Biography:

Bill Jones is a third generation rancher from the San Joaquin Valley. His grandfather moved to California from Texas, bringing one of the first cotton gins to the Imperial Valley. His wife's grandfather grew pears in the Placerville area.

At his ranch in Firebaugh, 45 miles west of Fresno, his extended family still raises cattle and grows tomatoes, alfalfa and cotton on about 4,000 acres.

Jones was born on Dec. 20, 1949, in Coalinga, Calif. He attended high school in Fresno and served as student body president for a year at California State University, Fresno, before graduating with a degree in agribusiness and plant sciences in 1971.

At 25, he served as chairman of the Fresno County Republican Party and worked as a volunteer for Richard Nixon's campaign in 1972. He won his first statewide election in 1982 representing Fresno County in the state Assembly and served six consecutive terms, including a year as the GOP Assembly leader, from 1982 to 1994.

He later served as secretary of state from 1994-2002, before term limits. Jones is married and has two children.

Past Campaigns:

Bill Jones was elected to the state Assembly from Fresno in 1982 and served six consecutive terms, including a year as the GOP Assembly leader, from 1982 to 1994.

He later served as secretary of state from 1994-2002.

Jones had a dismal showing in the 2002 GOP gubernatorial primary in which he finished third despite more experience than his two foes.

But in the Republican Senate primary in March 2004, Jones won the backing of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger _ whose coattails he hopes to ride to victory in the general election. GOP voters chose Jones over Howard Kaloogian, Toni Casey and Rosario Marin to face Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who's seeking a third term.

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