Background
Antonovich was born in Los Angeles, California, and attended Thomas Alva Edison Junior High, where one of his classmates was Henry Waxman.
Antonovich was born in Los Angeles, California, and attended Thomas Alva Edison Junior High, where one of his classmates was Henry Waxman.
He graduated from John Marshall High School and enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1957. A member of Sigma Nu fraternity, Antonovich graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in 1963 with a bachelor"s degree and a Master"s degree in 1966.
He represents the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, including the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. Antonovich taught in the Los Angeles Unified School District and later at Pepperdine University. In 1969, Antonovich was elected to the newly formed Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.
He served as a Republican Whip in the Assembly from 1976 to 1978.
Antonovich ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor of California in 1978 against Mike Curb. After Curb defeated him in the primary and in the general election, he declined to specifically endorse Curb, but instead endorsed the entire Republican ticket.
Curb defeated incumbent Mervyn Dymally in the general election. In 1984 he was elected chairman of the California Republican Party and served for two years.
He served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors in 1983, 1987 and 1991 and as the so-called "Mayor of Los Angeles County" in 1983, 1987, 1991, 2001 and 2006.
He ran for United States. Senate in 1986 in a three way primary. Antonovich received the endorsement of television evangelist Pat Robertson. He and Bruce Herschensohn were unsuccessful, and Editor Zschau went on to lose to the incumbent, Alan Cranston.
He lost the San Fernando Valley to Herschensohn.
He was re-elected in 2012 and can serve until 2016, when term limits will force him to leave office. From 2007 to 2013, Antonovich received $1,862,796.59 in campaign contributions, reported by Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk records.
Chemerinsky appointment
Antonovich objected to the appointment of Duke University professor Erwin Chemerinsky to be dean of the new law school at the University of California, Irvine, and lobbied against lieutenant The university rescinded the appointment, then later restored lieutenant
Antonovich is of Croatian descent.
In 1972, he was elected to the California State Assembly and for three terms represented Glendale, Burbank, Sunland, Tujunga, Atwater, Griffith Park, Lakeview Terrace and Sun Valley.
