Doris Allen (politician)
Doris Allen | |
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59th Speaker of the California State Assembly | |
In office June 5, 1995 – September 14, 1995 |
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Preceded by | Willie Brown |
Succeeded by | Brian Setencich |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 67th district |
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In office December 7, 1992 – November 28, 1995 |
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Preceded by | Mickey Conroy |
Succeeded by | Scott Baugh |
Member of the California State Assembly from the 71st district |
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In office December 6, 1982 – November 30, 1992 |
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Preceded by | Chet Wray |
Succeeded by | Mickey Conroy |
Personal details | |
Born | Doris Jean Frazee May 26, 1936 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | James Allen (m. 1967–88) Elmer James Herbertson |
Children | 2 |
Doris Jean Allen (26 May 1936 – 22 September 1999) was an American politician from California. Allen served in the California Assembly from 1982 to 1995, representing part of Orange County, and as speaker of that body from June 5 to September 14, 1995, before being recalled from office. Allen was the first woman to be elected to that office.
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Early life and education
Allen was born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in Cypress, California.[1]
Career
Before entering politics, Allen owned a successful household lighting store. An amateur actress, she played the title role in the musical Mame in productions by the Westminster Community Theater and Sebastian's West in the early-1970s.
California State Assembly
On November 2, 1982, Allen won the election and became a member of California State Assembly for the 71st district. Allen unseated Chester B. Wray with 51.6% of the votes.[2][3]
Based in Huntington Beach,[4] She compiled a relatively conservative record with special attention to environmental protection for her coastal district. Republicans gained a one-vote majority in the House in 1995, threatening longtime Democratic Speaker Willie Brown's 15-year tenure. At first, Brown persuaded moderate Republican turned Independent Paul Horcher to keep him in power.[5]
Recall
Meanwhile, Allen was running in a special election for the California State Senate. However, GOP party leaders endorsed fellow assemblyman Ross Johnson, who had moved into the district to run. Allen lost the election. When Horcher was recalled from office and replaced by a more loyal Republican, Speaker Brown convinced a still-angry Allen to vote with Democrats and become speaker herself. However, Brown continued to lead the legislative body as head of the Democratic Caucus.
Allen's defection outraged her Republican colleagues, led by Curt Pringle, as well as her Republican constituents, who in November 1995 recalled her from office. Before her removal, Allen resigned as speaker and was succeeded by Brian Setencich. However, when Brown resigned his seat in the State Assembly to be sworn in as mayor of San Francisco, Setencich lost that vote, restoring the Republicans' majority electing Pringle as Speaker in January 1996. Setencich himself was defeated for reelection in that June's GOP primary.[6]
Following her recall, Allen eventually moved away from California, though she did make a final bid for her old seat in 1998.
Personal life
On September 22, 1999, Allen died from cancer in Colorado Springs. Allen was 63 years old.[7]
See also
References
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- ↑ Schroeder takes aim at GOP 'turncoat,' prepares recall drive - The Orange County Register Retrieved 2016-12-24.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(archive)
External links
- Doris Allen at ballotpedia.org
- Join California Doris Allen
- Doris Jean “Dori” Frazee Allen at findagrave.com
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- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- 1936 births
- 1999 deaths
- Deaths from cancer in Colorado
- Deaths from colorectal cancer
- Deaths from stomach cancer
- Politicians from Kansas City, Missouri
- People from Huntington Beach, California
- Recalled state legislators of the United States
- Speakers of the California State Assembly
- Republican Party members of the California State Assembly
- Women state legislators in California
- 20th-century American politicians
- 20th-century American women politicians
- Women legislative speakers
- Colorado Republicans