- published: 21 Oct 2014
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Graciela Flores Napolitano (born December 4, 1936) is the U.S. Representative for California's 38th congressional district, serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously served in the California State Assembly and the Norwalk, City Council.
Napolitano was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas. After high school, she married and moved with her husband to California where they raised five children.
Napolitano began her political career as a member of the Norwalk City Council, winning her first election in 1986 by a mere 28 votes. Four years later she won re-election by the highest margin of votes recorded in city history. In 1989, Napolitano was elevated by her council colleagues to serve as Mayor. During her council tenure, she focused much of her attention on providing access to constituents and on redevelopment and transportation issues to address the city's need for jobs and a more diversified economic base.
Napolitano made her way up through the ranks of Ford Motor Company for 21 years. Following her retirement in 1992, she was elected to the California Assembly, and became a leader on international trade, environmental protection, transportation and immigration. In 1996 she requested and received the creation of the first new California State Assembly Standing Committee in nine years, the Committee on International Trade, which she chaired until being termed out in 1998. In her six years in the Assembly, she also served as chair of the Women's Caucus and vice-chair of the Latino caucus.