Robert J. Hamilton challenges Darrell Issa

"Hamilton will officially kick off his campaign with a public event at 4 p.m. on March 18 at Pala Mesa Resort, 2001 Old Highway 395, in Fallbrook. Special guest will be Francine Busby, a former 50th District congressional candidate." -Gary Warth, North County Times.

For more details copy and paste this link to the article in today's North County Times:
NC Times

A U.S. Naval Reserve veteran who served as an anti-submarine warfare officer in Vietnam, Hamilton was born in Kankakee, Ill., then moved at age 1 to Havana, where his father worked for Swift and Co. meatpackers.

"I grew up bilingual and consider myself bicultural," Hamilton said.

Growing up in Havana in the 1950s was a rich, cultural experience, he said, with schools focused on getting students into the best universities in the world. When Fidel Castro came to power, however, the dictator nationalized all American companies, and in 1962 Hamilton and his family left for Miami, each with just $5 in their pockets.

From there they moved to New Orleans and eventually to Southern California, where his family ran a small motel and he worked his way through UCLA.

After college, Hamilton worked five years in banking before being hired by American Express, which in 1975 stationed him in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1976, the company sent him to Caracas, Venezuela, where he ran destination sales throughout Central America for two years.

From 1981-84, he was director of marketing and sales for American Express in Spain, which had him doing business throughout Europe.

Returning to the United States, he and his family moved to Poway in 1984, then moved to Los Angeles nine years ago. He retired to Fallbrook four years ago and became interested in politics after running Laurel Nicholson's campaign for the 66th State Assembly District two years ago. After her loss, Hamilton served a one-year term as president of the Fallbrook Democratic Club.

Hamilton and his wife of 36 years, Jenifer, have three children. One son served 10 months in Iraq as a National Guard commanding officer. A daughter is a teacher attending graduate school south of Oakland, and another son lives in 4S Ranch near Poway where he works for an automobile insurance company.