Representative Delwin Morgan Clawson - Contact Information

Delwin Morgan Clawson (January 11, 1914 – May 5, 1992) was an American politician who served as a Republican Representative from California in the United States Congress from 1963 to 1979 and as mayor of Compton, California. Over eight consecutive terms in the House of Representatives, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his constituents in Southern California.

Clawson was born in Thatcher, Graham County, Arizona, to Charles M. Clawson and Edna Allen. Raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he grew up in a predominantly rural environment in eastern Arizona. He attended Gila College in Thatcher in 1933 and 1934, receiving a foundational education that preceded his later work in business and public service. His early life in Arizona and his Latter-day Saint background helped shape the values and work ethic that would characterize his later political career.

By the late 1940s, Clawson had settled in California and became professionally involved in housing and community development. From 1947 to 1963, he served as manager of the Mutual Housing Association of Compton, a position that placed him at the center of local housing issues during a period of rapid postwar growth and demographic change in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. His work in this role provided him with practical experience in administration, budgeting, and community relations, and brought him into close contact with the concerns of residents in Compton and the surrounding region.

Clawson entered elective office at the municipal level in Compton. He was elected to the Compton City Council and served from 1953 to 1957, participating in city governance during a time of expanding suburban development. In 1957 he was elected mayor of Compton, California, a post he held until 1963. As mayor, he oversaw municipal services and local policy during a period of economic and social transition for the city, further establishing his reputation as a local leader and positioning him for higher office.

Following the death of Representative Clyde Doyle, Clawson was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-eighth Congress by special election in 1963 to represent a California district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was subsequently reelected to the seven succeeding Congresses, serving continuously from 1963 until his retirement at the end of his last term on December 31, 1978. During his sixteen years in Congress, Clawson participated in the democratic process at the national level, contributing to debates and legislation during a period marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and significant shifts in domestic policy. His long tenure reflected sustained support from his constituents and continuity of representation for his district.

Clawson’s congressional service coincided with a transformative era in American politics, and he was part of the Republican delegation from California as the state’s population and political influence expanded. Over eight terms in office, he worked within the committee and legislative structures of the House of Representatives to address both national issues and the specific needs of his Southern California district. His service in Congress concluded with his decision to retire rather than seek reelection in 1978, bringing to a close more than two decades of continuous public office at the municipal and federal levels.

After leaving Congress, Clawson withdrew from public life and lived in California during his later years. He died in Downey, California, on May 5, 1992. His career spanned local and national service, from city councilman and mayor of Compton to long-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives, reflecting a sustained commitment to public affairs over much of the mid-twentieth century.