California New Members 2019
Rep.-elect Josh Harder (D-Calif.-10)
DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 1, 1986
RESIDENCE: Turlock, Calif.
OCCUPATION: Businessman, teacher
EDUCATION: B.A., Stanford University; MBA, M.P.P., Harvard University
FAMILY: Wife, Pamela
At 32, political newcomer Josh Harder is heading to Congress having defeated four-term incumbent Rep. Jeff DenhamJeffrey (Jeff) John DenhamBottom line Bottom line Lobbying world MORE (R) to represent the district centered on Modesto.
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Harder is coming to politics from a business background. He first worked at Boston Consulting Group and later in venture capital at Bessemer Venture Partners in San Francisco. Between his time at those firms, Harder did a stint in Africa working for the Gates Foundation and other nonprofits to help farmers.
Harder eventually left the venture capital world to return to the Central Valley and began teaching business at a local community college.
Harder focused his campaign on tapping into his technology industry ties and the impact of President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s policies on immigration and health care in the agriculture-heavy area.
Rep.-elect Katie Hill (D-Calif.-25)
DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 25, 1987
RESIDENCE: Agua Dulce, Calif.
OCCUPATION: Nonprofit executive
EDUCATION: B.A., M.P.A., M.A., California State University, Northridge
FAMILY: Husband, Kenny
Katie Hill defeated two-term Rep. Steve KnightStephen (Steve) Thomas KnightThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by The American Investment Council – Pelosi touts T bill as Fauci stresses go-slow openings The Hill’s Campaign Report: A Los Angeles House seat is in play for Republicans Democrats on edge over California special election nail-biter MORE (R) to give California’s 25th District its first Democratic representative in more than 20 years.
The north Los Angeles County district is almost evenly split among registered Democrats and Republicans and voted for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE in the 2016 election.
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Hill, a centrist, grew up in the district. In her campaign, she argued she could best represent the purple district.
Prior to her candidacy, Hill served as the executive director of People Assisting the Homeless, a California nonprofit that provides services to the homeless.
Hill identifies as bisexual and made LGBT issues a central part of her campaign. She also ran on a platform of supporting affordable health care, questioning Knight at a town hall in 2017 about his support of the effort to repeal ObamaCare.
Rep. Jimmy GomezJimmy GomezHouse Democrat reintroduces bill to reduce lobbyist influence John Kerry: GOP lawmaker against coronavirus package ‘tested positive for being an —hole’ Lawmakers highlight flights back to DC for huge coronavirus vote MORE (D-Calif.-34)
DATE OF BIRTH: Nov. 25, 1974
RESIDENCE: Eagle Rock, Calif.
OCCUPATION: Lawmaker
EDUCATION: B.A., University of California, Los Angeles; M.A., John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
FAMILY: Wife, Mary Hodge
Rep. Jimmy Gomez will return to the House of Representatives after taking over the seat left open last year by former Rep. Xavier BecerraXavier BecerraOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Park Police chief insists tear gas wasn’t used despite reports| Energy headquarters to reopen next week OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump official violated ethics rules in seeking EPA job for relative, watchdog finds| Trump administration aims to buy uranium for reserve ‘as soon as possible,’ official says| 18 states fight conservative think tank effort to freeze fue 18 states fight conservative think tank effort to freeze fuel efficiency standards MORE (D-Calif.), who went on to become California’s attorney general.
In the California State Assembly, Gomez rose to become chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee and majority whip.
Gomez’s election to replace Becerra generated some controversy, as Gov. Jerry Brown (D) tried to delay Gomez’s swearing-in until after a crucial vote in the Assembly.
But in Washington, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyHouse Republicans hopeful about bipartisan path forward on police reform legislation Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names McConnell: States should make decision on Confederate statues MORE (R-Calif.) pushed to accelerate Gomez’s swearing-in, and successfully forced the move before the California vote.
Before his election to the Assembly, Gomez served as political director for the United Nurses of California.
Gomez is the son of Mexican immigrants.
Rep.-elect Harley Rouda (D-Calif.-48)
DATE OF BIRTH: Dec. 10, 1961
RESIDENCE: Laguna Beach, Calif.
OCCUPATION: Businessman
EDUCATION: B.S., University of Kentucky; J.D., Capital University; MBA, Ohio State University
FAMILY: Wife, Kaira; four children
Only 125 votes helped Harley Rouda secure the second spot in the primary for California’s 48th District. That slim margin allowed him to move on to the general election, where he beat a GOP giant.
Rouda defeated 15-term Rep. Dana RohrabacherDana Tyrone RohrabacherDemocrat Harley Rouda advances in California House primary Lawyers to seek asylum for Assange in France: report Rohrabacher tells Yahoo he discussed pardon with Assange for proof Russia didn’t hack DNC email MORE to flip the staunchly Republican district to the Democratic column.
Rouda was a Republican for decades before he switched parties. He largely funded his own campaign against Rohrabacher, a vocal Trump supporter, in the Southern California district.
Democrats saw an opening after the district voted for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, even though it had favored Rohrabacher by double digits for years.
Rouda emerged from the brutal primary in which Democrats questioned his vote for John Kasich in the 2016 presidential election and his 2017 party switch.
A first-time candidate, he entered politics after a prominent business career as the head of real estate services firm Trident Holdings Inc.
Rep.-elect Mike Levin (D-Calif.-49)
DATE OF BIRTH: Oct. 28, 1978
RESIDENCE: San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
OCCUPATION: Lawyer
EDUCATION: B.A., Stanford University; J.D., Duke University School of Law
FAMILY: Wife, Chrissy; two children
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Mike Levin is taking over retiring Republican Rep. Darrell IssaDarrell Edward IssaGOP sues California over Newsom’s vote-by-mail order Conservative group files challenge to California vote-by-mail order New poll shows tight race in key California House race MORE’s seat in Congress.
Levin, an environmental attorney and former head of the Orange County Democratic Party, defeated California State Board of Equalization member Diane Harkey (R) in the general election to put the Southern California district in the Democratic column.
Levin had announced his bid before Issa made public his plans to retire. Issa’s decision to retire from the district he has held since 2001, though, set off a hotly contested primary with 16 candidates.
Levin was raised in Southern California before going to Stanford University. After law school at Duke University, he returned to the Golden State to be an environmental lawyer. Levin has pushed for California to adopt clean energy initiatives and serves on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy in San Diego.
Levin, whose mother is Mexican-American, received the endorsement of Bold PAC, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’s campaign arm.
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