Michael Huffington - Politics

Politics

Huffington's interest in politics began in 1968, when he was a summer intern for freshman Congressman George H.W. Bush in Washington, D.C.

In 1986, President Ronald Reagan appointed Huffington as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Negotiations Policy with responsibility for conventional arms control negotiations. He was awarded the Secretary of Defense Medal for outstanding public service.

In 1992, Huffington was elected to the House of Representatives from California's 22nd District (Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties). He spent $5.4 million on his campaign. He defeated veteran incumbent Bob Lagomarsino in the Republican primary election, then Santa Barbara County Supervisor Gloria Ochoa in the general election. Huffington donated his entire congressional salary to the Partnership for Children of Santa Barbara County in 1993 and to the Partnership for Children of San Luis Obispo County in 1994.

After one term in the House, Huffington spent $28 million in a bid for a seat in the United States Senate in 1994. In the Republican primary, he defeated William E. Dannemeyer. At the time, Huffington's was the most expensive campaign in a non-presidential election in American history. Huffington lost in the general election by 1.9 percent of the vote to Dianne Feinstein.

During 1998, Huffington was co-chairman (along with actor and director Rob Reiner) of Proposition 10 in California, which increased the state excise tax on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack. The resulting multi-hundred million dollars of tax revenue is being used for prenatal care and for the health care and education of children under six years of age.

In the 2003 California recall election, Huffington endorsed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger. His ex-wife, Arianna Huffington, was an opposing candidate. She withdrew before the election even though her name remained on the ballot.