Bob Dornan

Bob Dornan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byJerry M. Patterson
Succeeded byLoretta Sanchez
Constituency38th district (1985–1993)
46th district (1993–1997)
In office
January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983
Preceded byAlphonzo E. Bell Jr.
Succeeded byMel Levine
Constituency27th district
Personal details
Born
Robert Kenneth Dornan

(1933-04-03) April 3, 1933 (age 91)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Sallie Hansen
(m. 1955)
Children5
EducationLoyola Marymount University

Robert Kenneth Dornan (born April 3, 1933) is an American actor, radio talk show host, combat veteran, and Republican politician from California. Dornan represented two Southern California districts in the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1983 and from 1985 to 1997, where he became known as a "leading firebrand" on the party's conservative wing. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the United States Senate in 1982 and for President of the United States in 1996.

A former actor and television and radio talk show host, Dornan had a flair for the dramatic that drew supporters and detractors well beyond his congressional district. Though never a major power in Washington, he became one of the most well-known members of the House of Representatives as a participant in televised "special orders" speeches and was described as "one of the leading firebrands among American politicians".[1] He has become well known for publicly outing fellow Republican U.S. Representative Steve Gunderson as gay on the House of Representatives floor in 1994.

  1. ^ Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1996). The Almanac of American Politics. National Journal. pp. 210–212. ISBN 0892340576. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)