Carpenter, Dennis E.

Biography

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.

Chronology

• 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.

From the guide to the Dennis E. Carpenter papers, 1970-1978, (University of California, Irvine. Library. Special Collections and Archives.)