Julie Bornstein

Julie Bornstein (born July 17, 1948) is an American attorney and politician from California and a member of the Democratic Party.

Bornstein served as a member of the Desert Community College Board of Trustees from 1989 until 1992, when she was elected to the California State Assembly. She is Jewish.

State Assembly

Previously numbered the 73rd, the new 80th Assembly district, had been redrawn during reapportionment and was open after incumbent David G. Kelley (R-Hemet) opted to instead run for State Senate. Initially Bornstein faced a primary challenge from sitting assemblyman Steve Clute (D-Riverside), whose old district had been dismantled and part of which wound up redrawn here. At the last minute, he chose to retire instead, though his name remained on the ballot. In the general election, Bornstein defeated incumbent assemblywoman Tricia Hunter (R-San Diego), who like Clute saw her old district split up by reapportionment and part of which ended up redrawn here.

Bornstein was awarded the prestigious "rookie of the year" from California Journal. Speaker Willie Brown elevated her to Democratic caucus chair, leading to speculation she was being groomed to be a future speaker. Even so, they failed to field a top-tier candidate after Hunter declined a rematch. In the 1994 election, the Republican Party did very well in California, and she lost to television advertising executive Jim Battin by 12 points, even though he was not initially seen as a threat.

Other posts

After her stint in the legislature, Bornstein served as Chief of Staff for California Controller Kathleen Connell, as well as Chief Deputy Controller for External Affairs from 1997 until 1999. She was then appointed by Governor Gray Davis as Director of Housing and Community Development, a post she held from 1999 until 2004.

Electoral history