Assemblymember Charles Calderon served in the Assembly from 1982 until his election to the California Senate in 1990.  In September 1996, he became the first Latino elected as Senate Majority Leader. He had also served on the Montebello School Board and as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

Charles Calderon is the oldest of three brothers who have served in the California legislature. His youngest brother, Ron Calderon, was elected to the State Senate in 2006. His middle brother, Thomas Calderon, served in the State Assembly from 1998 to 2002.