Ellis Ellwood Patterson (November 28, 1897 – August 25, 1985) was a one-term Democratic California congressman. Born in Yuba City, California, he served as representative from 1945 to 1947. He also served in the California State Assembly from 1933 to 1939, and as the 33rd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1939 to 1943.

Early life and career

Born in Yuba City, California, Patterson attended public schools and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1921. He served as a seaman in the United States Navy in 1917 and 1918 during World War I, and taught school in Colusa County, California from 1922 to 1924. From 1923 to 1932, Patterson served as the district superintendent of schools for South Monterey County, California. He also studied law at Stanford University and the University of California from 1931 to 1936. He was admitted to the bar in 1937 and commenced law practice in Sacramento and Los Angeles.

Political career

Patterson served as a member of the California State Assembly for the 35th district from 1931 to 1939. In 1936, after being defeated in the primaries in his second re-election bid, Patterson waged a write-in campaign and won the election. Originally elected as a Republican, Patterson switched his party affiliation to Democrat after becoming enamored with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. After gaining publicity for his write-in Assembly campaign, Patterson was elected Lieutenant Governor of California, and served from 1939 to 1943. He was defeated in 1942. He was elected as a Democrat to the 79th United States Congress in 1944. In 1946, he did not seek renomination for his House seat, but instead was an unsuccessful candidate for nomination for the United States Senate. Patterson was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 81st United States Congress in 1948, and resumed the practice of law. In his 1948 bid for Congress, Patterson ran as a Democrat and a supporter of Henry Wallace for President. He won the nomination of the Independent Progressive Party through California's cross-filing system.

Later career and death

He was a resident of Los Angeles until his death there, of cancer, on August 25, 1985.