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Ron Packard | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Clair Burgener |
| Succeeded by | Darrell Issa |
| Constituency | 43rd district (1983–1993) 48th district (1993–2001) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1931-01-19)January 19, 1931 (age 94) Meridian, Idaho, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Packard, Verdie Packard |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University[1] |
Ronald C. Packard (born January 19, 1931) is an American retiredRepublican politician fromCalifornia who served in theU.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001.
Ronald C. Packard was born and raised inMeridian, Idaho. He attendedMeridian High School,Brigham Young University,Portland State University, andUniversity of Oregon Dental School (now theOregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry), where he received aD.M.D. in 1957. He was in theNavyDental Corps during 1957–1959, and worked as adentist after leaving the navy.
Packard first entered politics as a trustee of theCarlsbad Unified School District inCalifornia, and served during 1962–1974. He was elected to the Carlsbad City Council in 1976, then electedMayor of Carlsbad in 1978. While mayor, he was active in community and regional affairs, serving on the transportation policy committee of theLeague of California Cities, as a Director of North County Transit District, and as President of the Council of Mayors for San Diego County.[2]
In 1982, Packard lost theRepublicanprimary for theUnited States House of Representatives in a crowded field of candidates to Johnnie R. Crean by 92 votes.[3] Crean's character came into issue, with his negative ads and false claim of endorsement byRonald Reagan, so Packard launched a campaign as awrite-in candidate. Packard ran a poll which found that voters would vote for him, especially if they knew how to write him in. Packard campaigned with a gigantic pencil as a prop while giving out golf pencils to district residents. An organized effort among fellow Mormons helped the campaign. Packard won the election by 11,000 votes to become the first independent write-in candidate to defeat candidates of both theDemocratic and Republican parties. NPR'sKen Rudin described the race this way:
Eighteen Republicans were running in the primary for the seat being vacated by Rep. Clair Burgener (R). The winner was political novice Johnnie Crean, whose family wealth bankrolled his saturation of the airwaves in the district, situated just north of San Diego. Crean spent well over $750,000 in the primary, then a substantial amount, mostly attacking his fellow Republicans, while ducking candidate forums and personal appearances. Crean defeated Carlsbad Mayor Ron Packard in the primary by 92 votes out of more than 83,000 cast. Furious, Packard announced a write-in effort. Fearful that the GOP split in this overwhelming GOP district could end up electing a Democrat, there was great pressure on Packard to end his bid. But he refused, and won the seat with 37 percent of the vote. The Democrat, Roy "Pat" Archer, finished second with 32 percent; Crean received 31 percent.[4]
Packard was only the third person to be elected to Congress as a write-in candidate, a victory later documented inCampaigns and Elections and due in part to the efforts of Russell Reed Benedict. The two previously successful congressional write-in candidates were U.S. Rep. Joe Skeen (R-New Mexico 2nd District) in 1980 and Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-South Carolina) in 1954. Subsequently, Alaska Republican U.S. SenatorLisa Murkowski lost her party primary in 2010, but waged a successful write-in campaign againstJoe Miller, the Republican primary winner and narrowly defeated him in the general election.[5] Upon being sworn in, Packard joined the Republican caucus. He was reelected as aRepublican eight times with little opposition in the heavily Republican district.
Packard's congressional career included membership on theHouse Appropriations Committee. Packard served a total of nine terms and then retired from the House at the end of his term in 2001 to spend time with his family. In Congress he was known as a deficit hawk, a critic of legislative "pork", and opponent of illegal immigration. He was succeeded by RepublicanDarrell Issa.
A U.S. Post Office building inOceanside, California was named for him in 2002.
Packard and his wife Jean live in Utah. They had seven children. Packard works part-time as alobbyist inWashington, D.C.
The westernmost 16.6-miles ofCalifornia State Route 78 betweenInterstate 5 inOceanside, California andInterstate 15 inEscondido, California is designated Ronald Packard Parkway.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 43rd congressional district 1983–1993 | Succeeded by |
| New district | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 48th congressional district 1993–2001 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former US Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative | Succeeded byas Former US Representative |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
