{{Short description|American politician (1942–2022)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} {{more citations needed|date = March 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Vic Fazio |image = Vic Fazio.jpg |office = [[Democratic Caucus Chairman of the United States House of Representatives|Chair of the House Democratic Caucus]] |leader = [[Dick Gephardt]] |term_start = January 3, 1995 |term_end = January 3, 1999 |predecessor = [[Steny Hoyer]] |successor = [[Martin Frost]] |office1 = Chair of the [[Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]] |leader1 = [[Tom Foley]] |term_start1 = January 3, 1991 |term_end1 = January 3, 1995 |predecessor1 = [[Beryl Anthony Jr.]] |successor1 = [[Martin Frost]] |office2 = [[Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman of the United States House of Representatives|Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus]] |leader2 = [[Tom Foley]] |term_start2 = June 21, 1989 |term_end2 = January 3, 1995 |predecessor2 = [[Steny Hoyer]] |successor2 = [[Barbara B. Kennelly]] |office3 = Member of the<br>[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California]] |term_start3 = January 3, 1979 |term_end3 = January 3, 1999 |predecessor3 = [[Robert Leggett]] |successor3 = [[Doug Ose]] |constituency3 = [[California's 4th congressional district|4th district]] (1979–1993)<br>[[California's 3rd congressional district|3rd district]] (1993–1999) |office4 = Member of the [[California State Assembly|California Assembly]]<br>from the [[California's 4th State Assembly district|4th]] district |term_start4 = December 10, 1975 |term_end4 = November 30, 1978 |predecessor4 = [[Edwin L. Z'berg]] |successor4 = [[Thomas M. Hannigan]] |birth_name = Victor Herbert Fazio Jr. |birth_date = {{birth date|1942|10|11}} |birth_place = [[Winchester, Massachusetts]], U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|2022|3|16|1942|10|11}} |death_place = [[Arlington, Virginia]], U.S. |party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Joella Mason|end = divorced}} * {{marriage|Judy Neidhardt Kern|1983|2015|end=died}} * {{marriage|Kathy Sawyer|2017}} }} |children = 2 |education = [[Union College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[California State University, Sacramento]] }} '''Victor Herbert Fazio Jr.''' (October 11, 1942 &ndash; March 16, 2022) was an American politician who served as a member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] for California from 1979 to 1999.

==Early life and education== Fazio was born in [[Winchester, Massachusetts]], the son of Betty Virginia (Freeman) and V. Herbert Fazio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2001/09/23/funerals-obituaries/30485860007/|title = Funerals & Obituaries}}</ref> He was of Italian and New England [[Yankee]] descent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr11_10_98.asp |title=Order Sons of Italy in America |access-date=July 21, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070301055956/http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr11_10_98.asp |archive-date=March 1, 2007 }}</ref> After graduating from Madison High School in [[Madison, New Jersey]] in 1960, Fazio attended [[Williston Academy]] in [[Easthampton, Massachusetts]] in 1961. He earned a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] from [[Union College]] in [[Schenectady, New York]], in 1965, and did graduate work at [[California State University, Sacramento]], from 1969 to 1972. From 1965 to 1966 he was a [[Coro Foundation]] Fellow in Los Angeles.

==Political career==

=== California politics === Fazio was a congressional and legislative consultant from 1966 to 1975, during which time he co-founded ''California Journal'' magazine in 1970. He served on the [[Sacramento County, California|Sacramento County]] Charter Commission from 1972 to 1974, on the Sacramento County Planning Commission in 1975, and as a member of the [[California State Assembly]] from 1975 to 1978.

Fazio was a delegate to California state Democratic conventions in 1976 and 1978, and was a delegate to [[Democratic National Convention]]s of 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996.

===Congress=== Fazio was elected as a Democrat to the [[96th U.S. Congress|96th]] and to the nine succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1999). He represented [[California's 4th congressional district]] from 1979 to 1993 and after redistricting changed district numbers he represented [[California's 3rd congressional district]] from 1993 to 1999.

As congressman, he lobbied to set aside area as a wildlife refuge below the I-80 overpass between [[Davis, California|Davis]] and [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]]. His efforts led to the establishment of the [[Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Civics Connection, A Conversation with Congress|publisher=The United States Association of Former Members of Congress}}</ref> dedicated in 1997 by President [[Bill Clinton]]. The region is in [[Yolo County, California|Yolo County]] and is known to locals as the 'Yolo Bypass,' a seasonal wetlands generated by controlled fall, winter, and spring flooding. The refuge provides valuable winter habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. It is additionally used as a Pacific Flyway stop-over by migrant waterfowl and shorebirds during fall and spring migrations, and can be accessed for visitation by an auto tour route.

Fazio won his first seven terms without serious difficulty, but his district was made measurably more rural and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] after the 1990s round of redistricting. He only won 51 percent of the vote in 1992 against former state senator [[H.L. Richardson]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1992/06/04/california-marks-year-of-the-woman-and-of-abortion-foes/651ccb7f-8399-4f54-97f3-9fb797dd6811/|title=CALIFORNIA MARKS 'YEAR OF THE WOMAN' -- AND OF ABORTION FOES|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=July 19, 2016}}</ref> In 1994, he was nearly defeated, winning by only three percentage points. In 1996 he was elected by a larger margin, winning 54%. He announced he would not run for re-election in 1998, in November of the prior year.

==Later life== Fazio worked as a senior advisor in the Washington office of [[Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld]] and sat on the board of [[Northrop Grumman]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Vic Fazio|url=http://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/victor-h-fazio.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221522/http://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/victor-h-fazio.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 17, 2013|publisher=Akin Gump|access-date=December 17, 2013}}</ref> He served as co-chair of the [[Information Technology and Innovation Foundation]], a public policy [[think tank]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Board |publisher=Information Technology and Innovation Foundation |url=http://itif.org/content/board |access-date=November 1, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111102457/http://www.itif.org/content/board |archive-date=November 11, 2012 }}</ref> He also sat on the Council on American Politics, bringing together leaders from across the nation to address issues facing the growth and enrichment of [[The Graduate School of Political Management]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://preventcancer.org/about-us/leadership-staff/board-of-directors/#Fazio|title=Board of Directors|date=July 23, 2015|language=en-US|access-date=July 19, 2016}}</ref> In addition, he served on the board of directors of the [[Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.crfb.org/board-members|title=Board Members|date=April 25, 2016|language=en-US|access-date=August 22, 2019}}</ref> After leaving office, he became involved in political reform efforts, including joining nine other former members of Congress to co-author a 2021 opinion editorial advocating reforms of Congress.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/opinion/op_ed_commentaries/rahall-graves-we-know-congress-needs-reform-opinion/article_4d2ac1df-9a73-5d2d-8c84-bfdbf4277157.html | title=We Know Congress Needs Reform | newspaper=West Virginia Gazette| date=August 13, 2021 }}</ref> He was also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of [[Issue One]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.issueone.org/reformers/#reformer-full-list|title=Issue One – ReFormers Caucus|date=January 2, 2024 }}</ref>

==Personal life == After his first marriage to Joella Mason ended in divorce, Fazio was subsequently married to Judy Kern (formerly Judith G. Neidhardt) from 1983 until her death in 2015, aged 71.<ref name = WPObit>{{cite news|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2022/03/17/vic-fazio-california-congress-dead/|title = Vic Fazio, congressman who chaired House Democratic caucus, dies at 79|newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]|date = March 17, 2022|accessdate = March 17, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.dailydemocrat.com/2015/08/11/judy-fazio-wife-of-former-congressman-dies-of-heart-failure/|location=California, United States|title = Judy Fazio, wife of former Congressman, dies of heart failure|date = August 11, 2015|accessdate = March 17, 2022|newspaper=[[Daily Democrat]]}}</ref> He then married Kathy Sawyer, a retired journalist, in 2017. He had two daughters from his first marriage to Mason, Dana and Anne; and two step-children from his second marriage to Kern, Kevin and Kristie. Anne died from complications of leukemia in 1995.<ref name = KL>{{cite news|url = https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article259481989.html|title = Former Rep. Vic Fazio, Sacramento's voice in Congress for 20 years, dies at 79|last1 = Kasler|first1 = Dale|last2 = Lightman|first2 = David|date = March 16, 2022|accessdate = March 16, 2022|work = [[The Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref>

== Death == Fazio died of [[melanoma]] at his home in [[Arlington County, Virginia]], on March 16, 2022, at the age of 79.<ref name = KL/><ref name = WPObit />

== Electoral history == {{hidden begin|toggle=left|title=Vic Fazio electoral history}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1978 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1978election.pdf | title=1978 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110928192129/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1978election.pdf | archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = [[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] | votes = 87,764 | percentage = 55.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Rex Hime | votes = 70,733 | percentage = 44.6 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 158,497 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1980 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1980election.pdf | title=1980 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123044615/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1980election.pdf | archive-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = [[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 133,853 | percentage = 65.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Albert Dehr | votes = 60,935 | percentage = 29.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Robert J. Burnside | votes = 10,267 | percentage = 5.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 205,055 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1982 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1982election.pdf | title=1982 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011415/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1982election.pdf | archive-date=January 5, 2007}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate =[[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 118,476 | percentage = 63.9 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Roger B. Canfield | votes = 67,047 | percentage = 36.1 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 185,523 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1984 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984election.pdf | title=1984 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105011555/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984election.pdf | archive-date=January 5, 2007}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate =[[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 130,109 | percentage = 61.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Roger B. Canfield | votes = 77,773 | percentage = 36.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Roger Conant Pope | votes = 4,039 | percentage = 1.9 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 211,921 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1986 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1986election.pdf | title=1986 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123044610/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1986election.pdf | archive-date=January 23, 2017}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate =[[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 128,364 | percentage = 70.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Jack D. Hite | votes = 54,596 | percentage = 29.8 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 182,960 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1988 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1988election.pdf | title=1988 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110701004537/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1988election.pdf | archive-date=July 1, 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate =[[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 181,184 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change | candidate = [[Write-in candidate|Write-ins]] | votes = 1,306 | percentage = 0.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title= [[1990 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1990election.pdf | title=1990 election results | website=house.gov | access-date=May 7, 2018|url-status=live | archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110716013823/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1990election.pdf | archive-date=July 16, 2011}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate =[[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 115,090 | percentage = 54.7 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Mark R. Baughman | votes = 82,738 | percentage = 39.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Bryce Bigwood | votes = 12,626 | percentage = 6.0 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 210,454 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box turnout no change | percentage = }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title=[[1992 United States House of Representatives elections|1992 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1992election.pdf 1992 general election results]</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = [[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 112,149 | percentage = 51.2 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = [[H. L. Richardson]] | votes = 96,092 | percentage = 40.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Ross Crain | votes = 20,444 | percentage = 8.6 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 228,685 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{End}} {{Election box begin no change | title=[[1994 United States House of Representatives elections|1994 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1994election.pdf 1994 general election results]</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = [[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 97,093 | percentage = 49.75 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Tim Lefever | votes = 89,964 | percentage = 46.10 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Ross Crain | votes = 8,100 | percentage = 4.15 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 195,157 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{End}} {{Election box begin no change | title=[[1996 United States House of Representatives elections|1996 United States House of Representatives elections]]<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1996election.pdf 1996 general election results]</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Democratic Party (US) | candidate = [[Victor H. Fazio|Vic Fazio]] (Incumbent) | votes = 118,663 | percentage = 53.6 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Republican Party (US) | candidate = Tim Lefever | votes = 91,134 | percentage = 41.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Reform Party (US) | candidate = Timothy Erich | votes = 7,701 | percentage = 3.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Libertarian Party (US) | candidate = Erin Donelle | votes = 4,239 | percentage = 1.9 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 221,737 | percentage = 100.0 }} {{Election box hold with party link without swing | winner = Democratic Party (US) }} {{End}} {{hidden end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{CongBio|F000053}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111220111743/http://www.gspm.gwu.edu/councilamericanpolitics The Council on American Politics at GW's Graduate School of Political Management] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111208142518/http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/dept/specol/manu-collections/manuscripts/index.php?collection=107 Vic Fazio Papers] Catalogue entry at Special Collections Dept., University Library, University of California, Davis * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221522/http://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/victor-h-fazio.html Vic Fazio at Akin Gump webpage] * {{C-SPAN|500}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ca-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[Edwin L. Z'berg]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[California State Assembly|California Assembly]]<br>from the [[California's 4th State Assembly district|4th]] district|years=1975–1978}} {{s-aft|after=[[Thomas M. Hannigan]]}} |- {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[Robert Leggett]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 4th congressional district]]|years=1979–1993}} {{s-aft|after=[[John Doolittle]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Bob Matsui]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from California|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[California's 3rd congressional district]]|years=1993–1999}} {{s-aft|after=[[Doug Ose]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Steny Hoyer]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman of the United States House of Representatives|Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus]]|years=1989–1995}} {{s-aft|after=[[Barbara B. Kennelly]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Beryl Anthony Jr.]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]]|years=1991–1995}} {{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Martin Frost]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Steny Hoyer]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Caucus Chairman of the United States House of Representatives|Chair of the House Democratic Caucus]]|years=1995–1999}} {{s-end}}

{{Chairs of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee}} {{United States representatives from California 1-10}} {{USCongRep-start |congresses=98th–105th [[United States Congress]] |state=[[California's congressional delegations|California]]}} {{USCongRep/CA/98}} {{USCongRep/CA/99}} {{USCongRep/CA/100}} {{USCongRep/CA/101}} {{USCongRep/CA/102}} {{USCongRep/CA/103}} {{USCongRep/CA/104}} {{USCongRep/CA/105}} {{USCongRep-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fazio, Victor H.}} [[Category:1942 births]] [[Category:2022 deaths]] [[Category:21st-century American politicians]] [[Category:American people of Italian descent]] [[Category:Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments]] [[Category:Deaths from melanoma in Virginia]] [[Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from California]] [[Category:Directors of Northrop Grumman]] [[Category:Information Technology and Innovation Foundation]] [[Category:Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly]] [[Category:People from Winchester, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Politicians from Sacramento, California]] [[Category:Union College (New York) alumni]] [[Category:Williston Northampton School alumni]] [[Category:Members of the United States Congress who became lobbyists]] [[Category:20th-century members of the California State Legislature]] [[Category:20th-century United States representatives]] [[Category:Chairs of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]]