Bruce McPherson

For the Australian jurist, see Bruce McPherson (judge).

Bruce McPherson
Member of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors from the 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2013
Preceded by	Mark Stone
28th Secretary of State of California
In office March 30, 2005 – January 7, 2007
Governor	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded by	Cathy Mitchell
Succeeded by	Debra Bowen
Member of the California Senate from the 15th district
In office December 2, 1996 – November 30, 2004
Preceded by	Henry J. Mello
Succeeded by	Abel Maldonado
Member of the California State Assembly from the 27th district
In office November 14, 1993 – November 30, 1996
Preceded by	Sam Farr
Succeeded by	Fred Keeley
Personal details
Born	(1944-01-07) January 7, 1944 Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Political party	Independent (2012–present)
Other political affiliations	Republican (before 2012)
Spouse	Mary McPherson
Children	1 (1 deceased)
Education	California Polytechnic State University (BS)

Bruce A. McPherson (born January 7, 1944) is an American politician who served as the 30th California secretary of state from March 30, 2005, to January 7, 2007. He is currently a member of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. As of 2024, McPherson is the most recent Republican to serve as California Secretary of State to date.

Early life and education

McPherson was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. He attended Santa Cruz High School, where he played football as a running back and baseball as a second baseman. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1965.

Career

Prior to his political career, he worked as the editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, a newspaper owned by his family. McPherson served as a member of the California State Assembly from 1993 to 1996 and California State Senate from 1996 to 2004. McPherson was defeated in the 2002 election for Lieutenant Governor of California by incumbent Cruz Bustamante.

He was nominated to replace former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, who resigned on March 4. McPherson, a Republican from Santa Cruz County, served his term as secretary until January 8, 2007. He was confirmed unanimously by both Democratic-controlled houses of the California State Legislature after being nominated to replace Shelley, a Democrat, by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. He lost his bid for a full term to Democrat Debra Bowen in November 2006.

McPherson left the Republican Party in June 2012 to register as "no party preference".

In November 2012, McPherson was elected to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

Personal life

He and his wife have one daughter. Their son, Hunter, was murdered in a 2001 San Francisco street robbery.

Electoral history

• 1996 California State Senate, 15th District
  • Bruce McPherson (R) – 47.2%
  • Rusty Areias (D) – 45.8%
• 2002 Republican Primary for California Lt. Governor
  • Bruce McPherson (R) – 86.2%
  • Ellie Michaels (R) – 13.8%
• 2002 California Lt. governor
  • Cruz Bustamante (D), (inc) – 49.4%
  • Bruce McPherson (R) – 41.8%
• 2006 California Secretary of State
  • Debra Bowen (D) – 48.4%
  • Bruce McPherson (R), (inc.) – 44.8%
• 2012 Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, District 5
  • Bruce McPherson (N/P) – 50.10%%
  • Eric Hammer (N/P) – 49.51%

External links

• "Biography from the State of California". Archived from the original on May 2, 2006. Retrieved 2005-09-03.
• Biography from the California League of Women Voters
• McPherson's 2006 campaign website at the Wayback Machine (archived April 25, 2006)
• Man Found Guilty in Death of McPherson’s Son, Sac Union
• "Bruce McPherson… where are you?" - a revisited Q&A from Bruce to the residents of Boulder Creek
• Join California Bruce McPherson