An earlier Nunez plan to change term limits was voted down in February, after opponents took aim at the speaker in ads that said the measure would "let termed-out politicians stay in office and preserve their opulent lifestyles." This time, Nunez's tenure won't be an issue.
Nunez denied that he is trying to undo one of the biggest defeats of his speakership. Instead, he said, he simply doesn't like to give up. Home-run hitters, he noted, strike out a lot, too.
"I've been willing to fail," he said recently, summing up his time in office. "It's one thing I've grown to be very comfortable with."
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nancy.vogel@latimes.com
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Fabian Nunez
Achievements
Elected to Assembly in 2002.
Elected speaker in 2004.
Helped write the nation's first law to restrict industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Wrote laws to discount prescription drugs for low-income Californians and to allow telephone companies to compete with cable companies to provide pay TV service.
Disappointments
Was criticized by media and some donors for lavish spending of campaign funds, including visits to some of the world's finest hotels and restaurants.
Biography
A 41-year-old father of three, married to nurse and consultant Maria Robles. One of 12 children of immigrant parents. Grew up in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego. Earned education and political science degrees from Pitzer College in Claremont. Former political director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and lobbyist for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Source: California Assembly and Times reporting
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Speakers' tenures
The average tenure of Cali-
fornia Assembly speakers has
shortened since voters im-
posed term limits in 1990. The list since 1961:
* Jesse M. Unruh (D-Inglewood): Sept. 1961 to Jan. 1969; seven years, three months
* Robert T. Monagan (R-Tracy): Jan. 1969 to Jan. 1971; two years
* Bob Moretti (D-Van Nuys): Jan. 1971 to June 1974; three years, six months
* Leo T. McCarthy (D-San Francisco): June 1974 to Dec. 1980; six years, five months
* Willie Brown (D-San Francisco): Dec. 1980 to June 1995; 14 years, seven months
* Doris Allen (R-Cypress): June 1995 to Sept. 1995; three months
* Brian Setencich (R-Fresno): Sept. 1995 to Jan. 1996; three months
* Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove): Jan. 1996 to Dec. 1996; 11 months
* Cruz Bustamante (D-Fresno): Dec. 1996 to Feb. 1998; one year, two months
* Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles): Feb. 1998 to April 2000; two years, two months
* Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks): April 2000 to Feb. 2002; one year, 10 months
* Herb Wesson (D-Culver City): Feb. 2002 to Feb. 2004; two years
* Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles): Feb. 2004 to May 2008; four years, three months
Source: California Assembly
