Sylvia Garcia
Sylvia Garcia | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 29th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Gene Green |
Member of the Texas Senate from the 6th district | |
In office March 11, 2013 – January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Mario Gallegos Jr. |
Succeeded by | Carol Alvarado |
Member of the Harris County Commissioners Court | |
In office 2003–2010 | |
City Controller of Houston, Texas | |
In office 1998–2003 | |
Mayor | Lee P. Brown |
Succeeded by | Judy Johnson[1] |
Judge for the Houston Municipal Court System | |
In office 1983–1998 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia September 6, 1950 San Diego, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Texas Woman's University (B.A.) Texas Southern University (J.D.) |
Website | House website |
Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia[2] (born September 6, 1950) is an American politician who has been serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 29th congressional district since 2019. Her district covers much of eastern Houston. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented District 6 in the Texas Senate.
Contents
Early life and education[edit]
Sylvia Rodriguez Garcia was born in San Diego, Texas[3] and raised in Palito Blanco in west central Jim Wells County, the daughter of Luis and Antonia Rodriguez Garcia. She is the eighth of ten children.[4] Her family are Mexican Americans.[5]
After graduating from Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco High School,[3] Garcia attended Texas Woman's University on a scholarship. She graduated with a degree in social work. After completing her studies, she began her career as a social worker. She later received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law.[6]
Early political career[edit]
City of Houston[edit]
In the early 1980s, Houston Mayor Kathryn Whitmire appointed Garcia as presiding judge of the Houston Municipal System.[7] She served for an unprecedented five terms under two mayors.[8]
In 1998, Garcia became Houston city controller.[9]
Harris County[edit]
Garcia was elected to the Harris County Commissioner's Court in 2002. She was the first woman and first Latina elected to that post in her own right.[6] Her precinct featured a major base of operations for NASA, the nation's largest petrochemical complex, the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston, the sixth largest port in the world.[9]
Garcia was defeated for reelection to the Harris County Commissioner's Court in 2010 by Republican Jack Morman.[10]
Texas Senate[edit]
In 2013, Garcia defeated State Representative Carol Alvarado in a special election runoff to replace the late state Senator Mario Gallegos.[11]
Garcia took the oath of office for state senator on March 11, 2013.[12] She served on the Criminal Justice, Intergovernmental Relations, Natural Resources and Economic Development, and Transportation committees.[13] Garcia ran unopposed in the 2016 general election.[14]
U. S. House of Representatives[edit]
Elections[edit]
1992 Primary election[edit]
While still serving as a municipal judge, Garcia ran in the Democratic primary for the newly-created 29th congressional seat in 1992. She finished third in the five-way primary–the real contest in this heavily Democratic, Latino-majority district– behind City Councilman Ben Reyes and State Senator Gene Green.[15] Green went on to win the runoff, and would hold the seat for 26 years.
2018 General Election[edit]
Green announced his retirement in November 2017, and Garcia–who by then held the state senate seat Green once held–entered a crowded seven-way Democratic primary. The district was still a Democratic stronghold, and whoever won the primary would be an overwhelming favorite in November. Garcia got a significant boost when Green endorsed her as his successor, saying that "she's a legislator, and that's what a member of Congress should be."[16] She easily won the primary with 63 percent of the vote.[17] Garcia handily won the November 6, 2018 general election over Republican candidate Phillip Aronoff. She and Veronica Escobar became the first Latina congresswomen from Texas.[18][19]
Tenure[edit]
On January 15, 2020, Garcia was selected as one of seven impeachment managers who will present the impeachment case against President Donald Trump during his trial before the United States Senate.[20]
Committee assignments[edit]
Caucus memberships[edit]
Electoral history[edit]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Sylvia Garcia | 11,659 | 63.2 | |
Democratic | Tahir Javed | 3,817 | 20.7 | |
Democratic | Roel Garcia | 1,217 | 6.6 | |
Democratic | Hector Morales | 562 | 3.0 | |
Democratic | Augustine H. Reyes | 524 | 2.8 | |
Democratic | Dominique Michelle Garcia | 472 | 2.6 | |
Democratic | Pedro Valencia | 192 | 1.1 | |
Total votes | 18,443 | 100.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Sylvia Garcia | 88,188 | 75.1 | |
Republican | Phillip Aronoff | 28,098 | 23.9 | |
Libertarian | Cullen Burns | 1,199 | 1.0 | |
Independent | Johnathan Garza (write-in) | 9 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 117,494 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Positions[edit]
LGBT rights[edit]
Garcia supports the Equality Act, a bill that would expand the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.[23] She voted in favor of the bill in 2019.[24]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Judy Johnson, City Controller
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-06-23. Retrieved 2019-06-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-06-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ José Angel Gutiérrez. Oral History Interview with Sylvia García, 1999 Archived 2018-12-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Guadalupe, Patricia (2019-03-06). "Rep. Sylvia García is honored with the Edward Roybal Award for Public Service". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
- ^ a b "Senator Sylvia Garcia: District 6". Texas State Senate. Archived from the original on 2013-03-09.
- ^ "History in the making in this year's election". University of Houston–Clear Lake. Archived from the original on 2013-04-20. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
- ^ "TMSL Alumni". Texas Southern University. Archived from the original on 2012-06-03.
- ^ a b "Texas State Directory". Texas State Directory. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
- ^ "Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia loses seat to political newcomer". KHOU. Archived from the original on 2010-12-08.
- ^ "Sylvia Garcia Defeats Alvarado in Senate Runoff". News 92 FM. Archived from the original on 2013-03-05.
- ^ "Sylvia Garcia, newest state senator, sworn in". KXAN. Archived from the original on 2013-03-14.
- ^ "Texas Senators". State of Texas. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-24.
- ^ "Texas 6th District State Senate Results: Sylvia Garcia Wins". New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "1992 congressional primary". Archived from the original on 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- ^ Shay, Miya (2018-03-06). "Senator Garcia expected to take Congressman Gene Green's seat in Congress". KTRK-TV. Archived from the original on 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- ^ "2018 congressional primary". Archived from the original on 2018-03-08. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- ^ "Veronica Escobar is closer to making House history in Texas". Elpasotimes.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
- ^ "Veronica Escobar on path to make Latina, Texas history after Congress primary victory". khou.com. March 12, 2018. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
- ^ Wilkie, Christina (2020-01-15). "Pelosi taps Schiff, Nadler and 5 others as Trump impeachment managers". CNBC. Archived from the original on 2020-01-15. Retrieved 2020-01-15.
- ^ "2018 Primary Election Official Results". Texas Secretary of State. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ^ "Texas Election Results". Texas Secretary of State. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "House Debate on the Equality Act". C-SPAN. May 17, 2019. Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 217". Archived from the original on 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2019-05-18.
External links[edit]
- Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia official U.S. House website
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
Texas Senate | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Mario Gallegos Jr. |
Member of the Texas Senate from the 6th district 2013–2018 |
Succeeded by Carol Alvarado |
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
Preceded by Gene Green |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 29th congressional district 2019–present |
Incumbent |
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Chuy García |
United States Representatives by seniority 365th |
Succeeded by Jared Golden |
116th | Senate: J. Cornyn • T. Cruz | House: E. B. Johnson • L. Doggett • S. J. Lee • M. Thornberry • K. Brady • K. Granger • M. Burgess • J. Carter • M. Conaway • H. Cuellar • L. Gohmert • A. Green • K. Marchant • M. McCaul • P. Olson • B. Flores • J. Castro • M. Veasey • F. Vela Jr. • R. Weber • R. Williams • B. Babin • W. Hurd • J. Ratcliffe • J. Arrington • V. Gonzalez • M. Cloud • C. Allred • D. Crenshaw • V. Escobar • S. Garcia • L. Gooden • L. Fletcher • C. Roy • V. Taylor • R. Wright |
- 1950 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- County commissioners in Texas
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas
- People from Jim Wells County, Texas
- People from Houston
- Texas Democrats
- Texas Southern University alumni
- Texas state senators
- Texas Woman's University alumni
- Thurgood Marshall School of Law alumni
- Women state legislators in Texas
- American politicians of Mexican descent
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics