Rose Ann Vuich (January 27, 1927 – August 30, 2001) was a second generation Serbian-American woman who served as a member of the
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Cal ...
from 1976 until 1992. At age 50, she became the first female member of the California State Senate.
Early life
Vuich was born in
Cutler, California
Cutler is a community and census-designated place (CDP) in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 5,000 at the 2010 census, up from 4,491 at the 2000 census.The Population as of 2019 is 5,214 up from the 5,000 from the 2010 ce ...
, on January 27, 1927. Originally from
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, Vuich's parents settled in Cutler to farm citrus, olive and fruit trees. A type of white peach they grew was later named the "Rose Ann" in her honor.
After graduating from Orosi Union High School, now
Orosi High School
Orosi High School is a public high school in Orosi, California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most ...
,
Vuich moved to the nearby farm town of
Dinuba, California
Dinuba is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 21,453 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Visalia-Porterville metropolitan statistical area. The Alta District Museum is located in Dinuba in a restored rai ...
and became a tax accountant. She later became a member of the Alta District Hospital Board and President of the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce.
Political career
1976 State Senate Election
Not many initially took notice when she was chosen to replace the presumed Democratic candidate for a vacant state Senate seat in 1976, as the area voted Republican in most elections.
However, she scored one of the biggest upsets in the state that year when she narrowly defeated
Ernest Mobley, a 10 year Republican Assemblyman, in the general election.
With very little money and no support from the Democratic Caucus, who viewed Vuich as "sincere, but naïve," Vuich scraped enough together for a thirty-second attack ad against her opponent for voting to fund new highways while failing to appropriate the funds needed for a highway in their own district. Her critique of his "freeway to nowhere" caught on quickly, and the "Freeway Lady" swung enough votes to win the race.
The First Woman Senator
Despite nominating her, the Democratic Caucus believed that Vuich's grassroots understanding of the district would prove more old-fashioned than practical, and that a woman would never succeed in Senate politics. Over the next sixteen years, Vuich would prove that her graciousness was not a sign of weakness, and that being a woman would not bar her from providing daring leadership.
Following her election, Vuich quickly became popular in her district for her unassuming manner and her political independence. She broke with her party on agricultural and law enforcement issues on several occasions. Her colleagues tolerated that because of the conservative constituency she represented.
She was equally willing to stand up to conservatives. Finding delight in keeping both Republican and Democrats off-balance, made a habit of not letting anyone know how she would vote until it was time for the roll call.
This ultimately angered the popular Republican Governor
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian Jr. (;
June 6, 1928 – May 8, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 35th governor of California from 1983 to 1991. Of Armenian descent, Deukmejian was a member of the Republican Party and he also serve ...
in 1989 when she voted against confirming his chosen appointee for state treasurer,
Dan Lungren
Daniel Edward Lungren (born September 22, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the U.S. representative for from 2005 to 2013. A member of the Republican Party, during his tenure, the district covered most of Sacramento Count ...
, when the post became vacant.
As the state's first female state Senator, Vuich would ring a bell whenever her fellow Senators addressed the collective members of the Senate as "Gentlemen," to remind them that the chamber was no longer exclusively male.
It was also her election that led to the creation of the first woman's bathroom in the state capitol. The bathroom, located behind the Senate floor, is still referred to as "The Rose Room."
Legislative Accomplishments
As a legislator, Vuich traveled extensively and grew to be a forceful advocate for
Central Valley agriculture. She was known to bring fresh produce to the Senate, withholding it from her colleagues until she was given the chance to explain how beneficial the agricultural industry was to the overall health of the state. She ultimately authored legislation that created the California Trade and Commerce Agency.
She won reelection by impressive margins—72% in 1980, and 76% in 1984. In her final election, in 1988, she ran unopposed. When she announced that she would not seek a fifth term in 1991, citing her brother's ailing health and reapportionment, it was clear to her colleagues that it was her own health that was ailing her. Vuich retired from politics in 1992.
Death and legacy
At the age of 74, Vuich died in her home in Dinuba on August 30, 2001.
The cause of death was complications of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Vuich, who never married, is survived by her cousins.
One of her former staffers,
Cal Dooley
Calvin M. Dooley (born January 11, 1954), American politician, was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2005, representing the 17th and 20th districts of California.
Early life and education
Born in ...
, later became a
United States representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from 1991 until 2005, representing a large slice of the area Vuich represented in the state senate.
The Rose Anne Vuich Ethical Leadership Award is presented annually by the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bachelo ...
to a person who has demonstrated "integrity, strength of character, exemplary ethical behavior, ability to build consensus, serving the public interest and vision for enhancing the community." Recipients of the Vuich Award include:
Juan Arambula (2002) and Cal Dooley (2004).
The interchange of
State Route 41
The following highways are numbered 41:
International
* AH41, Asian Highway 41
* European route E41
Australia
* Olympic Highway
* Mid-Western Highway
Canada
* Alberta Highway 41
* British Columbia Highway 41
* Manitoba Highway 41
* Newfoundlan ...
and
State Route 180 in
Fresno, California
Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, makin ...
is named the Rose Ann Vuich Interchange, and in 2006, Hearing Room 2040 at the
California State Capitol
The California State Capitol is the seat of the California state government, located in Sacramento, the state capital of California. The building houses the chambers of the California State Legislature, made up of the Assembly and the Senate, al ...
was renamed the Rose Ann Vuich Hearing Room.
Rose Ann Vuich Park, named in her honor, is located in the city of
Dinuba, California
Dinuba is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 21,453 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Visalia-Porterville metropolitan statistical area. The Alta District Museum is located in Dinuba in a restored rai ...
.
References
External links
*
*
California's First Female SenatorRare photo from 1984 of Rose Ann Vuich (on the right) together with Gerd Langer (second from right)Join California Rose Ann Vuich
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vuich, Rose Ann
Democratic Party California state senators
American people of Serbian descent
Women state legislators in California
People from Dinuba, California
2001 deaths
1927 births
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American women politicians