Laurence Allen 'Larry' Elder (born April 27, 1952, in Los Angeles, California) is an American conservative political commentator, talk radio host, attorney, lawyer, author, and former California gubernatorial candidate. The son of Viola and Randolph Elder, a cafe owner, he grew up in a working-class family in South Central Los Angeles. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Brown University in 1974 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977. After practicing law at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Cleveland (1977–1980), he founded his own firm, Larry A. Elder & Associates, focusing on business law before transitioning to media in the 1990s. Elder launched The Larry Elder Show on KABC in Los Angeles in 1994; it became locally popular and was nationally syndicated through ABC Radio Networks (2002–2007) and later Salem Media Group (2015–2022), focusing on politics, race, and economics from a libertarian-leaning conservative perspective—often summarized as 'a government that governs less governs best.' He has authored several books on politics, race, and personal responsibility, and has produced documentaries like 'Uncle Tom' (2020). In 2021, he ran as a Republican candidate in the California gubernatorial recall election, finishing second but not advancing to the final ballot. Beyond radio, Elder has appeared in television, film, and as a columnist, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His career spans law, media, and politics, positioning him as a prominent voice in conservative circles, often critiquing government overreach, affirmative action, and liberal policies.