Christine Kehoe

Christine Kehoe

Christine Kehoe made history when she was elected to the San Diego City Council in 1993 as the first LGBTQ office holder in the county. An early Victory Fund endorsee, Chris has been followed in the San Diego City Council District 3 seat by Senator Toni Atkins, Assemblymember Todd Gloria and Council member Chris Ward—27 years of uninterrupted LGBTQ representation. Moreover, in the 2016 election cycle LGBTQ candidates Dr Jennifer Campbell and Georgette Gomez were elected in other districts.

Chris served two terms on the city council and went on to win election to the California Assembly (2000) and the state Senate (2004). She was elected the Speaker pro Tempore during her Assembly years and was the founding chair of the LGBT Legislative Caucus. She served eight years in the state senate including four years as chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. Chris left the legislature due to term limits in 2012.

Chris served as executive director of the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative, a public private partnership promoting clean transportation for California consumers from 2013 to 2017. She was appointed to the California Transportation Commission in 2016 by then Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins.

Prior to Chris’s election to public office her community engagement included the Center for Women’s Studies and Services; AIDS Assistance Fund; Hillcrest Business Association; editor of the San Diego Gayzette; co-chair, San Diego Pride; and campaign manager, No on 64 and Neil Good for City Council campaigns.