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Longtime L.A. Politician Diane Watson Set To Retire

Lindy Tolbert |
February 11, 2010 | 11:57 a.m. PST

Staff Reporter

After more than 30 years in public service, Watson said she will not run
again when her term ends in December. (Creative Commons)

Diane Watson, a Democratic House Representative for California's 33rd Congressional District, announced that she would retire her Congressional Seat at the end of the 111th Congress.

Watson made the announcement at a press conference held Thursday, citing her reasons as a desire to limit her cross-country trips and to spend time with her ailing mother.
Watson's extensive political career comes at the end of more than thirty years in public service.
Initially she served as an elementary school teacher and school psychologist in the L.A. school district after graduating with a B.A. in Education from UCLA.
Some of Watson's accomplishments have been groundbreaking; she was the first African-American woman elected to the LAUSD School Board, as well as the first Black woman elected to the California State Senate, on which she served for 10 years.
She chaired the Health and Human Services Committee, and has been a longtime supporter of consumer protection and commonsense health care reform for children and for the impoverished.
Alongside her commitment to healthcare reform, Watson wrote several progressive acts, including the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program Act and the Residential Care Facilities Act.
Her focus on health didn't stop there. She also played a key role in the enactment of legislation to promote breast cancer research, and advocated toughening food health safety requirements for restaurants. 
In 1998, President Bill Clinton appointed her as the U.S. ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) until 2001, when Watson was elected to congress again to replace the recently deceased Congressman Julian Dixon.
Her current term ends in December 2010.
Watson declined to endorse a successor before examining all the candidates and deciding who she thinks would best fit the seat.
Some are reporting Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, a Democrat from Los Angeles, will run for Watson's seat; the prevailing thought is that Bass will ultimately gain Watson's endorsement.


 

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