Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (1938-2007)

Congresswoman Juanita Mlllender-McDonald (D-California) has passed away of cancer at the age of 68.

Millender-McDonald is the second member of Congress to die in office from cancer this year, after Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Georgia) passed away in February.

Millender-McDonald served on the city council in Carson, California and the California State Assembly before being elected to Congress in 1996.

Millender-McDonald was considered the most likely choice for Secretary of Transportation if John Kerry had been elected President. She had just become chair of the Committee on House Administration this year.

I had the opportunity to meet Rep. Millender-McDonald in Boston during the 2004 Democratic National Convention along with Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar has 14 to schedule a special election, probably in the fall, to fill the seat which includes parts of Long Beach and South Central Los Angeles including Compton.