Robert Badham

Robert Badham
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 40th district
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1989
Preceded by	Andrew J. Hinshaw
Succeeded by	Christopher Cox
Member of the California State Assembly
In office January 7, 1963 – November 30, 1976
Preceded by	Walter M. Ingalls (74th) Gordon Cologne (71st)
Succeeded by	Ronald Cordova (74th) Paul B. Carpenter (71st)
Constituency	71st district (1963–1975) 74th district (1975–1977)
Personal details
Born	(1929-06-09)June 9, 1929 Los Angeles, California
Died	October 21, 2005(2005-10-21) (aged 76) Newport Beach, California
Resting place	Riverside National Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Anne Badham
Children	5
Profession	Business executive
Military service
Branch/service	United States Navy
Battles/wars	Korean War

Robert Edward Badham (June 9, 1929 – October 21, 2005) was an American politician from California. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from the Orange County-based 40th district from 1977 to 1989.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Badham graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1947, and earned his B.A. from Stanford University in 1951. During the Korean War, he served active duty in the United States Naval Reserve. After returning home, he became an executive in his family's Hoffman Hardware Company in Los Angeles.^[1][2]

Badham entered politics in 1962 when he was elected to the California State Assembly where he would serve for fourteen years. As an assemblyman, he co-authored legislation to create personalized license plates and fought to protect tide pools along the Southern California coast. In addition, he was a delegate to the California State Republican conventions during his tenure in the state legislature and was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions from 1964 to 1984.^[1][2]

In 1976, Badham entered a crowded Republican primary for the U.S. House of Representatives in California's 40th congressional district and won with 32% of the vote, besting eight other candidates including former congressman John G. Schmitz and incumbent Andrew J. Hinshaw.^[3] He easily won the general election in November, and was reelected five more times in the heavily Republican district which included Irvine and his home of Newport Beach. In Congress, he served as a ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee and was representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.^[2]

After retiring from Congress, Badham remained active, serving on the California Board of Accountancy, as vice chairman of the Newport Beach Civil Service Board, and helping to raise money for Hoag Hospital. He died on October 21, 2005, after suffering a heart attack at Balboa Island post office.^[2] He was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.^[4]

• Biography portal

• Guide to the Robert E. Badham Papers. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Join California Robert E. Badham

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Badham.

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress