Representative George P. Radanovich

George Purdy Radanovich (born June 20, 1955) is an American politician and vintner who served as a Republican U.S. Representative from California from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2011. Representing California’s 19th congressional district, he served eight consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives. During his tenure, the district included most of northern Fresno, as well as several rural areas northeast of the city. A member of the Republican Party, he did not seek reelection in 2010, concluding a congressional career that spanned a significant period in recent American political history.

Radanovich was born in Mariposa, California, to a Catholic family of Croatian extraction. Raised in this small Sierra foothills community near Yosemite National Park, he grew up in a rural environment that would later shape both his agricultural pursuits and his political identity. He attended local schools in Mariposa before enrolling at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. At Cal Poly, he received an education that combined practical and technical training, consistent with the university’s polytechnic mission, and that prepared him for a varied early career in both the private and public sectors.

After college, Radanovich worked in a variety of occupations, including as a banker, substitute teacher, and construction worker. In 1982, he returned to his native Mariposa County and began growing grapes after observing that a particular microclimate in the area was well suited to viticulture. Building on this insight, he founded the Radanovich Winery in 1986, establishing the first winery in the region. His winery became a notable local enterprise and reflected his interest in agriculture and small business. These experiences in farming and entrepreneurship later informed his legislative interests, particularly in areas related to agriculture, trade, and rural economic development.

Radanovich entered elective office at the local level, serving on the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors from 1988 to 1992. He was chosen by his colleagues as chairman of the board in 1991. His tenure as a county supervisor provided him with experience in public administration, land-use issues, and local governance. In 1992, after his home in Mariposa was shifted into California’s 19th congressional district through redistricting, he made his first bid for Congress. He ran in the Republican primary but was defeated by Fresno businessman Tal Cloud. The narrow margin by which incumbent Democrat Richard H. Lehman had defeated Cloud in the 1992 general election led many observers to speculate that the district would not remain in Democratic hands for long.

In 1994, Radanovich again sought the Republican nomination for the 19th district and this time won the primary. In the general election that November, he faced six-term Democratic incumbent Richard H. Lehman. In a year marked nationally by significant Republican gains, Radanovich defeated Lehman by a 17-point margin, winning 56 percent of the vote to Lehman’s 39 percent. This outcome was regarded as one of the largest margins of defeat for an incumbent in a cycle that saw many long-serving Democrats lose their seats. Upon entering Congress in January 1995, he was elected president of the Republican freshman class of 1994, a group that played a prominent role in advancing the legislative agenda associated with the “Republican Revolution.” He signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge and became a member of the Republican Study Committee, aligning himself with fiscal conservatism and limited-government principles.

During his eight terms in the House of Representatives, Radanovich participated actively in the legislative process and represented the interests of his largely conservative, agriculture-oriented district. He served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, one of the chamber’s key policy committees. Within that committee, he sat on the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet; the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, where he served as ranking member; and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. His voting record reflected support for national security and economic stabilization measures. On October 6, 2005, he voted for legislation related to the Department of Homeland Security; on December 14, 2005, he voted to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act; on June 16, 2006, he voted to reject timetables for withdrawal from Iraq; and on September 29, 2008, he voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, commonly known as the Paulson bailout bill. He also co-chaired several caucuses, including the Water Caucus, the Congressional Wine Caucus, and the Congressional Croatian Caucus, reflecting his interests in water policy, the wine industry, and his ethnic heritage.

Radanovich’s political strength in his district remained substantial throughout his congressional career. In the 2006 election, he faced Democratic challenger T. J. Cox, a chemical engineer who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and was considered Radanovich’s most serious and well-funded opponent since his initial 1994 race. Nonetheless, local political commentator Michael Der Manouel Jr. remarked that “Cox could spend $10 million and Nancy Pelosi could spend another $10 million and Congressman Radanovich wouldn’t lose.” Radanovich was reelected that year with 60 percent of the vote and then ran unopposed in 2008 in what was by then regarded as one of the most reliably Republican districts in California. Cox would later be elected to Congress in 2018, representing California’s 21st congressional district. Meanwhile, in 2003, Radanovich closed the Radanovich Winery. As reported by Wine Spectator and SFGate, he cited the difficult economic conditions facing many California wineries, a statewide wine oversupply, broader economic challenges, and his desire to focus on his responsibilities in Washington. The winery’s tasting room was closed, and some remaining inventory was sold to pay outstanding debts.

On December 29, 2009, Radanovich announced that he would not seek reelection in 2010, bringing his House service to a close at the end of the 111th Congress. His decision came during a personally challenging period. He had married Ethie Weaver in November 1996, and the couple had one son, King. Ethie Weaver Radanovich died of ovarian cancer on February 4, 2010, after more than a decade of marriage. Following his departure from Congress in January 2011, Radanovich remained engaged in public affairs and Republican politics in California.

In later years, Radanovich sought a return to elective office at the state level. In 2022, he ran for California’s 4th State Senate district but was eliminated after placing third in the primary election. In 2024, he entered the race for California’s 8th Assembly district. He placed first in the primary election, demonstrating continued support among Republican voters, but lost to fellow Republican David Tangipa in the general election. Throughout his career, Radanovich’s public service, from the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors to the U.S. House of Representatives and subsequent state-level campaigns, reflected his longstanding involvement in Republican politics, his advocacy for agriculture and water issues, and his representation of Central California’s rural and suburban communities.