Xavier Becerra

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Xavier Becerra
Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman of the United States House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2009
Preceded by John B. Larson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 31st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2003
Preceded by Hilda Solis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 30th district
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by Matthew G. Martínez
Succeeded by Henry Waxman
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 59th district
In office
1990–1992
Preceded by Charles Calderon
Succeeded by Dick Mountjoy
Personal details
Born January 26, 1958 (1958-01-26) (age 54)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Carolina Reyes
Residence Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater Stanford Law School (J.D.)
Stanford University (B.A.)
Occupation Attorney
Politician
Religion Roman Catholic

Xavier Becerra (English pronunciation: /hɑːviˈɛər bɨˈsɛrə/ "HAH-vee-air"; born January 26, 1958) is the U.S. Representative for California's 31st congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in Los Angeles.

Contents

[edit] Early life, education, and early career

Becerra was born in Sacramento, California, the son of working-class immigrants. He graduated in 1976 from C.K. McClatchy High School located in central city Sacramento. He went on to earn his B.A. in economics from Stanford University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School. He was initially a lawyer, working on cases involving individuals with mental impairment. He was also a staff member for California State Senator Art Torres and the Deputy Attorney-General of California. Becerra served one-term as a member of the California State Assembly before successfully running for Congress.

[edit] U.S. House of Representatives

[edit] Elections

1992

In 1992, after redistricting, incumbent Democratic U.S. Congressman Matthew Martínez of California's 30th congressional district decided to run in newly redrawn 31st district. Becerra, a Freshman Assemblyman, decided to run for congress in the Los Angeles based district. He won the Democratic primary with a plurality of 32% of the vote.[1] In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee Morry Waksberg 58%–24%.[2]

1994–2010

In 1994, he won re-election to a second term with 66%[3], the lowest re-election winning percentage of his career. After, he never won re-election with less than 72%. After redistricting, he ran for the 31st district.

2012

After redistricting, he announced in July 2011 that he would run in the newly redrawn California's 34th congressional district which he lives in and contains most of his current district.[4]

[edit] Tenure

Becerra is a prominent member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which he served as chairman during the 105th Congress. He was featured on The Colbert Reports Better Know a District on August 17, 2006.

On September 29, 2008 Becerra voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 because he "wanted to see direct protections for responsible homeowners" in the bill.[5]

Becerra considered running for Democratic Caucus Vice Chair for the 110th Congress; however, he deferred to John Larson when DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel decided to run for Caucus Chair, the position Larson had been running for. Instead, Becerra was appointed assistant to the Speaker of the House for the 110th Congress.

Before the opening of the 111th Congress, Emanuel accepted a position as White House Chief of Staff in the Obama Administration. Larson succeeded Emanuel as caucus chair, and Becerra won his bid to succeed Larson as Vice-Chair. He defeated Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote of 175–67.[6]

In 2011, Becerra successfully ran for a second-term as Vice-Chair to serve during the 112th Congress.

During the 111th Congress and 112th Congress, Becerra served on several high profile committees. On March 24, 2010 Becerra was appointed to serve on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (often called Bowles-Simpson/Simpson-Bowles). On August 11, 2011 Becerra was selected to serve on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the Super Committee). And on December 23, 2011 Becerra was appointed to serve on a bicameral conference committee to find bipartisan solutions on the middle class tax cuts, unemployment insurance, and the Medicare physician payment rate.

[edit] Committee assignments

[edit] Caucuses

[edit] Other political ambitions

[edit] 2001 run for L.A. Mayor

Becerra ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He finished with 6 percent of the primary vote, finishing behind businessman Steve Soboroff, Councilman Joel Wachs, former California State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and the eventual winner, then-City Attorney James Hahn.

[edit] Obama administration

On January 27, 2008, Becerra formally endorsed U.S. Senator Barack Obama for President.[7]

Becerra was considered for the position of US Trade Representative in the administration of President-elect Obama. While it was initially reported that he had already accepted,[8] on December 15, 2008, he announced that he would not accept the position.[9]

[edit] Personal life

Becerra is married to physician Carolina Reyes[10] and has three children. He owns a home in Chevy Chase, Maryland where his wife and three children reside.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

California Assembly
Preceded by
Charles Calderon
Member of the California State Assembly from the 59th district
1990–1992
Succeeded by
Dick Mountjoy
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Matthew G. Martínez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 30th congressional district

1993–2003
Succeeded by
Henry Waxman
Preceded by
Hilda Solis
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 31st congressional district

2003–present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
John B. Larson
Democratic Caucus Vice-Chairman of the United States House of Representatives
2009–present
Incumbent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Roscoe Bartlett
R-Maryland
United States Representatives by seniority
68th
Succeeded by
Sanford Bishop
D-Georgia
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