Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Rusty Hicks

34. Rusty Hicks

Not getting into the runoff for a state Assembly seat when you are the chair of the California Democratic Party would seem to maybe also knock you out of contention for being in the Top 100… But wait – of course Rusty Hicks is 
in the Top 100! After all, did we mention he’s the chair of the California Democratic Party? Lost primary or not, anyone holding that title in deep blue California makes the list. But Hicks is way more than his title. As the former president and political director of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, he personifies the symbiotic relationship between labor and Democrats in the Golden State. He also boasts a pretty significant connection to the national political scene, having served as the California political director of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. A Texas native, Hicks came to California in 2003 and has a law degree from Loyola.

Updated Aug. 7, 2024