John F. McCarthy
John Francis McCarthy was a Republican member of the California Senate. Before he was in California's legislature, he was a merchant marine during the Second World War. He entered office in 1951 as a nonpartisan senator before turning Republican in 1952. He was the Senate's Minority Leader from 1967 until his retirement in 1970. During his tenure, he created and passed a bill for the formation of the Bay Area Rapid Transit in 1957. He was a strong advocate of free speech, and believed that a university is like a fourth branch of government.
A lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, McCarthy represented State Senate District 13 from 1951 to 1966, and District 4 in his final term. He was born in San Francisco and died in the suburb of Tiburon. He had 7 children.
The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge was named in his honor.
His elder brother, Democrat Robert I. McCarthy served in the State Assembly from 1948 to 1952 and Senate from 1954 to 1958.
