George W. Downing
George Washington Downing (February 22, 1869 – November 22, 1948) was an American attorney and politician who served one term in the California State Assembly for the 73rd district from 1915 to 1917.[1] He was previously City Attorney of Perham, Minnesota,[2] and later served as Manhattan Beach City Judge from 1929 until his death.[3][4] Downing was one of three Socialists elected to the California State Assembly in 1914, the other two being Witten William Harris and Lewis A.[5] Prior to his election, Downing had been a candidate in several races; in 1900, he ran for Otter Tail County Attorney as a Populist;[6] in 1904, he ran again as a Socialist;[7] in 1906, he ran for California Attorney General;[8] in 1908, he ran for Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge;[9] in 1911, he ran for Los Angeles City Auditor on the same ticket as Job Harriman;[10] and in 1912 he ran for State Assembly in the same district he would win two years later.[11] After he lost re-election in 1916, he returned to his law practice, and in 1924 was nominated as a presidential elector for Progressive Party candidate Robert La Follette.