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Ira Ruskin

Ira Ruskin
Ira Ruskin.jpg
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 21st district
In office
December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2010
Preceded by Joe Simitian
Succeeded by Rich Gordon
Personal details
Born (1943-11-12)November 12, 1943
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died July 3, 2014(2014-07-03) (aged 70)
Redwood City, California, U.S.
Nationality American
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Cheryl Ruskin
Residence Redwood City
Alma mater University of California, Berkeley
Stanford University
Occupation Politician
Religion Judaism

Ira Ruskin (November 12, 1943 – July 3, 2014) was an American politician from Redwood City, California. A Democrat, he is a former member of the California State Assembly and of Redwood City Council. He and his wife Cheryl (a licensed landscape designer) resided in Redwood City, California; the couple had no children.

He received a B.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley in 1968 and an M.A. in communications (with an emphasis on filmmaking) from Stanford University in 1983.

From 1995 to 2004, Ruskin was a member of the Redwood City Council. From 1999 to 2001, he also served as Mayor of Redwood City. In 2004, Ruskin was elected to the California Assembly. He defeated Republican Steve Poizner in the general election. Ruskin had local government experience but initially lacked major campaign funding. The Assembly race heated up when Poizner donated $6 million to his own campaign. Ruskin began fundraising from California's public employee unions and ultimately won the race.

In November 2006 Ruskin was re-elected to the California State Assembly by a wide margin of 75,388 votes, 67.4% to his challenger Virginia Chang Kiraly's 36,628 votes, (32.6%). He was re-elected to his third Assembly term in 2008. Term limits in California prevented Ruskin from running for re-election in 2010. Ruskin plans to run for a State Senate seat in 2012.


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