# Charles H. Wilson

Charles Herbert Wilson (February 15, 1917 – July 21, 1984) was an 20th-century American banker, businessman and California Democratic politician from the Los Angeles area. FOr nine terms he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963 to 1981.

## Early life

Wilson was born in Magna, Utah, and moved with his parents in 1922 to Los Angeles, California. He attended public schools in Los Angeles and Inglewood, where he was later an employee at a bank, from 1935 to 1942.

### Word War II

Wilson served as a staff sergeant in the United States Army from June 1942 to December 1945, where he gained experience overseas in the European Theater of Operations.
He returned home and in 1945 opened his own insurance agency in Los Angeles.

## Political career

Wilson served as a member of the California State Assembly from the 66th District from 1955 to 1963.

### Congress

He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. On June 10, 1980, Wilson was reprimanded by the House for financial misconduct stemming from the Koreagate scandal. Wilson was defeated for renomination in 1980 by former Lieutenant Governor Mervyn M. Dymally; this loss was due in part due to the reprimand by his colleagues.
Wilson is, to date, the last white congressman to represent the 31st District.

## Death

Wilson resided in Tantallon, Maryland, toward the end of his life, and died in Clinton, Maryland, on July 21, 1984. He is interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California.

## Electoral history

1962 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 76,631 | 52.2 |
| | Republican | Gordon Hahn | 70,154 | 47.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 146,785 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic win (new seat) | Democratic win (new seat) | Democratic win (new seat) | Democratic win (new seat) |
1964 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 114,246 | 64.0 |
| | Republican | Norman G. Shanahan | 64,256 | 36.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 178,502 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1966 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 92,875 | 63.4 |
| | Republican | Norman G. Shanahan | 53,708 | 36.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 146,583 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1968 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 94,387 | 58.9 |
| | Republican | James R. Dunn | 62,711 | 39.1 |
| | American Independent | Stanley L. Schulte | 3,134 | 2.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 160,232 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1970 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 102,071 | 73.2 |
| | Republican | Fred L. Casmir | 37,416 | 26.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 139,487 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1972 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 85,954 | 52.3 |
| | Republican | Ben Valentine | 69,876 | 42.5 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Roberta Lynn Wood | 8,582 | 5.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 164,412 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1974 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 60,560 | 70.5 |
| | Republican | Norman A. Hodges | 23,039 | 26.8 |
| | Peace and Freedom | William C. Taylor | 2,349 | 2.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 85,948 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1976 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 83,155 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
1978 United States House of Representatives elections in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles H. Wilson (Incumbent) | 55,667 | 67.8 |
| | Republican | Don Grimshaw | 26,490 | 32.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 82,157 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |