Wilson, Pete

Wilson, Pete (Peter Barton Wilson), 1933–, American politician, b. Lake Forest, Ill. A lawyer and moderate Republican, he began his career in local politics. He was a campaign aide in Richard Nixon's 1962 gubernatorial race, served in the state legislature (1967–71), and was mayor of San Diego (1971–83). He subsequently has served as U.S. senator from California (1983–91) and as governor of the state (1991–99). In 1995, Wilson mounted an unsuccessful candidacy for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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