Rex Babin

Life and career Rex Babin was born on August 17, 1962, in Walnut Creek, California. His father died when he was 4 years old and he was primarily raised my his mother. before taking a position as a political cartoonist for The Sacramento Bee in 1999, replacing retiring cartoonist Dennis Renault. His innovative cartoons include "Caleeforneeya," a recurring satire of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Babin was the recipient of the National Press Foundation's 2001 Berryman Award; and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2003.

In 2009, Babin served as president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.

Death and legacy Babin died from complications of stomach cancer at the age of 49.

A few months after his death, his colleague Jack Ohman took the role of editorial cartoonist at The Sacramento Bee. The California Museum held a posthumous exhibition of his art, Drawing Caleeforneeya: Political Cartoons of Rex Babin, 1999-2012 (2018).