Prior to his 1982 election to the
California State Assembly, Calderon was a prosecutor and also served on the Montebello School Board. Calderon was first elected to the
California State Assembly in 1982. In 1988–89, he became leader of a power struggle for control of the
Assembly. The "Gang of Five", included Calderon,
Gary Condit,
Steve Peace of Chula Vista,
Gerald Eaves of Rialto, and
Rusty Areias of Los Banos. Self-identified conservative Democrats, the group attempted to wrest power from
Willie Brown, then Speaker of the
Assembly. Calderon was nominated for the office of Speaker, but Brown prevailed by a vote of 40–34. Brown stripped all five members of committee leadership positions and staff. In 1990, Calderon left the
Assembly, and he was elected to the
California State Senate. From September 1996 until the end of his term, Calderon served as the first Hispanic Senate Majority leader in California history. He ran unsuccessfully for
Attorney General of California in 1998, losing the primary to
Bill Lockyer. Prior to his 2006 election to the
Assembly, he served as California Health Care Commissioner and was a partner with the
law firm of Nossaman. During his second term in the Assembly he served as Majority Leader between 2010 and 2012. == Personal life ==