He and his wife Cheryl (a licensed landscape designer) resided in Redwood City, California; the couple had no children.

[1] In November 2006 Ruskin was re-elected to the California State Assembly by a wide margin, 67.4% to his challenger Virginia Chang Kiraly's 32.6%.

[2] Ruskin was the recipient of the first-ever award from DAWN (a Democratic feminist organization) to a man for "excellent work performed on behalf of freedom and equality for women."

He helped bring attention to the plight of the Bosnian Muslim women in a public forum which included the live transatlantic interview of rape camp survivors.

[3] In May 2011 Ruskin told friends he had been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor and was withdrawing from the political arena to concentrate on his health.