Susan Davis (politician)

Susan Davis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 53rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Brian Bilbray
Personal details
Born	Susan Carol Alpert April 13, 1944 (1944-04-13) Cambridge, Massachusetts
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Steve Davis
Residence	San Diego, California
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley, University of North Carolina
Occupation	Social worker
Religion	Judaism

Susan Carol Alpert Davis (born April 13, 1944) is the U.S. Representative for California's 53rd congressional district, serving since 2001. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just under half the city of San Diego, as well as the entire cities of Coronado, Imperial Beach and Lemon Grove.

Early life, education and career

Davis was born Susan Carol Alpert in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the daughter of Dorothy M. "Dora" (née Wexler) and Dr. George R. Alpert. All of her grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Russia. She has spent most of her life in California. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley where she was a member of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority. She earned a master's degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her husband Steve Davis was a doctor in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. After returning to California, she became a social worker in San Diego.

Early political career

Davis was elected to the San Diego School Board in 1983. She served there until 1992, spending eight years of her time as president or vice president of the body. In 1994, she was elected to the California State Assembly, and was reelected in 1996 and 1998. In the Assembly, Davis chaired the Committee on Consumer Protection, Government Efficiency and Economic Development. She authored a state law giving women direct access to their OB/Gyns without getting a referral from their primary care physicians.

U.S. House of Representatives

Earlier photo of Davis

Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
  • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
• Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus
• Congressional Mental Health Caucus
• House Mentoring Caucus (Co-Chair)
• International Conservation Caucus
• Pro-Choice Caucus
• Congressional COPD Caucus

Davis serves on the House Armed Services Committee, for which she has served as the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel since July 1, 2007. She also serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Committee on House Administration.

Susan Davis is a member of the New Democrat Coalition and portrays herself as working across party lines.

Davis has introduced a federal version of the California OB/Gyn law she authored at the start of every Congress since she was elected. Provisions of her OB/GYN bill were included in the health care reform bill enacted into law.

Political campaigns

Official 109th Congressional photo

In 2000, she challenged three-term Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray in what was then the 49th District, winning with 50 percent of the vote. Her district was renumbered the 53rd District after the 2000 Census redistricting. She has been reelected four times without much difficulty. She is the first Democrat to represent what is now the 53rd district for more than one term in over half a century. The only other Democrat to represent this district since the Harry Truman administration, Lynn Schenk, was toppled by Bilbray in the 1994 Republican wave.

Susan Davis and Campaign Volunteers at San Diego Election Central, 2002 - Photograph by Patty Mooney

Personal life

Davis and her husband Steve have two children and three grandchildren.

External links

• U.S. Congresswoman Susan Davis official U.S. House site
• Susan Davis for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch

California Assembly
Preceded by Mike Gotch	California State Assemblywoman, 76th District 1994-2000	Succeeded by Christine Kehoe
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Brian Bilbray	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 49th congressional district 2001-2003	Succeeded by Darrell E. Issa
Preceded by District Created	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 53rd congressional district 2003-Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by John Culberson R-Texas	United States Representatives by seniority 171st	Succeeded by Jeff Flake R-Arizona