Juan Vargas

Juan Vargas
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 51st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Bob Filner
Member of the California State Senate from the 40th district
In office December 6, 2010 – January 2, 2013
Preceded by	Denise Moreno Ducheny
Succeeded by	Ben Hueso
Member of the California State Assembly from the 79th district
In office December 4, 2000 – December 4, 2006
Preceded by	Denise Moreno Ducheny
Succeeded by	Mary Salas
Member of San Diego City Council from the Eighth District
In office February 22, 1993 – December 4, 2000
Preceded by	Bob Filner
Succeeded by	Ralph Inzunza
Personal details
Born	(1961-03-07) March 7, 1961 National City, California
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Adrienne Vargas
Children	Rosa Celina Helena Jeanne
Residence	San Diego, California
Alma mater	Harvard Law School Fordham University University of San Diego
Occupation	Attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	Representative Juan Vargas

Juan C. Vargas (born March 7, 1961) is an American politician who has been the U.S. Representative for California's 51st congressional district since 2013. The district includes all of Imperial County as well as the southernmost portions of San Diego County.^[1] He is a Democrat.

Vargas previously served in the California State Senate representing the 40th District, the California State Assembly representing the 79th district, and the San Diego City Council.

Early life and education

Juan Vargas was born on an egg ranch in National City, California, where he grew up very poor. He is the third of ten children of Tomas and Celina Vargas, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the late 1940s as part of the Bracero program.^[2] Vargas graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA from University of San Diego and earned an MA in Humanities from Fordham University in New York City.

After college, Vargas joined the Jesuit Novitiate (introduction) in Santa Barbara. In the Jesuits, Vargas served in an orphanage in the civil-war-torn jungles of El Salvador. After leaving the Jesuits, he decided on law school and graduated in 1991 with a JD from Harvard Law School,^[3] making him a classmate of President Barack Obama.

Early political career (1992-2000)

1992 congressional election

In 1992, he decided to run for the newly created 50th Congressional District, which was based in San Diego. He lost the Democratic primary, ranking fourth with 19% of the vote. Bob Filner won the primary with a plurality of just 26%^[4] and went on to win the election.

San Diego City Council

Vargas served on the San Diego City Council from 1993–2000. While on the Council, he created "Operation Restore" to employ homeless individuals to remove graffiti and to rehabilitate homes.^[5]

1996 congressional election

In 1996, Vargas decided to challenge Filner in the Democratic primary. Vargas wouldn’t debate Filner, so the incumbent instead sparred with a life-sized Vargas cardboard cutout. Vargas said he agrees with Filner on “99 percent” of issues.^[6] Filner defeated him 55%-45%.^[7]

California State Assembly (2000-2007)

Elections

In 2000, Vargas decided to run for California's 79th State Assembly district. He defeated Republican Jon Parungao 77%-19%.^[8][9] In 2002, he defeated Republican Mark Fast 66%-30%.^[10] In 2004, he defeated Libertarian Eli Wallace Conroe 85%-15%.^[11]

Tenure

In his first year in the Assembly, he was appointed Assistant Majority Leader. He authored AB 188, which was legislation that bans smoking in children's playgrounds. He also introduced legislation aimed at protecting children from arcade video games. Vargas also authored legislation to mandate life sentences for people who commit violent sex crimes against children, which served as a model for Chelsea’s Law.^[12]

Committee assignments

• Business and Professions^[13]
• Insurance (Chair)^[14]

2006 congressional election

In 2006 Vargas decided to challenge Filner for a third time, this time in California's 51st congressional district. Vargas accused Filner of being a part of the culture of corruption of Washington, pointing out that Filner had paid his wife more than $500,000 in campaign funds for consulting services performed from their condominium in Washington. Filner in return argued that Vargas had controversial payments to his brother-in-law, who was a lobbyist for realtors.^[15][16] Filner defeated Vargas 51%-43%, with Danny Ramirez getting 6% of the vote.^[9][17][18]

Business career (2007-2009)

After leaving the State Assembly in 2006 due to term limits, Vargas took a job with a home, auto and small business insurance company, where he was tasked with creating jobs and outreach in diverse San Diego Communities as part of the company's diversity initiative. Vargas left that job at the end of 2009 to run as a Democratic candidate for the California State Senate.

California State Senate (2010-2013)

2010 election

In 2010 Vargas narrowly won a seat in the California State Senate, 40th District. He defeated Assemblywoman Mary Salas by 22 votes, after recounts in San Diego and Riverside counties. He resigned from the Senate effective January 2, 2013 so that he could take his seat as a Congressman. A special election to fill his seat was held in March 2013.^[19]

Committee assignments

Standing Committees

• Banking & Financial Institutions (Chair)
• Agriculture
• Business, Professions, and Economic Development
• Education
• Public Employment and Retirement

Subcommittee

• Education: Sustainable School Facilities

Joint Committee

• Rules^[20]

Select Committee

• Recovery, Reform, and Re-Alignment^[21]

U.S. House of Representatives (2012-Present)

2012 election

In 2012 when Filner announced he would retire from Congress to run for Mayor of San Diego, Vargas endorsed him despite their history of bitter rivalry.^[22] Vargas then ran for Filner's seat in the 51st district. In the open primary, he ranked first with 46% of the vote. Republican Michael Crimmins ranked second with 20%, Democratic State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny came in third with 15%, and four other candidates received single digit percentages.^[23] In November, he defeated Crimmins 71%-29%.^[24][25]

Tenure

He was sworn in on January 3, 2013.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
  • Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
  • Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
• Committee on House Administration

Personal life

He and his wife Adrienne live in the Golden Hill area of San Diego and have two daughters. During the 1999 armed conflict in Kosovo, Vargas welcomed a Kosovar refugee family into his family's home for nearly two years.^[3]

References

External links

• Congressman Juan Vargas official U.S. House website
• Juan Vargas for Congress
• Juan Vargas at DMOZ
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress