Cristina Garcia
Cristina Garcia (Democratic Party) was a member of the California State Assembly, representing District 58. She assumed office on December 3, 2012. She left office on December 5, 2022.
Garcia (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California's 42nd Congressional District. She lost in the primary on June 7, 2022.
On February 9, 2018, Garcia announced that she was taking unpaid leave from her position in the Assembly due to an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.[1] On May 17, she was stripped of her committee assignments after the state Assembly investigation into her actions concluded. To read more, click here.
Biography
Cristina Garcia lives in Los Angeles, California. Garcia earned a bachelor's degree from Pomona College and a master's degree and secondary teaching credential from Claremont Graduate University.[2]
Committee assignments
2021-2022
Garcia was assigned to the following committees:
- Legislative Budget Committee
- Banking and Finance Committee
- Budget Committee
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
- Natural Resources Committee
- Utilities and Energy Committee
- Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee
2019-2020
Garcia was assigned to the following committees:
- Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee
- Budget Committee
- Natural Resources Committee
- Utilities and Energy Committee
- Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee
- Climate Change Policies Committee, Chair
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Budget |
| • Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials |
| • Judiciary |
| • Natural Resources, Chair |
| • Utilities and Energy |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Garcia served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Governmental Organization |
| • Judiciary |
| • Natural Resources |
| • Utilities and Commerce |
| • Water, Parks and Wildlife |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Garcia served on the following committees:
| California committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Human Services |
| • Judiciary |
| • Natural Resources |
| • Utilities and Commerce |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: California's 42nd Congressional District election, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. House California District 42
Robert Garcia defeated John Briscoe in the general election for U.S. House California District 42 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Robert Garcia (D) | 68.4 | 99,217 |
 | John Briscoe (R) | 31.6 | 45,903 | |
| Total votes: 145,120 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 42
The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 42 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Robert Garcia (D) | 46.7 | 43,406 |
| ✔ | | John Briscoe (R) | 26.1 | 24,319 |
 | Cristina Garcia (D) | 12.6 | 11,685 | |
 | Peter Mathews (D) | 3.7 | 3,415 | |
 | Nicole López (D) | 3.4 | 3,164 | |
 | Julio Cesar Flores (G) | 2.7 | 2,491 | |
 | William Summerville (D) | 2.5 | 2,301 | |
 | Joaquín Beltrán (D) | 2.4 | 2,254 | |
| Total votes: 93,035 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Angel Rios (Independent)
- Saul Castillo (D)
2020
See also: California State Assembly elections, 2020
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 58
Incumbent Cristina Garcia defeated Margaret Villa in the general election for California State Assembly District 58 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cristina Garcia (D) | 74.9 | 122,864 |
 | Margaret Villa (G) | 25.1 | 41,100 | |
| Total votes: 163,964 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 58
Incumbent Cristina Garcia and Margaret Villa advanced from the primary for California State Assembly District 58 on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cristina Garcia (D) | 77.3 | 55,553 |
| ✔ | | Margaret Villa (G) | 22.7 | 16,295 |
| Total votes: 71,848 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for California State Assembly District 58
Incumbent Cristina Garcia defeated Michael Simpfenderfer in the general election for California State Assembly District 58 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cristina Garcia (D) | 70.4 | 84,003 |
 | Michael Simpfenderfer (R) | 29.6 | 35,301 | |
| Total votes: 119,304 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for California State Assembly District 58
The following candidates ran in the primary for California State Assembly District 58 on June 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cristina Garcia (D) | 28.9 | 14,509 |
| ✔ | | Michael Simpfenderfer (R) | 26.4 | 13,246 |
 | Pedro Aceituno (D) | 12.7 | 6,386 | |
| Karla Salazar (D) | 9.2 | 4,603 | |
| Friné Medrano (D) | 8.9 | 4,447 | |
| Ivan Altamirano (D) | 7.6 | 3,809 | |
| John Paul Drayer (D) | 3.3 | 1,653 | |
| Miguel Angel Alvarado (D) | 3.1 | 1,568 | |
| Total votes: 50,221 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election was held on June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 25, 2016, for candidates filing with signatures. The deadline for candidates using a filing fee to qualify was March 11, 2016.[3]
Incumbent Cristina Garcia defeated Ramiro Alvarado in the California State Assembly District 58 general election.[4][5]
| California State Assembly, District 58 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Cristina Garcia Incumbent |
75.33% | 105,170 | |
| Republican | Ramiro Alvarado | 24.67% | 34,449 | |
| Total Votes | 139,619 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Cristina Garcia and Ramiro Alvarado were unopposed in the California State Assembly District 58 Blanket primary.[6][7]
| California State Assembly, District 58 Blanket Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Cristina Garcia Incumbent | |
| Republican | Ramiro Alvarado | |
2014
Elections for the California State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 3, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 7, 2014. Incumbent Cristina Garcia (D) was unopposed in the blanket primary and was unopposed in the general election.[8][9][10]
2012
Garcia won election in the 2012 election for California State Assembly District 58. She advanced past the blanket primary on June 5, 2012, defeating Tom Calderon (D), Daniel Crespo (D), Sultan Ahmad (D), and Luis Marquez (D). Garcia defeated Patricia Kotze-Ramos (R) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[11][12][13]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Cristina Garcia |
71.8% | 91,019 | |
| Republican | Patricia A. Kotze-Ramos | 28.2% | 35,676 | |
| Total Votes | 126,695 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Sultan Ahmad | 3.7% | 1,197 | |
| Democratic | Tom Calderon | 22.7% | 7,290 | |
| Democratic | Daniel Crespo | 6.5% | 2,096 | |
| Democratic | Cristina Garcia |
26.6% | 8,517 | |
| Democratic | Luis Marquez | 12.3% | 3,946 | |
| Republican | Patricia Kotze-Ramos |
28.1% | 9,015 | |
| Total Votes | 32,061 | |||
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Cristina Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Cristina Garcia did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of California scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3 to August 31.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's position legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the chamber.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to labor.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on LGBT issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on issues related to the interests of health care consumers.
- Legislators are scored on how they voted on taxpayer-related issues.
- Legislators are scored on issues related to sexual and reproductive health.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on issues related to sexual and reproductive health.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills supported or opposed by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.
- Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to the interests of home care providers.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the California State Legislature was in session from December 7 to September 10.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the California State Legislature was in session from January 6 to August 31.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the California State Legislature was in session from January 7 through September 13.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the California State Legislature was in session from January 3, 2018 through August 31, 2018.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the California State Legislature was in session from December 5, 2016 through September 15, 2017.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the California State Legislature was in session from January 4 through August 31. The formal session ended on August 31, but constitutionally the session adjourned sine die on November 30.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the California State Legislature was in session from December 1, 2014, through September 12, 2015.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the California State Legislature was in session from January 6 to August 30.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the California State Legislature was in session from December 3, 2012, to September 13, 2013
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the California State Legislature was in session from January 4 to August 31.
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Noteworthy events
Removal from committees following sexual misconduct investigation (2018)
On May 17, 2018, the California State Assembly issued a report on investigations into allegations against Garcia. The report did not confirm the allegations. Speaker Anthony Rendon (D) stripped her of her committee assignments and issued the following statement: "Despite the decision that the most egregious allegations could not be substantiated, it is clear that Assemblymember Garcia has engaged in a pattern of behavior that must be addressed." He said she would have to attend sexual harassment training when she returned from her leave of absence.[14]
On February 8, the Washington Post and Politico reported that Garcia, a high profile figure in the late 2017 response to sexual misconduct, was being investigated for the harassment of former staffer Daniel Fierro. Fierro said that Garcia attempted to grope him in 2014 while she was inebriated at the Assembly's annual softball game. He reported the alleged incident in January 2018 and it was referred to the Assembly Rules Committee for investigation.[15]
In response to the allegations, Garcia said, “Every complaint about sexual harassment should be taken seriously and I will participate fully in any investigation that takes place. The details of these claims have never been brought to my attention until today. I can confirm that I did attend the 2014 legislative softball game with a number of members and my staff. I can also say I have zero recollection of engaging in inappropriate behavior and such behavior is inconsistent with my values.” On February 9, Garcia announced that she was taking unpaid leave from her position in the Assembly while the investigation into these allegations takes place.[1]
Politico also reported that an unnamed male lobbyist was alleging that Garcia attempted to grope him in May 2017. He did not report the alleged incident.[16]
On February 15, Politico reported that four former Garcia employees were claiming that she kept alcohol in her Assembly office and regularly talked about her sex life, including saying, "having sex with other elected officials was a good way of getting information." They also said that Garcia required them to assist with her personal tasks at times, such as taking care of her pets.
In response, Garcia said, “I am confident I have consistently treated my staff fairly and respectfully. In a fast-paced legislative office, not everyone is the right fit for every position and I do understand how a normal employment decision could be misinterpreted.”[17]
On February 18, Politico reported that former Garcia staffer David John Kernick had filed a formal complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing claiming that he was fired from his job in retaliation for questioning the appropriateness of an alleged incident where Garcia asked a group of staffers to play the kissing game Spin the Bottle while they were intoxicated. Kernick said the game never occurred after Garcia suggested it. He also said that Garcia wrote him up for insubordination after he brought the alleged incident up with her and then fired him two days later.[18]
On February 19, a letter from Kernick's personnel file signed by former Garcia Chief of Staff Tim Reardon was leaked around the state capitol. Reardon had previously criticized Kernick. Kernick's attorney accused Reardon of leaking the letter, a charge which Reardon denied. In response to the leaked letter, Christine Pelosi, the legal counsel for #WeSaidEnough, said, “Obviously, it’s improper. It’s a violation of privacy, and it does nothing to counter the narrative for a boss that was accused of being very vindictive. In fact, it seems to confirm it…Whoever thought they were helping Cristina Garcia did her no favors.”[19]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Los Angeles Times, "Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia to take leave of absence during investigation of misconduct allegations," February 9, 2018
- ↑ California State Assembly, “Assemblymember Cristina Garcia” accessed September 27, 2019
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Key Dates and Deadlines," accessed April 18, 2017
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for the November 8, 2016, General Election," accessed September 7, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "2016 General Election results," accessed December 23, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices," accessed April 4, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2014 Primary election candidate list," accessed March 27, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed December 14, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 Primary election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Official 2012 General election results," accessed March 13, 2014
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia disciplined for sexual harassment as investigation comes to a close," May 17, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Female California lawmaker behind #MeToo push is accused of groping male staffer," February 9, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "#MeToo movement lawmaker investigated for sexual misconduct allegations," February 8, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Playbook," February 15, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "‘Spin the bottle’ and a kegerator: #MeToo movement lawmaker faces new sexual misconduct allegations," February 18, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "California Playbook," February 20, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
California State Assembly District 58 2012-2022 |
Succeeded by Sabrina Cervantes (D) |
