Issa, Darrell, 1953-

Darrell Edward Issa (born November 1, 1953) is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he has served as the U.S. Representative for California's 50th congressional district since 2021. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2001 to 2019, representing California's 48th and 49th congressional districts.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Cleveland Heights, Issa dropped out of high school on his 17th birthday and enlisted for three years in the Army. Issa majored in business administration at Siena Heights University, a small Roman Catholic college in Adrian, Michigan, followed by Stark branch campus of Kent State University, where he enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He served in the Army Reserve from 1976 to 1980 and was promoted to the rank of captain. After leaving the military, Issa returned to the Cleveland area and went into business, investing in Quantum Enterprises, an electronics manufacturer run by a friend from Cleveland Heights that assembled bug zappers, CB radio parts, and other consumer products for other companies. He started Directed Electronics, Inc. after moving to the San Diego suburb of Vista, California. Issa's first campaign for elected office was in 1998, when he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for United States Senate to run against incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer.

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