| George W. Downing | |
| Office: | Manhattan Beach City Judge |
| Term Start: | January 5, 1929 |
| Term End: | November 22, 1948 |
| Predecessor: | Llewellyn Price |
| Successor: | D. Clifford Higgins |
| State Assembly1: | California |
| District1: | 73rd |
| Term Start1: | January 4, 1915 |
| Term End1: | January 8, 1917 |
| Predecessor1: | Howard A. Peairs |
| Successor1: | Henry H. Yonkin |
| Birth Name: | George Washington Downing |
| Birth Date: | 22 February 1869 |
| Birth Place: | Minnesota, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Manhattan Beach, California, U.S. |
| Resting Place: | Pacific Crest Cemetery |
| Education: | University of Minnesota |
| Occupation: | Attorney |
| Party: | Socialist |
| Children: | George Jr. |
George Washington Downing (February 22, 1869 - November 22, 1948) was an American attorney and politician who served one term in the California State Assembly for the 73rd district from 1915 to 1917.[1] He was previously City Attorney of Perham, Minnesota,[2] and later served as Manhattan Beach City Judge from 1929 until his death.[3] [4]
Downing was one of three Socialists elected to the California State Assembly in 1914, the other two being Witten William Harris and Lewis A. Spengler.[5] Prior to his election, Downing had been a candidate in several races; in 1900, he ran for Otter Tail County Attorney as a Populist;[6] in 1904, he ran again as a Socialist;[7] in 1906, he ran for California Attorney General;[8] in 1908, he ran for Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge;[9] in 1911, he ran for Los Angeles City Auditor on the same ticket as Job Harriman;[10] and in 1912 he ran for State Assembly in the same district he would win two years later.[11] After he lost re-election in 1916, he returned to his law practice, and in 1924 was nominated as a presidential elector for Progressive Party candidate Robert La Follette.[12]