Roy Ashburn Politician

Roy Arthur Ashburn (born March 21, 1954) is an American politician from Kern County, California. A Republican, he served as a California State Senator from 2002 to 2010 representing the 18th district. He previously served three terms in the California State Assembly, representing the 32nd district and 12 years on the Kern County Board of Supervisors. He now serves on the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board after having been appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.Although he had maintained a firm voting record against gay rights legislation, Ashburn acknowledged that he is gay in March 2010, and after coming out he increasingly spoke out on gay rights.