Cruz Bustamante – Wikipedia

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American politician

Cruz Bustamante
Cruz Bustamante .10.06.jpg

Bustamante in 2006
In office
January 4, 1999 – January 8, 2007
Governor Gray Davis
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded by Gray Davis
Succeeded by John Garamendi
In office
December 2, 1996 – February 26, 1998
Preceded by Curt Pringle
Succeeded by Antonio Villaraigosa
In office
April 29, 1993 – November 30, 1998
Preceded by Bruce Bronzan
Succeeded by Sarah Reyes
Born

Cruz Miguel Bustamante

(1953-01-04) January 4, 1953 (age 70)
Dinuba, California, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse Arcelia
Children 3
Education Fresno City College
California State University, Fresno (BA)
Signature

Cruz Miguel Bustamante (born January 4, 1953) is an American politician. He previously served as the 45th Lieutenant Governor of California from 1999 to 2007, serving under governors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. A member of the Democratic Party, Bustamante also served in the California State Assembly and served as the Speaker from 1996 to 1998.

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Early life and education[edit]

The eldest of six children, Cruz Bustamante was born in Dinuba, California. His family later moved to San Joaquin, California. He attended and graduated from Tranquillity High School in the 1970s, where he excelled in both football and wrestling, and later attended Fresno City College and California State University, Fresno. Bustamante earned his Bachelor of Arts via distance learning from California State University, Fresno in 2003.[1][2]

Bustamante as a member of the Assembly

As a resident of Fresno, Bustamante was elected to the California State Assembly in a special election in 1993, and became the Speaker of the Assembly in 1996.[2] He was elected lieutenant governor in 1998, the first Latino elected to statewide office in California in more than 120 years. He was also the highest-ranking elected Latino officeholder in the United States until Bill Richardson became governor of New Mexico in 2003.

2003 recall election[edit]

He was the most prominent Democrat to run in the 2003 California recall election to remove Governor Gray Davis, and placed second to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, losing by 17 points. (see full election results).

Bustamante had an apparently icy relationship with Governor Davis, a fellow Democrat, during his tenure. They reportedly had not talked in months before the recall election approached. Bustamante’s decision to run in the recall election was controversial, as many supporters of Governor Davis had urged prominent Democrats not to run, in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the event. During the recall election, Bustamante ran on a platform slogan of “No on Recall, Yes on Bustamante,”[3][4] indicating he opposed the recall.

2006 insurance commissioner election[edit]

Bustamante was the Democratic nominee for California insurance commissioner in 2006. In his official candidate statement, he said “I want to become an example to others to lead healthier lives by losing weight myself. Obesity in California costs $7.7 billion a year.” Bustamante claimed to have shed 43 pounds, to a weight of 235 pounds, by means of diet and exercise.[5]

He easily won the June 6, 2006 Democratic primary, receiving 70.5% of the vote and defeating his challenger, John Kraft. Bustamante received 1,606,913 votes to 674,309 for Kraft. Many political analysts believed that Kraft, who ran a low-key campaign where he took no campaign contributions, received those votes as a protest for Bustamante’s behavior during the 2003 recall election.[6] However, Kraft planned to actively campaign for Bustamante in the general election, and donated a significant portion of his fortune as an heir to Kraft Foods to Bustamante’s campaign.[7]

Bustamante ran against Republican Steve Poizner in November. Bustamante announced that he would not be returning insurance industry contributions to his campaign, a position criticized by Poizner and campaign ethicists. Bustamante also failed to meet a deadline to submit a campaign statement to voters. According to the Field Poll, on November 3, 2006, Bustamante trailed Poizner by 9%.[8] and lost to Poizner by 12% in the general election.

It was speculated that Bustamante would run for the U.S. House of Representatives in California’s 21st congressional district in 2012,[9] but ultimately he did not run.

Personal life[edit]

With his wife Arcelia, Bustamante has three children.

Electoral history[edit]

Public Offices
Office Type Location Elected Term began Term ended
State Assemblyman Legislature Sacramento 1993 May 3, 1993 December 5, 1994
State Assemblyman Legislature Sacramento 1994 December 5, 1994 December 2, 1996
Speaker of the Assembly Legislature Sacramento 1996 December 2, 1996 December 7, 1998
Lieutenant Governor Executive Sacramento 1998 January 4, 1999 January 6, 2003
Lieutenant Governor Executive Sacramento 2002 January 6, 2003 January 8, 2007

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante”. digital.library.ucla.edu. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Zarembo, Alan (August 30, 2003). “Slow but Steady Approach Has Served Bustamante Well”. Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  3. ^ “Special Election – Candidate Statement”. Vote2003.ss.ca.gov. October 7, 2003. Archived from the original on June 11, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  4. ^ Fouhy, Beht (August 22, 2003). “State Democrats in Congress say no to recall, yes to Bustamante”. Napa Valley Register. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  5. ^ Oldham, Jennifer. “Bustamante Hopes to Win Insurance Post by Losing”. Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Feist, Paul (June 7, 2006). “Politics Blog : Election results not good news for Bustamante”. SFGate. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  7. ^ Capitol Weekly: The Newspaper of California State Government and Politics Archived June 17, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Mark DiCamillo and Mervin Field; November 3, 2006; “Lt. Governor’s race deadlocked” Archived March 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine; ”Field Research Corporation; url accessed November 4, 2006,
  9. ^ Ellis, John (February 21, 2012). “Dinuba native Bustamante eyes 21st District congressional bid”. The Fresno Bee. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.

External links[edit]


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