Raul Ruiz (politician)

Raul Ruiz
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 36th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Mary Bono Mack
Personal details
Born	(1972-08-25) August 25, 1972 Zacatecas, Mexico
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Monica Rivers
Alma mater	University of California, Los Angeles Harvard University
Religion	Seventh-day Adventism[1]
Website	House website

Raul Ruiz (born August 25, 1972) is an American medical doctor and politician. A Democrat, he has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since winning election in 2012.^[2] In what was considered a major upset,^[3] Ruiz defeated redistricted, incumbent Republican representative Mary Bono Mack in the November 2012 general election in California's 36th congressional district. Ruiz was reelected to Congress in the 2014 election, after what was considered one of the most competitive congressional races in the country.^[4]

Early life and education

Ruiz was born on August 25, 1972^[5] in Zacatecas, Mexico^[6] and raised in Coachella, California.^[7] His parents were farmworkers.^[8] He graduated from Coachella Valley High School at age 17, and went to UCLA in 1990, graduating magna cum laude before attending Harvard Medical School.^[7] He was the first Hispanic to receive three graduate degrees from Harvard University: an M.D. from the Harvard Medical School; an M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government; and an M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health.^[7]

In 1997, while attending Harvard as a medical student, Ruiz participated in an annual Thanksgiving protest in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Ruiz was one of 25 people arrested at the event. The charges were later dropped as part of a deal that also dismissed claims of police brutality.^[9]

Two years later, in 1999, Ruiz took part in another Thanksgiving protest at which he read a letter of support for Leonard Peltier, who was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents during a 1975 conflict on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. During the 2012 congressional campaign, the incident was used as an attack by his opponent, Mary Bono Mack. In response, Ruiz's campaign stated that he had not supported Peltier.^[9][10]

Medical career

After graduating from Harvard University, Ruiz spent time working abroad in Mexico, El Salvador, and Serbia, before taking a job as an emergency physician at the Eisenhower Medical Center, a nonprofit hospital in the Coachella Valley. He founded the Coachella Valley Healthcare Initiative in 2010. In 2011, he became senior associate dean at the School of Medicine at University of California, Riverside.^[7][11]

In 2012, he received a Commander's Award for Public Service from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division for his humanitarian efforts for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[7] Ruiz's background as a physician has gained him attention for several incidents in which he has provided medical aid to fellow airline passengers, including conservative columnist Lisa De Pasquale.^[12]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2012

Ruiz ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2012 as a first-time candidate in California's 36th congressional district. The district had previously been the 45th, represented by 15-year incumbent Mary Bono Mack. While Ruiz was initially regarded as a long shot to win,^[13] he gained traction in the polls in the months before the November election. He was endorsed by Bill Clinton in October 2012.^[13] He was elected with 52.9% of the vote, to Bono Mack's 47.1%.^[14] Upon taking office in January 2013, Ruiz became the first Democrat to represent this district since its creation in 1983 (it had been the 37th from 1983 to 1993, the 44th from 1993 to 2003, and the 45th from 2003 to 2013).

2014

Ruiz ran for re-election in 2014. He competed in the top-two primary on June 3, 2014, finishing first with 50.3% of the vote.^[15][16] Ruiz then faced Republican nominee and state assemblyman Brian Nestande in the general election, which took place November 4, 2014.^[17] Despite being considered one of the most vulnerable incumbent members of the House of Representatives, Ruiz was re-elected with 54.2% of the vote, to Nestande's 45.8%.

Tenure

In April 2013, Ruiz introduced his first bill, the SelectUSA Authorization Act of 2013. The bill would incentivize international corporations to invest in creating manufacturing jobs in the United States rather than overseas.^[18] The bill has not been voted on by the House.^[19]

In April 2013, Ruiz voted for CISPA, which would allow for the sharing of Internet traffic information between the U.S. government and technology and manufacturing companies.^[20]

In May 2013, Ruiz voted against repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.^[21][22] During his 2012 campaign for Congress, Ruiz stated his support for the Affordable Care Act. As full implementation of the law began in late 2013, its popularity with the public plummeted as many Americans had their policies canceled due to lacking coverage requirements mandated by the law,^[23] and the federal health care online exchange had many technical problems that delayed the ability to sign up to new plans.^[24]

Ruiz voted against the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortions that take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.^[25]

In August 2014, a family emergency prevented Ruiz from casting votes on two immigration bills.^[26]

Ruiz voted on Nov. 19, 2015, for HR 4038, legislation that would effectively halt the resettlement of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the United States. ^[27]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Health

Personal

Ruiz married Monica Rivers in 2014.^[28] Their twin daughters were born in March 2015.^[29] He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist church.

See also

• Physicians in US Congress

References

External links

• Congressman Raul Ruiz official U.S. House site
• Raul Ruiz for Congress
• Raul Ruiz 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