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Guide to the Dennis E. Carpenter Papers
MS-R004
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Title: Dennis E. Carpenter papers,
Date (inclusive): 1970-1978
Collection number: MS-R004
Creator:
Carpenter, Dennis E.
Extent:
10.4 linear feet (25 boxes and 1 oversize folder)
Repository:
University of California, Irvine. Library. Special Collections and Archives.
Irvine, California 92623-9557
Abstract: This collection comprises the administrative and legislative files of the office of California State Senator Dennis E. Carpenter.
Administrative files primarily consist of official press releases, printed material, newsletters issued by Carpenter's offices
in Sacramento and Irvine, California, and ephemera from his first campaign in 1970. The bulk of this collection consists of
legislative files documenting Carpenter's work as a California State Senator representing most of Orange County. These files
contain correspondence, drafts of bills, some maps, and research notes for each bill introduced by Carpenter during his eight-year
term.
Language:
English.
Collection is open for research.
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and
their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Dennis E. Carpenter Papers. MS-R04. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Gift of Dennis E. Carpenter, 1979.
Processed by Adrian Turner, 2001.
Biography/Organization History
Dennis E. Carpenter served as a Republican California State Senator from 1970 through 1978 through two consecutive terms.
He represented Orange County's 34th District from 1970 to 1974 and the 36th District from 1974 to 1978. During his eight-year
tenure, comprising four legislative sessions, he introduced a large number of bills into the Senate.
Carpenter was born on September 3, 1928 in Minnesota. After enlisting in the army, he moved to California in 1948. He received
his B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1952. He studied law at UCLA from 1954
to 1958. He took a leave of absence during his studies at UCLA to serve as a special agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
working in various U.S. states and in Mexico. Shortly after he passed the California Bar Association examination, he established
the law firm Duryea, Carpenter, & Barnes, based in Newport Beach, California. From 1961 to 1970, he was active in the Republican
Party as a volunteer. This included appointments as Chairman of the Orange County Republican Central Committee and Chairman
of the Republican State Central Committee. He married Madine Waltrip during this time. He was also appointed by the Orange
County Board of Supervisors to be a member of the Orange County Airport Commission, addressing public concerns surrounding
airport construction and air traffic.
In 1970 he was elected California State Senator for the 34th District, representing most of Orange County. In 1974 he declared
his intent to run for reelection to the State Senate representing the 36th District. The newly reapportioned 36th District
was composed of much of the 34th District plus Camp Pendleton and Oceanside in San Diego County. He was reelected for a second
term in November of that year. Throughout 1975 he tried unsuccessfully to obtain the Republican Party U.S. Senate nomination.
In 1977 he announced he would not seek reelection to a third term in office.
After leaving office, he returned to the private sector. As of 2001 he is still active as a lobbyist and is managing partner
of the lobbying firm Carpenter, Snodgrass & Associates, based in Sacramento, California.
| 1928 | Born in Minnesota. |
| 1952 | B.A., Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles. |
| 1954-1958 | Special agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
| 1958 | LL.B., University of California, Los Angeles. Admitted into California Bar Association and establishes law firm, Duryea, Carpenter & Barnes, in Newport Beach, California. |
| 1961-1966 | Chairman of the Orange County Republican Central Committee. |
| 1966-1969 | Chairman of the Orange County Airport Commission. |
| 1968 | Marries Madine Waltrip. |
| 1969-1970 | Chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of California. |
| 1970-1974 | California State Senator, 34th District. |
| 1974 | Republican party Caucus Chairman. |
| 1974-1978 | California State Senator, 36th District. |
Collection Scope and Content Summary
This collection comprises the administrative and legislative files of the office of California State Senator Dennis E. Carpenter.
Administrative files primarily consist of official press releases, printed material, newsletters issued by Carpenter's offices
in Sacramento and Irvine, California, and ephemera from his first campaign in 1970. The bulk of this collection consists of
legislative files documenting Carpenter's work as a California State Senator representing most of Orange County. These files
contain correspondence, drafts of bills, some maps, and research notes for each bill introduced by Carpenter during his eight-year
term.
This collection is organized into two series.
- Series 1. Administrative files, 1970-1978. 0.6 linear ft.
- Series 2. Legislative files, 1971-1978. 9.8 linear ft.
A related collection of political ephemera from Carpenter's 1970 campaign can be found in the California Political Publication
and Ephemera Collection (MS-R14), Special Collections and Archives, the UC Irvine Libraries.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Carpenter, Dennis E.--Archives.
California. Legislature. Senate--Archival resources.
Legislation--California--Orange County--Archival resources.
Bills, Legislative--California--Orange County--Archival resources.
Bill drafting--California--Orange County--Archival resources.
Orange County (Calif.)--Politics and government--Archival resources.
California--Politics and government--Archival resources.
Orange County (Calif.)--Archival resources.
Maps--California--Orange County.
Legislators--California--Orange County.