William B. Ross

LOS ANGELES – William B. Ross, a groundbreaking political
consultant who worked on President Nixon’s campaigns, has died at
age 88.
William B. Ross

LOS ANGELES – William B. Ross, a groundbreaking political consultant who worked on President Nixon’s campaigns, has died at age 88.

Ross died Thursday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of complications following surgery.

He partnered with the late Herbert Baus in the 1950s and 1960s and their political public relations team was among the first to use techniques such as telephone polling and direct-mail campaign efforts. Ross also staged a political telethon urging voters to approve the sale of Chavez Ravine for construction of Dodger Stadium.

The Ross and Baus team helped get Pat Brown elected governor of California and aided Norris Poulson and Sam Yorty in their successful Los Angeles mayoral campaigns.

Born in Spokane, Wash., Ross graduated from University of Southern California.

He is survived by nine children, a brother and 19 grandchildren.