{{short description|American real estate investor and politician}} '''Richard Ziser''' is an American real estate investor and socially conservative political activist belonging to the Republican Party.
==Early life == Ziser was born June 7, 1953, in Pomona, California, and has resided in Las Vegas, Nevada since 1991.
== Education == Ziser graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) with a BS in Industrial Engineering, 1976; then subsequently from Simon Greenleaf University in Santa Ana, CA, (now a campus of Trinity International University, with an MA in Christian Apologetics in 1989.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22949/ 2004 Election Profiles, Nevada Senate, Richard Ziser (R)], The Washington Post</ref>
== Career == ===U.S. Senate candidacy=== {{Main|2004 United States Senate election in Nevada}} In 2004, Ziser defeated 5 rival candidates in the Republican primary, then ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Harry Reid, losing 61%-35%.<ref>"[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Nov-04-Thu-2004/news/25166677.html General election results]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, November 04, 2004</ref><ref name="NeffExpected"/> In 1998, Ziser lost his election bid to be on the Clark County, Nevada School Board.<ref>Jane Ann Morrison, "[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1998/Sep-25-Fri-1998/news/8285329.html Panel dismisses complaint over political ad]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 25, 1998</ref>
===Political activity=== Ziser rose to political prominence as the leader of the effort to ban gay marriage in Nevada.<ref name="RobertsonGay">{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Tatsha |last2=Freiss |first2=Steve |title=GAY MARRIAGE DECISION SPURS ACTION ACROSS US |publisher=Boston Globe |date=23 November 2003|id={{ProQuest|404841726}} }}</ref><ref name="NeffExpected"/> He headed the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, a successful, four-year campaign that succeeded in amending Nevada's State Constitution to define marriage as a union between "one man and one woman" in 2000.<ref name="NeffExpected">{{cite news |last1=Neff |first1=Erin |title=Federal races go as expected |publisher=Las Vegas Review - Journal |date=8 September 2004|id={{ProQuest|260172560}} }}</ref><ref name=FoegelSpillman/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nevadaconcernedcitizens.org/ |title=Home |website=nevadaconcernedcitizens.org}}</ref><ref name="NeffNeeded">{{cite news |last1=Neff |first1=Erin |title=Ziser: Massachusetts shows gay marriage ban needed |publisher=Las Vegas Review - Journal |date=10 February 2004|id={{ProQuest|260172871}} }}</ref>
In light of the Nevada Legislature's overriding of Governor Jim Gibbons' veto on domestic partnership legislation; due to take effect October 1, 2009. Ziser stated his intents to overturn the legislation as unconstitutional.<ref>Martha Bellisle, [http://www.rgj.com/article/20090604/NEWS11/906040342/1321/NEWS/Nevada+partners+law+to+enable+registered+couples+to+adopt+children Nevada partners law to enable registered couples to adopt children]", Reno Gazette-Journal, June 4, 2009</ref>
Ziser is also an anti-abortion activist, opposing legalized abortion by proposing a Personhood Constitutional Amendment designed to protect the "right to life," of the fetus.<ref name=FoegelSpillman>{{cite news |last1=Foegel |first1=Ed |last2=Spillman |first2=Ben |title=Nevada abortion statute targeted: Activist pursues personhood petition |publisher=Las Vegas Review-Journal |date=22 October 2009|id={{ProQuest|457358653}} }}</ref>
==See also== * Same-sex marriage law in the United States by state * Domestic partnership * Recognition of same-sex unions in Nevada
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Additional sources == * [http://www.nevadaconcernedcitizens.org/ Nevada Concerned Citizens] (Coalition for the Protection of Marriage) * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040828055832/http://www.ziserforsenate.com/ |date=August 28, 2004 |title=Richard Ziser for Senate Website }} * Jane Ann Morrison, "[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1998/Sep-25-Fri-1998/news/8285329.html Panel dismisses complaint over political ad]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 25, 1998 * "[http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2000/jan/05/petition-to-ban-same-sex-marriages-cheered/ Petition to ban same-sex marriages cheered]", Las Vegas Sun, January 5, 2000 * Kris Hill, "[http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2001/mar/27/bill-may-extend-rights-for-gays/ Bill may extend rights for gays]", Las Vegas Sun, March 27, 2001 * Erin Neff, "[http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2003/aug/28/ziser-marriage-protection-organizer-runs-for-senat/ Ziser, marriage protection organizer, runs for Senate]", Las Vegas Sun, August 28, 2003 * Erin Neff and Michael Squires, "[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Oct-26-Sun-2003/news/22444393.html Political Notebook: Subpoenas, polygraphs part of Moncrief probe]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 26, 2003 * Steve Sebelius-OpEd, "[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Sep-16-Thu-2004/opinion/24780990.html A very bad sign]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 16, 2004 * Richard Ziser, "[http://desertsaintsmagazine.com/2006/07/01/the-next-step-in-marriage-protection/ The Next Step In Marriage Protection]", Desert Saints Magazine, July 2006 Issue * Richard Fitzpatrick, "[http://www.nevadaconfidential.com/nevada-confidential-blog/2006/11/22/being-politically-correct-on-family-day-2006.html Being politically correct on Family Day 2006]", Nevada Confidential, November 22, 2006 * Steve Sebelius, "[http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2007/06/21/opinion/coffee_and_outrage/iq_15046471.prt Have we had enough hate yet?]", Las Vegas CityLife, June 21, 2007 * Erin NefF-OpEd, "[http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/May-18-Thu-2006/opinion/7462989.html More 'protection']", Las Vegas Review-Journal, May 18, 2006 * Andrew Kiraly, "[http://blogs.lasvegascitylife.com/cityblog/2008/07/29/oh-about-that-ruined-state-economy-blame-richard-ziser-too Oh, about that ruined state economy: Blame Richard Ziser, too.]", Las Vegas CityLife, July 29, 2008 * Richard Lake, "[http://www.lvrj.com/news/26025979.html Same-sex marriage ban might be costing Nevada]", Las Vegas Review-Journal, July 29, 2008 * "[https://vegastearoom.blogspot.com/2009/03/richard-ziser-and-janine-hanson-do-tag.html Richard Ziser and Janine Hanson Do A Tag-Team Of Stupid At The Nevada Legislature]", Vegas Tea Room, March 27, 2009 * "[http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/01/Domestic-partnerships-to-be-law-in-Nevada/UPI-11891243865999/ Domestic partnerships to be law in Nevada]", United Press International, June 1, 2009 * Ed Vogel and Molly Ball, "[http://www.elynews.com/articles/2009/06/03/news/news04.txt Lawmakers override veto of domestic partner bill]", The Ely News, June 6, 2009 * Martha Bellisle, "[http://www.rgj.com/article/20090604/NEWS11/906040342/1321/NEWS/Nevada+partners+law+to+enable+registered+couples+to+adopt+children Nevada partners law to enable registered couples to adopt children]", Reno Gazette-Journal, June 4, 2009 * Kathleen Hennessey, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20090709063021/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkzL-yKLwhNjJeXBMCZODK0KbQnAD98SNLKO1 Sen. Ensign's admission blurs conservative image]", Associated Press, June 17, 2009
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{succession box | before= John Ensign | title=Republican Party nominee for U.S. Senator from Nevada (Class 3) | years=2004 | after=Sharron Angle }} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ziser, Richard}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:American investors Category:People from Pomona, California Category:Trinity International University alumni Category:California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, alumni Category:Nevada Republicans Category:Activists from Las Vegas Category:Businesspeople from the Las Vegas Valley