Jim Brulte
{{Short description|American politician (born 1956)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Jim Brulte
|image = Don Azul (L) with Jim Brulte (R) 2 (cropped).jpg
|office = Chair of the California Republican Party
|term_start = March 3, 2013
|term_end = February 24, 2019
|predecessor = Tom Del Beccaro
|successor = Jessica Patterson
|office1 = Minority Leader of the California Senate
|term_start1 = December 4, 2000
|term_end1 = November 30, 2004
|predecessor1 = Ross Johnson
|successor1 = Dick Ackerman
|state_senate2 = California
|district2 = 31st
|term2 = December 2, 1996 - November 30, 2004
|predecessor2 = Bill Leonard
|successor2 = Robert Dutton
|office3 = Majority Leader of the California Assembly
|term_start3 = June 5, 1995
|term_end3 = August 22, 1995
|predecessor3 = Thomas M. Hannigan
|successor3 = Curt Pringle
|office4 = Minority Leader of the California Assembly
|term_start4 = November 4, 1992
|term_end4 = June 5, 1995
|predecessor4 = Bill Jones
|successor4 = Willie Brown
|office5 = Member of the California State Assembly
|constituency5 = 65th district (1990–1992)
63rd district (1992–1996)
|term_start5 = December 3, 1990
|term_end5 = November 30, 1996
|predecessor5 = Charles Bader
|successor5 = Bill Leonard
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|4|13}}
|birth_place = Glen Cove, New York, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|education = California State Polytechnic
University, Pomona {{small|(BA)}}
|branch = Air National Guard
}}
James L. Brulte (born April 13, 1956) is an American politician, former state legislator, and former chairman of the California Republican Party, having served from March 3, 2013 to February 24, 2019. Serving three consecutive terms as chairman, Brulte set the record for the longest tenure as chairman in the history of the state party. He was also the first, and currently remains the only, freshman to ever serve as a party leader in both houses of the California State Legislature.
Early life and education
Brulte served in the California Air National Guard and was chosen as "Outstanding Airman of the Year" for the United States and its territories. He graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona).{{cite web | title=Cal Poly Pomona | url=http://www.csumentor.edu/campustour/undergraduate/1/Cal_Poly_Pomona/Cal_Poly_Pomona5.html| work= CSU Mentor | accessdate=2008-09-12}} Brulte is married to the former Superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District, Kirsten Vital Brulte.
Political career
He was elected to the Assembly in 1990 to represent San Bernardino County's 65th District, and was re-elected from the 63rd District in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, as the Majority Leader in the Assembly, Brulte was unable to prevent a Democrat from being elected Speaker of the Assembly.{{cite web |last1=Jim |first1=Brulte |title=Brulte May Lose Job as State GOP Leader |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/SACRAMENTO-Brulte-May-Lose-Job-As-State-GOP-3031448.php |website=SFGate.com |date=8 June 1995 |accessdate=15 May 2020}} When term limits forced Brulte out of the Assembly, he ran for the State Senate's 31st district in 1996, winning the election with 56% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2000 with 59% of the vote. Brulte retired from the Senate in 2004 due to term limits. During his time in the State Senate, he served as Vice Chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.
Brulte considered running for the State Board of Equalization in 2006; however, he decided not to run against Michelle Steel, the eventual victor.
Following the 2010 and 2012 election results in California, Brulte was widely encouraged to run for the chairmanship of the California Republican Party and was elected chairman on March 3, 2013. Coincidentally, Brulte was born in Glen Cove, New York as was his predecessor, Tom Del Beccaro.
Although out of office for almost two decades, in 2022 Brulte partnered with former California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner to bring the medical community and the legal community together to craft a legislative solution to end the decades long medical malpractice wars. Their compromise was enacted into law by the legislature and resulted in eliminating the need for an already qualified ballot initiative.{{Cite web |last= |date=2022-06-07 |title=Editorial: Not everything should go to the ballot. Lawmakers, do your job |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-06-07/california-lawmakers-ballot-measures-propositions |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
Electoral history
{{Election box begin no change
| title = California's 63rd State Assembly district election, 1992
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jim Brulte (incumbent)
| votes = 76,888
| percentage = 56.06
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = A. L. "Larry" Westwood
| votes = 42,860
| percentage = 31.25
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Green Party of California
| candidate = Joseph “Joe" M. Desist
| votes = 17,143
| percentage = 12.70
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
| votes = 16,448
| percentage = 10.71
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 153,339
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
| loser = California Democratic Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = California's 63rd State Assembly district election, 1994
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jim Brulte (incumbent)
| votes = 73,208
| percentage = 67.52
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Richard Edwards
| votes = 35,217
| percentage = 32.48
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
| votes = 9,950
| percentage = 8.41
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 118,375
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = California's 31st State Senate district election, 1996
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jim Brulte
| votes = 143,537
| percentage = 56.17
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Gary George
| votes = 103,217
| percentage = 41.83
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
| votes = 17,795
| percentage = 6.73
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 264,549
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = California's 31st State Senate district election, 2000
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jim Brulte (incumbent)
| votes = 153,745
| percentage = 58.79
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Michael D. Rayburn
| votes = 97,931
| percentage = 37.45
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party of California
| candidate = Fritz R. Ward
| votes = 9,851
| percentage = 3.77
}}
{{Election box invalid no change
| votes = 0
| percentage = 0.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 261,527
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box hold with party link no change
| winner = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{C-SPAN|48968}}
- [http://www.joincalifornia.com/candidate/5942 Join California Jim Brulte]
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{{s-bef|before=Charles Bader}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the California Assembly
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{{s-ppo}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the California State Senate|years=2000–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=Dick Ackerman}}
|-
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{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the California Republican Party|years=2013–2019}}
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|-
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{{s-ttl|title=Member of the California Senate
from the 31st district|years=1996–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=Robert Dutton}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Ross Johnson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the California Senate|years=2000–2004}}
{{s-aft|after=Dick Ackerman}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brulte, Jim}}
Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature
Category:California National Guard personnel
Category:California Republican Party chairs
Category:California State Polytechnic University, Pomona alumni
Category:Republican Party California state senators
Category:Republican Party members of the California State Assembly
Category:People from Ontario, California
Category:Politicians from Glen Cove, New York
Category:Republican National Committee members
Category:20th-century members of the California State Legislature
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