16 Facts About Matthew Harper

Matthew Harper was born in Long Beach, California, and lived briefly in Colorado, but grew up in Westminster and Huntington Beach.

Matthew Harper is a graduate of Huntington Beach High School.

Matthew Harper earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from USC in Los Angeles, California.

Matthew Harper was first elected to the Huntington Beach Union High School District in 1998, re-elected with the most votes in 2002, and named to an uncontested third term in 2006.

In 2012, Matthew Harper was chosen by the mayors of the Second District to the Orange County Transportation Authority Board of Directors.

In 2013, Matthew Harper became the 59th Mayor of Huntington Beach, California, until 2014.

Matthew Harper subsequently served as member of the California State Assembly for District 74, encompassing the coastal Orange County communities of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Woods, and Laguna Beach for two terms.

In 2011, Matthew Harper served as an appointee to the five-member Orange County Redistricting Committee.

For two years, Matthew Harper was the elected Chairman for the Young Republican Federation of California and served on their state board for over ten years.

Locally, Matthew Harper has been elected to several terms to the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee.

Matthew Harper has served on the executive committee for the OCGOP.

Statewide, Matthew Harper served as the elected Associate Representative to the California Republican Party.

Matthew Harper served two terms and was defeated in the 2018 General election by Democrat Cottie Petrie-Norris.

Matthew Harper continues as a delegate to the California Republican Party.

In 2020, Matthew Harper was a candidate for Huntington Beach city council and lost, placing 7th out of 15 candidates.

In 2022, Matthew Harper was a candidate for the California Board of Equalization and lost, placing 4th out of 7 candidates.