BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " CHRISTOPHER HOLDEN " IS AN AMERICAN POLITICIAN CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY SINCE 2012 : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

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Chris Holden

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Chris Holden
Majority Leader of the California State Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office December 1, 2014
Preceded by	V. Manuel Perez
Member of the California State Assembly from the 41st district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 3, 2012
Preceded by	Anthony Portantino(redistricted)
53rd Mayor of Pasadena
In office May 1997 – May 1999
Preceded by	Bill Paparian
Succeeded by	Bill Bogaard
Personal details
Born	July 19, 1960 (age 54) Pasadena, California
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Melanie Holden

Christopher Holden (born July 19, 1960) is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly since 2012. He is a Democrat representing the 41st district, in its new location encompassing the northern San Gabriel Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California.^[1] He was appointed Assistant Majority Floor Leader of the Assembly in 2014. He is a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus.^[2] Holden is the son of Los Angeles politician Nate Holden.

History

Prior to being elected to the state assembly, Holden was a Pasadena city council member, and a former mayor of the city, serving from 1997 to 1999.^[3] He is the second longest-serving city council member in the city's history, having served since 1989.

Holden is an alumnus of Pasadena High School and San Diego State University. He first ran for seat 3 of the Pasadena City Council in 1985, but lost narrowly to incumbent Loretta Thompson-Glickman. He was elected four years later, and was appointed Mayor in 1997. During his term, the City charter was revised to allow for open election of the mayor. However, in the first citywide mayoral election, Holden was defeated by former Council member and current Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard.

Electoral history

Pasadena General Election, 1999
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Bogaard	11,576	60
	Democratic	Chris Holden (incumbent)	7,760	40
Total votes			19,336	100.0
Voter turnout			%

2014

California's 41st State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Chris Holden (incumbent)	35,296	98.1
	Republican	Nathaniel Tsai (write-in)	394	1.1
	Republican	Samuel S. Forsen (write-in)	120	0.3
	Libertarian	Ted Brown (write-in)	84	0.2
	Republican	Linda Hazelton (write-in)	83	0.2
Total votes			35,977	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Chris Holden (incumbent)	62,810	59.3
	Republican	Nathaniel Tsai	43,126	40.7
Total votes			105,936	100.0
	Democratic hold

In 2014, Holden was reelected to the Assembly with 59% of the vote. Nathaniel Tsai,^[4] the 18 year old challenger to Holden, finished with 41% of the vote. ^[5]

Legislation

In his first term, Holden introduced legislation to require California schools to teach about the significance of the Barack Obama presidency.^[6] He introduced legislation to tackle the problem of grease thievery at restaurants.^[7] He also introduced legislation to study and foster economic development and job creation. ^[8]