Preceded by J. David Colfax Role American Politician Name Daniel Hamburg | Religion Adi Da Preceded by Frank Riggs Succeeded by Frank Riggs | |
Born October 6, 1948 (age 75)
St. Louis, Missouri, USA ( 1948-10-06 ) Spouse Carrie -stage name: Marietta Klenofsky Political party Green Party of the United States | ||
Daniel (Dan) Hamburg (born October 6, 1948) is an American politician and a former Democratic Party Congressman and 1998 Green Party gubernatorial candidate from California. He remains active in the Green Party.
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Early life
Hamburg was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Jean (Milton) and Walter Hamburg. His family was Jewish. He attended Stanford University and graduated in 1971. He then lived in Ukiah, California, where he founded an alternative school and served on the city planning commission from 1976 to 1981. He also founded a cultural study program in China.
Political career
Hamburg served on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors from 1981 to 1985. In 1992, he was elected to California's 1st congressional district, beating incumbent Frank Riggs. While in Congress he was named one of People magazine's "sexiest people on the Hill" and as one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 1993. In 1994, a national backlash against Democrats helped Riggs to defeat Hamburg in a rematch. Hamburg became a member of the Green Party; in 1998 he ran for California governor as a Green. He was the first Green Party of California candidate for Governor ever, and finished third among seven candidates with 104,117 votes for 1.3% of the total vote. During the 2000 presidential election Hamburg backed Green presidential candidate Ralph Nader. In November 2010 Hamburg was elected for a second time to the 5th District seat on the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors. Hamburg ran unopposed for a third term in June 2014.
Advocacy
Hamburg became executive director of Voice of the Environment, and on December 8, 2004, was arrested along with his wife Carrie for trying to deliver a letter to Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell concerning alleged voter fraud in Ohio in the 2004 U.S. presidential election.
Hamburg was arrested outside of a Wal-Mart store in Ukiah, California in 2000 while protesting for the legalization of marijuana.
Hamburg has endorsed the religious teachings of Adi Da.