Jackie Speier

Jackie Speier
Official portrait, 2015
Member-elect of the
San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
from the 1st district
Assuming office
January 2025
SucceedingDave Pine
In office
1980–1986
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
April 8, 2008 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byTom Lantos
Succeeded byKevin Mullin
Constituency12th district (2008–2013)
14th district (2013–2023)
Member of the California Senate
from the 8th district
In office
December 7, 1998 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byQuentin L. Kopp
Succeeded byLeland Yee
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 19th district
In office
December 1, 1986 – November 30, 1996
Preceded byLou Papan
Succeeded byLou Papan
Personal details
Born
Karen Lorraine Speier

(1950-05-14) May 14, 1950 (age 74)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouses
Steve Sierra
(m. 1987; died 1994)
Barry Dennis
(m. 2001)
Children2
EducationUniversity of California, Davis (BA)
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (JD)

Karen Lorraine Jacqueline Speier[1] (/spɪər/ SPEAR; born May 14, 1950) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for California's 14th congressional district, serving in Congress from 2008 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Speier represented much of the territory that her political mentor, Leo Ryan, represented.

In 1978, while working as his aide, Speier survived five gunshot wounds when Ryan was assassinated during the Jonestown massacre.[2] Speier served as a member of the California State Senate, representing parts of San Francisco and San Mateo counties. On April 8, 2008, she won the special election for the vacated United States House of Representatives seat of the late Congressman Tom Lantos.[3] In 2021, she announced that she would not seek reelection in the 2022 midterm elections.[4] She was elected as a member of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 2024.[5]

  1. ^ Jackie Speier, Biographical Directory of Congress.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Moving Up was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ John Wildermuth (April 9, 2008). "Voters send Jackie Speier to Washington". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Rep. Jackie Speier will not run for re-election: 'Time for me to come home'". KRON4. November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Former U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier appears to win San Mateo County supervisor seat - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. March 5, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.