Robert Badham

Robert Edward Badham (June 9, 1929 – October 21, 2005) was an American businessman, Korean War veteran, and 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.

Biography 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.

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. 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.

Electoral history