Bob Wilson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	Clinton D. McKinnon(redistricting)
Succeeded by	Bill Lowery
Constituency	30th district(1953–63) 36th district(1963–73) 40th district(1973–75) 41st district(1975–81)
Personal details
Born	Robert Carlton Wilson (1916-04-05)April 5, 1916 Calexico,California, U.S.
Died	August 12, 1999(1999-08-12) (aged 83) Chula Vista,California, U.S.
Resting place	Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery San Diego,California,U.S.
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	San Diego State University

Robert Carlton Wilson (April 5, 1916 – August 12, 1999) was an Americanpolitician, who served 14 terms as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives from California from 1953 to 1981. He was a member of theRepublican Party.

Wilson was born on April 5, 1916, inCalexico, California. He attended San Diego State College (nowSan Diego State University) and Otis Art Institute (nowOtis College of Art and Design).

He served inWorld War II stateside in theArmy commissary from 1940 to 1945.

After the war, he was in the Marine Corps Reserve, rising to the rank of colonel, and was a partner in two advertising agencies.

Wilson first became involved in politics campaigning forDwight D. Eisenhower in 1952. He was recruited to run in the newly created 30th District, based inSan Diego,California. When Wilson phoned his wife, Jean Bryant Wilson, with the news he was selected by the Republicans to run, she laughed saying "You a Congressman?" He was elected amid Eisenhower's gigantic landslide that year.

Wilson was reelected 13 times, rarely facing serious opposition as San Diego was a Republican stronghold. His campaigns featuredanti-communism themes, stressing the importance of a strong military. He also opposed high taxes, championing rugged individualism instead. While in Congress he became a major spokesman for the defense industry and played a large role in the development of a military presence in San Diego. From 1959 until his retirement he was a member of theHouse Armed Services Committee. From 1968 to his retirement he served as chair of theNational Republican Congressional Committee. He was well-known and popular in San Diego, and would blanket his district with pot holders and other gifts with his name on it during election time. Several households still have the 40-pageBob Wilson Barbecue Cook Book he sent out. While in office, he patented a "Smack-Its", a table-toptetherball game. Wilson voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957,^[1]1960,^[2]1964,^[3] and1968,^[4] and theVoting Rights Act of 1965,^[5] while Wilson voted present on the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.^[6]

In 1979, on the legislative issue of spousal rape, Wilson is reported as having asked, "If you can't rape your wife, who can you rape?"^[7]

In 1980, Wilson decided not to run for a 15th term. He served as co-chairman ofAmerican Freedom Coalition with CongressmanRichard Ichord. He was a member of the California Society of theSons of the American Revolution.

Wilson died on August 12, 1999, inChula Vista, California, at the age of 83. He is buried atFort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.

• Nugan Hand Bank

• United States Congress."Bob Wilson (id: W000610)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

• 1916 births
• 1999 deaths
• Balboa Park (San Diego)
• Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
• Politicians from San Diego
• San Diego State University alumni
• People from Chula Vista, California
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
• People from Calexico, California
• American anti-communists
• 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives

• Articles with short description
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