Charles H. Wilson

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Charles H. Wilson

|image = 1971 p23 Charles H Wilson.jpg

|caption = Official portrait, 1971

|state = California

|district = {{ushr|CA|31|31st}}

|term_start = January 3, 1963

|term_end = January 3, 1981

|predecessor = District established

|successor = Mervyn Dymally

|state_assembly1 = California

|district1 = 66th

|term_start1 = January 3, 1955

|term_end1 = January 3, 1963

|predecessor1 = Gordon Hahn

|successor1 = Joe Gonsalves

|birth_name = Charles Herbert Wilson

|birth_date = {{birth date|1917|2|15}}

|birth_place = Magna, Utah, U.S.

|restingplace = Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California

|death_date = {{death date and age|1984|7|21|1917|2|15}}

|death_place = Clinton, Maryland, U.S.

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Hyun Ju Chang

|branch = United States Army

|battles = World War II

}}

Charles Herbert Wilson (February 15, 1917 – July 21, 1984) was a 20th-century American banker, businessman and California Democratic politician from the Los Angeles area. For nine terms he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963 to 1981.Ralph Nader, "Charles H. Wilson, Democratic Representative from California" in Congress Project. Citizens Look at Congress (1972)

Early life

Wilson was born in Magna, Utah, and moved with his parents in 1922 to Los Angeles, California.{{CongBio|W000571}} He attended public schools in Los Angeles and Inglewood, where he was later an employee at a bank, from 1935 to 1942.

= World War II =

Wilson served as a staff sergeant in the United States Army from June 1942 to December 1945, where he gained experience overseas in the European Theater of Operations.

He returned home and in 1945 opened his own insurance agency in Los Angeles.

Political career

File:1967 p23 Charles H Wilson.jpg

Wilson served as a member of the California State Assembly from the 66th District from 1955 to 1963.

= Congress =

He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. On June 10, 1980, Wilson was reprimanded by the House for financial misconduct stemming from the Koreagate scandal. Wilson was defeated for renomination in 1980 by former Lieutenant Governor Mervyn M. Dymally; this loss was due in part due to the reprimand by his colleagues.

Wilson is, to date, the last white congressman to represent the 31st District.

Death

Wilson resided in Tantallon, Maryland, toward the end of his life, and died in Clinton, Maryland, on July 21, 1984. He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change | title=1962 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1962election.pdf 1962 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 76,631

|percentage = 52.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Gordon Hahn

|votes = 70,154

|percentage = 47.8

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 146,785

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box new seat win|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1964 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1964election.pdf 1964 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 114,246

|percentage = 64.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Norman G. Shanahan

|votes = 64,256

|percentage = 36.0

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 178,502

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1966 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1966election.pdf 1966 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 92,875

|percentage = 63.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Norman G. Shanahan

|votes = 53,708

|percentage = 36.6

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 146,583

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1968 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1968election.pdf 1968 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 94,387

|percentage = 58.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = James R. Dunn

|votes = 62,711

|percentage = 39.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = American Independent Party

|candidate = Stanley L. Schulte

|votes = 3,134

|percentage = 2.0

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 160,232

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1970 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1970election.pdf 1970 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 102,071

|percentage = 73.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Fred L. Casmir

|votes = 37,416

|percentage = 26.8

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 139,487

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1972 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1972election.pdf 1972 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 85,954

|percentage = 52.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Ben Valentine

|votes = 69,876

|percentage = 42.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Peace and Freedom Party

|candidate = Roberta Lynn Wood

|votes = 8,582

|percentage = 5.2

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 164,412

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1974 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1974election.pdf 1974 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 60,560

|percentage = 70.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Norman A. Hodges

|votes = 23,039

|percentage = 26.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Peace and Freedom Party

|candidate = William C. Taylor

|votes = 2,349

|percentage = 2.7

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 85,948

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1976 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1976election.pdf 1976 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 83,155

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=1978 United States House of Representatives elections in California[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1978election.pdf 1978 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent)

|votes = 55,667

|percentage = 67.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Don Grimshaw

|votes = 26,490

|percentage = 32.2

}}