Gil Cisneros

Last updated

Cisneros was a Republican until 2008, but left the party because he felt it had become "too ideological" and switched to the Democratic Party. [13]

In 2017, he declared his candidacy against Ed Royce in the 2018 election for the United States House of Representatives to represent California's 39th congressional district . [11] [14] He specifically cited Royce's vote to repeal the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, as a reason he chose to run. [13] In January 2018, Royce announced he would retire rather than seek reelection to a 14th term. [15] Later, the election attracted national attention as the "weirdest race in the country" after the California Democratic Party and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee brokered a truce on negative campaigning between Cisneros and Andy Thorburn, who had each spent $6 million on their respective campaigns. [16]

Fears of a lockout by either party were not realized when Cisneros advanced to the November runoff election, finishing second in the June primary election to Republican former Assemblywoman Young Kim, [17] with 19.35% of the vote. [18] This election was rated a "Toss-up" by the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball. [19] The Associated Press called the election for Cisneros on November 17. [20]

2020

Cisneros lost to Young Kim by a margin of 1.2% in the 2020 House of Representatives election for California's 39th congressional district , in a rematch of the 2018 election.

2024

On September 18, 2023 Cisneros announced his intention to make a return to Congress by announcing his candidacy for the vacant 31st congressional district seat that became available with the retirement of Grace Napolitano. [21] Cisneros finished first in the primary, among ten candidates, and will face Republican Daniel Martinez in the November general election.


Tenure

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Biden administration

On April 12, 2021, the White House announced that Cisneros would be nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration; [22] his nomination was received on April 27. [23] On July 27, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) voted to advance Cisneros's nomination to the full chamber for a future vote. [23] [24] Cisneros was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on August 11, 2021 by voice vote, [25] and he was sworn in on August 24, 2021. [4]

Electoral history

Gil Cisneros
Gilbert Cisneros, Under Secretary of Defense.jpg
10th Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
In office
August 24, 2021 September 8, 2023
California's 39th congressional district election, 2018
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Young Kim 30,01921.2
Democratic Gil Cisneros27,46919.4
Republican Phil Liberatore20,25714.3
Democratic Andy Thorburn12,9909.2
Republican Shawn Nelson9,7506.9
Republican Bob Huff 8,6996.2
Democratic Sam Jammal7,6135.4
Democratic Mai-Khanh Tran7,4305.3
Democratic Herbert H. Lee5,9884.2
Republican Steven C. Vargas4,1442.9
Democratic Suzi Park Leggett2,0581.5
Republican John J. Cullum1,7471.2
No party preference Karen Lee Schatzle9030.6
No party preference Steve Cox8560.6
Republican Andrew Sarega8230.6
American Independent Sophia J. Alexander5230.4
American Independent Ted Alemayhu1760.1
Total votes141,445 100.0
General election
Democratic Gil Cisneros 126,002 51.6
Republican Young Kim 118,39148.4
Total votes229,860 100.0
California's 39th congressional district election, 2020
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Young Kim 83,94148.3
Democratic Gil Cisneros (incumbent)81,40246.9
No party preference Steve Cox8,2864.8
Total votes173,629 100.0
General election
Republican Young Kim 173,946 50.6
Democratic Gil Cisneros (incumbent)169,83749.4
Total votes343,783 100.0

Personal life

Cisneros and his wife Jacki have twin sons. [8] They own a home in Pico Rivera, [26] and lived in Newport Beach until they moved to Yorba Linda in late 2017, the year he began running for election. [11] Before Cisneros won the lottery, Jacki worked for KNBC in Los Angeles. [10] Gil currently resides in El Monte, California.

See also

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References

  1. "CISNEROS, Gil - Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress.
  2. 1 2 3 "Former Navy Vet, Lottery Winner Joins Race To Unseat GOP Congressman". Losangeles.cbslocal.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  3. "Democrat Cisneros wins OC's 39th district". November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness - The Honorable Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr". United States Department of Defense. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  5. "Cisneros to leave Pentagon in early September after controversial tenure". July 31, 2023.
  6. Altimari, Daniela (September 18, 2023). "Cisneros eyes open California seat for return to Congress". Roll Call. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. "¿Hispanos en Congreso de EE.UU. podrían producir cambios? | Voice of America - Spanish". www.vozdeamerica.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Republicans-turned-Democrats challenging O.C. GOP Congress members". Orange County Register. July 19, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  9. 1 2 L.S. Hall (June 24, 2015). "Lucky and Focused: A Lottery Winner Uses His Millions to Boost Hispanic Students — Inside Philanthropy". Insidephilanthropy.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "TV news employee in LA has $266M winning ticket". The San Diego Union-Tribune. May 6, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 Christine Mai-Duc (August 5, 2017). "Navy veteran/lottery winner to challenge Orange County Rep. Ed Royce for Congress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  12. David Callahan. "The Big Money Behind a New College Fund for Immigrant "DREAMers" — Inside Philanthropy". Insidephilanthropy.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  13. 1 2 "Lottery Winner to Challenge Royce in California". Rollcall.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  14. Wildermuth, John (April 21, 2018). "Lottery millionaire wins again: National Democrats help him in Orange County race". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  15. "Rep. Ed Royce of California to retire, the 8th GOP chairman to bow out ahead of midterms". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  16. "This is the weirdest race in the country". POLITICO. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  17. Robertson, Derek (June 6, 2018). "This is basically a home run for Democrats". Politico. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  18. "Gil Cisneros". Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  19. "California's 39th Congressional District election, 2018 - Ballotpedia" . Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  20. "Dem Gil Cisneros scores win in open-seat race in California". TheHill. November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  21. "Reference Guide". Roll Call. September 24, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  22. "President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate 11 Key Administration Leaders on National Security and Law Enforcement". The White House. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  23. 1 2 "PN426 — Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr — Department of Defense". congress.gov. United States Congress . Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  24. "SASC Advances Nominations of Del Toro, Cisneros, Miller, Karlin, Connor, 1,986 Military Promotions" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: Senate Armed Services Committee. July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  25. "PN426 - Nomination of Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr for Department of Defense, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". congress.gov. Library of Congress. August 11, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  26. "She won $266 million; chatted on 'Oprah'". Orange County Register. May 24, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 39th congressional district

2019–2021
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
2021–2023
Succeeded by
Ashish Vazirani
Acting
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative
Succeeded byas Former US Representative