Sharon Runner

Sharon Yvonne Runner (née Oden; May 17, 1954 – July 14, 2016) was an American politician. She was a Republican California State Senator, who represented the 21st Senate District at the time of her death, and previously represented the 17th Senate District from 2011 to 2012. She was also a member of the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2008, representing the 36th district. She was the wife of California State Board of Equalization Member George Runner. From 2004 to 2008, then-Senator George Runner and then-Assemblywoman Sharon Runner were the first husband and wife in California history to serve concurrently in the California State Legislature.

Early life Born Sharon Yvonne Oden in Los Angeles, California and raised in the Antelope Valley, Runner graduated from Antelope Valley High School and attended Antelope Valley College.

Political career Runner was an officer for the Antelope Valley Republican Assembly and remained active in many Republican groups in the Antelope Valley, including the Palmdale and High Desert Republican Women's Clubs, until her death. She served on the board of California Women Lead, a bi-partisan organization that encourages and empowers women running for public office. She served as President of the board of California's Women's Leadership Association for 2011–12. In 2013 Runner began working part-time for the California State Senate Republican Caucus conducting community outreach events. She also ran "The Runner Group," a public relations/marketing company she founded in 1994.

Assembly career In 2002, Runner was elected to represent the 36th Assembly District and served in the State Assembly for three terms, from 2002 to 2008.

Jessica's Law ensures that all sexual offenders who are convicted of activity with children under the age of 14 are put into prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or 25 years to life. It eliminates all "first-offense" sexual offense provisions from California law.

It also eliminates all "good-time" credits for sexual offenders serving prison terms; under the authored provisions they are required to serve their entire sentence and will not be released for good behavior. The law requires that sex offenders who are released from prison wear a GPS bracelet for life.

It also creates a 2,000-foot (615-meter) zone around schools and parks in which registered sex offenders are prohibited from residing.

Senate career Runner ran for election to the California State Senate, representing the 17th District. The seat was left vacant by her husband, George Runner, who was elected to the State Board of Equalization in November 2010. The primary election took place on February 15, 2011, she defeated Democrat Darren Parker 66%–34% to avoid a runoff.

To focus on her recovery from a double lung transplant necessitated by her limited scleroderma, she chose to not seek re-election in 2012 and was succeeded by Steve Knight in the renumbered 21st Senate District.

A special election for the 21st Senate District, vacated by Steve Knight who was elected to Congress in November 2014, was held on March 17, 2015. After a successful recruitment effort, Runner decided to enter the race. She was the only candidate on the ballot, and easily won reelection to the Senate with 100% of the vote. Runner was sworn into the State Senate on March 19, 2015, where she would serve until her death the following year.

Community involvement In 1977, Runner co-founded Desert Christian Schools with her husband, George Runner. It has since grown to become one of the largest private schools in California with nearly 1,700 students on three separate campuses. She served on the Board until her death. Prior to Desert Christian Schools, Runner worked as a licensed realtor with Red Carpet Real Estate Company where she was named "Realtor of the Year."

She was involved with her church, Grace Chapel Church in Lancaster, for over 30 years.

Awards and recognitions In 2013, Runner was awarded the Marian Bergeson Lifetime Achievement Award for her work helping women run for office.

In November 2014 Runner received the Spirit of Leadership Award by the Scleroderma Foundation of Southern California for her advocacy in increasing funding to find a cure for Scleroderma.

Personal life She married George Runner in 1973. They had a son, Micah, daughter-in-law, Sandy, daughter, Rebekah (who serves in the U.S. Coast Guard), son-in-law, James, and four grandchildren.

Health and death Runner was diagnosed with the limited systemic form of scleroderma, an autoimmune disease affecting her lungs, in 1984 at the age of 30. On February 24, 2012, Runner underwent a successful double-lung transplant at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She was released from the hospital ten days later. To focus on her recovery, Runner decided not to seek re-election in the 2012 race for the California Senate.

Runner worked and connected regularly with lung transplant patients. In 2014, she was selected as a rider on the 11th annual Donate Life Rose Parade Float along with 29 other donor recipients.

Runner died at her home on July 14, 2016, due to "respiratory complications."