John H. Cox
John H. Cox | |
|---|---|
Cox in 2017 | |
| Born | John Kaplan July 15, 1955 Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Education | University of Illinois Chicago (BA) Illinois Institute of Technology (JD) |
| Political party | Republican (2000–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic (before 2000) |
| Spouse(s) | Nancy (divorced) Sarah Cox |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | Campaign website |
John Herman Cox (né Kaplan; born July 15, 1955) is an American businessman, housing developer, political activist, and perennial candidate. A Republican, he was the party's nominee for Governor of California in 2018, as well as one of the party's replacement candidates in the state's 2021 recall election.
Cox began his political career as a Democrat, as he ran to be a delegate to that party's 1976 National Convention. He later became a Republican in Illinois, running for a congressional seat in 2000, United States Senate in 2002, Cook County Recorder of Deeds in 2004, and President of the United States in 2008.
After moving to California, he proposed the California is not for Sale initiative to combat corruption. Cox became the Republican nominee in the 2018 California gubernatorial election, after placing second in the state's June 5 nonpartisan blanket primary. On November 6, 2018, he lost to Democrat Gavin Newsom in the state's biggest gubernatorial landslide since 1950. Cox was a candidate in the unsuccessful 2021 California gubernatorial recall election, placing 5th with a total of 4.4% of the vote.