Leo J. Ryan

CA Blue Book

Date	Party	Office	Votes	Result
11-04-1958	Democratic	AD-25	35880	Loss
11-06-1962	Democratic	AD-27	46448	Win
11-03-1964	Democratic	AD-27	65917	Win
11-08-1966	Democratic	AD-27	50236	Win
11-05-1968	Democratic	AD-27	87805	Win
11-03-1970	Democratic	AD-27	66323	Win
11-07-1972	Democratic	CD-11	114134	Win
11-05-1974	Democratic	CD-11	106429	Win
11-02-1976	Democratic	CD-11	107618	Win
11-07-1978	Democratic	CD-11	92882	Win

Candidate Biography:

Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr.
Born: May 5, 1925 in Lincoln, Nebraska
Married: Margaret Ryan (m. 1941, d. 1971), Peg
Child: Erin*, Shannon (Jasmine), Patricia*, Christopher, and Kevin
Military Service: USN (WWII)
Killed: November 18, 1978 at the Port Kaituma airstrip near Jonestown, Guyana

1956-1962: Member, South San Francisco City Council
1962: Mayor, City of South San Francisco
1964: Delegate, Democratic National Convention
1966: Opponent, Proposition 1A (which created a fulltime legislature)
1968: Delegate, Democratic National Convention

• As an Assemblyman, Leo Ryan proposed the design for the California State Assembly seal that was adopted and is now used.  
• Assassination: Ryan was shot more than twenty times on November 18, 1978 and died instantly. Congressman Ryan had visited the Jonestown compound to investigate reports that some members of the People's Temple had been abused by its leader, Jim Jones. During his visit to Jonestown, a cult-member attempted to attack Ryan with a knife. Ryan's group left Jonestown for a nearby airport, where it was attacked by members of the temple. Five people (including Ryan) were killed and nine were injured (including Congressional Aide Jackie Speier).
• Family Public Service: From 2002-2006, Erin Ryan worked as a aide to State Sen. Jackie Speier. She currently works (2008-Present) as Legislative Counsel for Congresswoman Speier. Patricia Ryan previously served as the Executive Director of the California Mental Health Directors Association.
• PLACENAME: The Leo J. Ryan Memorial Federal Building is located in San Bruno. (Home of the National Archives and Records Administration, Pacific Region). Leo J. Ryan Park is a city park located in Foster City. The main post office in San Mateo is named the Leo J. Ryan Post office on the 30th Anniversary of the Jonestown massacre.
• LEGISLATION: Author of the Hughes–Ryan Act (1974), a federal law which "required the President of the United States to report all covert operations of the Central Intelligence Agency to one or more Congressional committees within a set time limit."

Source: California Blue Book (1963), (1967), (1971)
Source: Understanding California Government and Politics by Leo J. Ryan (Fearon Publishers, 1966)
Source: "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present" (U.S. Library of Congress) [http://bioguide.congress.gov/]