Charles S. "Chuck" DeVore (born May 20, 1962) is an American
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
who served as a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The A ...
from 2004 to 2010 when he lived in
Irvine[ and represented the 70th District, which includes portions of ]Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
. DeVore was Vice Chair of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee as well as Vice Chair of the Veteran
A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military.
A military veteran that has ...
s Affairs Committee. He also served on the Budget Committee and was a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. After losing a 2010 bid for Republican nomination for the United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
, in 2011 DeVore moved to Texas to work for the Texas Public Policy Foundation where he is now Vice President for National Initiatives.
Education
DeVore earned a full Army ROTC scholarship that allowed him to obtain a bachelor's degree in Strategic Studies (cum laude) in 1985 from Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It has a curricular emphasis on government, economics, public affairs, finance, and internat ...
.[ He was named a Distinguished Military Graduate. He studied abroad at ]American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...
, Egypt. He's a graduate of the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff Officer Course.
Early life
DeVore served as Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, or ASD(LA), is the head of the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, responsible for providing support to the Secretary of Defense (SecDef) in his/her dealings with ...
during the Reagan administration from 1986 to 1988.[ In 1992, his national guard unit was activated during the ]1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles riots, sometimes called the 1992 Los Angeles uprising and the Los Angeles Race Riots, were a series of riots and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County, California, in April and May 1992. Unrest began in S ...
. He later worked as Vice President of Communications and Research for Irvine-based aerospace company SM&A
SM&A, founded in 1982 as Steven Myers & Associates, is a defense and aerospace consulting firm located in Irvine, California
Irvine () is a master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolit ...
from 1991 to 2004.[
]
Bills and domestic policy positions
DeVore resigned his position as Chief Republican Whip
A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally e ...
in February 2009 in protest of a $12 billion per year tax increase agreed to by Republican leadership. While a California lawmaker, DeVore favored offshore oil drilling along the California coast as well as the development of modern nuclear power plants. He opposed the federal stimulus package in 2009. He is pro-life.[ DeVore signed the official ballot argument against California's High Speed Railbond act in the November 4, 2008 election.
]
Foreign policy positions
DeVore has voiced reluctance to commit the U.S. military to open-ended nation building efforts. He criticized President Obama's 2009 plan for Afghanistan, saying, "(The) piecemeal buildup will not defeat the Taliban..." and "...such a strategy expends resources now sorely needed to rebuild our military and retool it for future challenges from a rapidly modernizing People's Republic of China to a revanchist Islamic Republic of Iran." He appeared on Fox Business News to warn about the Libyan intervention.
2010 United States Senate bid
DeVore declared his candidacy for the 2010 Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
seat held by three-term Democratic senator Barbara Boxer
Barbara Sue Boxer (née Levy; born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the U.S. ...
.
In the Republican primary on June 8, DeVore finished third out of five candidates with 19.3% of the vote with Carly Fiorina
Cara Carleton "Carly" Fiorina ('' née'' Sneed; born September 6, 1954) is an American businesswoman and politician, known primarily for her tenure as CEO of Hewlett-Packard (HP). As chief executive officer of HP from 1999 to 2005, Fiorina wa ...
winning the Republican nomination. DeVore raised $2.6 million for his primary effort.
DeVore's campaign was sued for copyright infringement by musician Don Henley
Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Despe ...
for use by the campaign of two parodies of two songs by Henley, "After the Hope of November is Gone" (after "The Boys of Summer") and "All She Wants to Do is Tax" (after "All She Wants to Do Is Dance"). Henley eventually prevailed;
Devore and a campaign worker issued a public statement apologizing to Henley.
Life since 2010
DeVore moved to Texas in late 2011 to accept a job as a visiting scholar at the nonprofit Texas Public Policy Foundation writing about Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
's low taxes and regulations and its effects on business climate, in contrast to other states. By the summer of 2012, DeVore had been named a vice president at the conservative think tank.
Books
''The Crisis of the House Never United: A Novel of Early America'' in 2022.
''The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America'' in 2013. A new edition of the book was published in 2014:
Co-authored ''China Attacks'' in 2000, Chinese language edition published in 2001.
Electoral history
As State Assemblyman
As U.S. Senate Candidate
References
External links
*
*
Join California Chuck DeVore
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devore, Chuck
1962 births
Living people
Tea Party movement activists
People from Irvine, California
Texas Republicans
California Republicans
Members of the California State Assembly
Politicians from Seattle
Activists from California
21st-century American politicians
Texas Public Policy Foundation people