Ken Cory

James Kenneth Cory (September 29, 1937 – November 13, 1998) was an American politician who served as the 27th California State Controller from 1975 until 1987. Prior to his term, he served in the California State Assembly from 1967 until 1975.

Early life James Kenneth Cory was born on September 29, 1937, in Kansas City, Missouri. He played basketball while attending Orange Coast College.

Political career Cory during his first term in the California State Assembly, 1967. Before his election to the California State Assembly, Cory served as Chief Administrative Officer of the Assembly and worked as a consultant to the Assembly Committee on Education under Richard T. Hanna. He faced Republican Stewart Case, a former administrative assistant to California State Senator John Murdy, and defeated him by 2,195 votes.

Cory was re-elected in 1968, narrowly defeating Republican Bruce Nestande, and defeated Nestande again in 1970 by a wider margin. He was re-elected for a final term in 1972, defeating Republican William Dannemeyer, who previous held the seat as a Democrat. While serving in the California State Assembly, Cory was a member of the Education, Revenue and Taxation, Elections and Reapportionment, and Ways and Means committees.

In 1974, Cory announced his candidacy for California State Controller after incumbent Republican Houston Flournoy decided to retire and run for Governor. He positioned himself as "the man oil companies fear the most", going against oil companies. In the Democratic primary, Cory defeated Robert H. Mendelsohn, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, by more than 300,000 votes. Cory defeated Republican Bill Bagley in the general election to become the 27th State Controller.

Personal life Cory married Carole Lee Slicer in 1980. He had previously lived in Westminster, California, with his first wife, Lucille Ann Des Jardins, from whom he later divorced; the couple had three children. After leaving Westminster, he moved to Garden Grove, California, and later relocated to Loomis, California, citing the noise from low-flying planes. Cory died on November 13, 1998, at his home in Loomis, California. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a year earlier and became involved in a national effort to raise funds for prostate cancer research. He was 6 feet 7 inches tall, and claimed during his 1966 Assembly campaign that he was among the tallest candidates in the state that year.