In 1985, Campbell became President and CEO of Campbell Automotive Group. In 1990, he became president and CEO of Saturn of Orange County. Campbell became Chairman and CEO of Saab of Orange County in 1999.
California Legislature
Elected to represent southern Orange County's 70th District in the California State Assembly in 2000, Campbell won 60% of the vote in a five-way race to replace term-limited Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer. Campbell was reelected in 2002 with 67% of the vote.
In the 2004 race to replace the term-limited Ross Johnson in the 35th State Senate District, Campbell won the Republicanprimary with 61% of the vote against fellow Assemblyman Ken Maddox, who received 30% of the vote. In the general election, Campbell won with 64%. Then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a close ally of Campbell, endorsed him in the race.[2]
On July 13, 2006, Campbell was one of 33 Republican House members to vote against renewing the Voting Rights Act for 25 years, mostly out of his objections to the bilingual ballots that the VRA mandated, which he and his fellow Republicans called an "unfunded mandate".[4][5]
In 2011, Campbell voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 as part of a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial.[8]
He sponsored the Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Act which would make it easier for taxpayers to make donations to the federal government. In 2010 Campbell signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.[9]
Campbell was re-elected to his first full term in 2006 with 60% of the vote. In 2008 and 2010, he was re-elected with 56% and 60%, respectively, of the vote. In 2012, he was re-elected with 59% of the vote.[11]
In 2009, several watchdog groups claimed Campbell took $170,000 in campaign contributions from car dealers, and then introduced legislation exempting them from consumer protection laws.[12][13]