional Arts Caucus,[25] the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus,[26] the United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus,[27] U.S.-Japan Caucus,[28] and the Advanced Energy Storage Caucus.[29]

See also

References
  1. Goad, Ben (July 1, 2011). "Congress: Takano will seek proposed Riverside-area seat". PE.com. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  2. Johnson, Chris (December 22, 2011). "Takano on path to make history in Calif. race". Washington Blade. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  3. Furutani, Warren. "Welcoming a New Generation of Nikkei Leaders," Rafu Shimpo (Los Angeles). November 23, 2012; retrieved December 2, 2012.
  4. "Meet Mark | Mark Takano: Teacher for Congress". Mark Takano. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  5. "Notable Alumni of the Junior State of America". Junior State of America. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  6. "Harvard Grad Turns Democrat to Win Votes". The Harvard Crimson. October 21, 1992. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  7. "Mark Takano, D-Calif. (41st District)". Roll Call. November 7, 2012. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  8. "Board Members". www.rccd.edu. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  9. "CA District 43- D Primary Race - Jun 02, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  10. "CA District 43 Race - Nov 03, 1992". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  11. "California House Race Could be a Soap Opera". Albany, Georgia: The Albany Herald (via Google News Archive Search). Associated Press. November 3, 1994. p. 2A. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  12. "CA District 43 - D Primary Race - Jun 07, 1994". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  13. Goad, Ben (September 21, 2012). "2012 ELECTIONS: Takano sees changed political landscape". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  14. "CA District 43 Race - Nov 08, 1994". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  15. Morrison, Patt (November 11, 1994). "Snapshots of life in the Golden State. : In This Sleaziest of Races, Victor Won by a Mudslide". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  16. "CA - District 41 - Open Primary Race - Jun 05, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  17. "CA - District 41 Race - Nov 06, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  18. Goad, Ben (November 6, 2012). "Congress District 41: Takano has double-digit lead over Tavaglione in nationally watched race". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  19. David Crary, AP National Writer. "Record number of gays seeking seats in Congress". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  20. Candido, Sergio N. (October 29, 2012). "Top 5 Gay National Races". SFGN. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  21. Horseman, Jeff (July 11, 2016). "Congress: Corrine Brown indictment makes Mark Takano ranking Democrat on veterans' affairs committee". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  22. Rep. Mark Takano Corrects Republican Letter, Proves He Will Always Be A Teacher, By Rebecca Klein, Huffington Post, 07/12/2013
  23. "Members". LGBT Equality Caucus. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  24. "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  25. "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  26. "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  27. "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  28. "Members". U.S. - Japan Caucus. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  29. "Caucuses of the United States Congress", Wikipedia, March 6, 2020, retrieved March 6, 2020
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Jerry Lewis		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 41st congressional district
2013–present		 Incumbent
Preceded by
Phil Roe		 Chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
2019–present
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Eric Swalwell		 United States Representatives by seniority
226th		 Succeeded by
Juan Vargas
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