Rusty Hicks

Summary

Rusty Hicks is an American attorney serving as chair of the California Democratic Party. Hicks won the June 4, 2019, chairmanship election after the resignation of Eric C. Bauman and was re-elected in 2021. He unsucessfuly ran for California's 2nd Assembly District in 2024, ultimately placing 3rd in the March Primary.[2][3]

Rusty Hicks
Chair of the California Democratic Party
Assumed office
July 1, 2019
Preceded byAlex Gallardo-Rooker (Acting)
Personal details
Born1979 or 1980 (age 43–44)[1]
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationAustin College (BA)
Loyola Marymount University (JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
UnitUnited States Navy Reserve

Early life and education edit

Hicks was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from Austin College, before moving to Los Angeles in 2003, where he earned a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.[4]

Career edit

Hicks worked on the Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign as the California political director. [5]

Hicks also worked as a legislative aide to California Assembly members Mike Gordon and Ted Lieu.[citation needed] Hicks is a lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve He moved from the Los Angeles area to Arcata, California after 2019 and has had to answer questions about being a "carpetbagger".[6][7]

Prior to his role as chair,[when?] Hicks had served as the president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor since November 2014.[8][5]

In 2024, he was a candidate for California’s 2nd Assembly District. During his campaign, he said that while offshore wind power is a way to reduce California's dependence on fossil fuels, it is "incredibly important" to subject wind power projects to "community engagement."[9]

References edit

  1. ^ Mai-Duc, Christine; Willon, Phil (June 1, 2019). "California Democratic Party elects new chair to lead an organization pushing further left". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  2. ^ Graham, Andrew (5 February 2024). "Rusty Hicks is bringing statewide firepower to the race to be the North Coast's Assembly member. What that means depends on who you ask". The Press Democrat. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  3. ^ www.pressdemocrat.com https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/rusty-hicks-concedes-santa-rosas-chris-rogers-heads-to-an-easy-general-el/. Retrieved 2024-03-29. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ "Rusty Hicks - Loyola Law School, Los Angeles". www.lls.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  5. ^ a b "Rusty Hicks: The Next Chair of the California Democratic Party?". Los Angeles Sentinel. 2019-03-14.
  6. ^ "About | Rusty Hicks". rustyhicks.org/. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  7. ^ "Election 2024 | Rusty Hicks role as Assembly candidate, California Dems chair incenses some delegates". Times-Standard. 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  8. ^ "Rusty Hicks Resigns as President of LA Federation of Labor". The LA Fed. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  9. ^ "Assembly Candidates Opine on Housing, Mental Health, Offshore Wind, Electricity Redundancy at Democrats' Invitation-Only Forum". Wild Rivers Outpost. 2024.
Party political offices
Preceded by Chair of the California Democratic Party
2019–present
Incumbent