Jimmy Gomez

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Jimmy Gomez
Born25 11, 1974
BirthplaceOrange County, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationPolitician, former labor organizer
Known forU.S. Representative for California's 34th congressional district
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
Harvard University (MPP)
Children1
Website[gomez.house.gov Official site]

Jimmy Gomez (born November 25, 1974) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for California's 34th congressional district since July 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Gomez represents a district that encompasses several neighborhoods in Los Angeles, including Eagle Rock, Boyle Heights, Downtown Los Angeles, and Koreatown. Born in Orange County, California, to a family with roots in working-class communities, Gomez built a career in labor organizing before entering electoral politics. He served in the California State Assembly representing the 51st district from 2012 to 2017, before winning a special election to succeed Xavier Becerra in the U.S. House of Representatives. In Congress, Gomez has served on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and has been a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus. He is also a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus.[1][2]

Early Life

Jimmy Gomez was born on November 25, 1974, in Orange County, California.[3] He grew up in a family connected to working-class communities in Southern California. Before pursuing a career in electoral politics, Gomez developed an interest in labor rights and public policy, which shaped his early professional trajectory.

Gomez's upbringing in Orange County and the broader Los Angeles metropolitan area exposed him to the diverse communities and socioeconomic challenges that would later define his political priorities. His background informed his commitment to issues such as healthcare access, workers' rights, and immigrant communities — themes that would become central to his legislative work in both the California State Assembly and the U.S. Congress.[4]

Education

Gomez attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently pursued graduate studies at Harvard University, where he obtained a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.[3] His graduate education at Harvard provided him with formal training in public policy analysis and governance, complementing the practical experience in labor organizing and political advocacy he had already begun to accumulate.

Career

Labor Organizing

Before entering electoral politics, Jimmy Gomez built a career as a labor organizer and political advocate. He served as the legislative and political director for the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health-Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP), a union representing healthcare workers across California. In this role, Gomez was involved in advocating for healthcare workers' interests in both the legislative arena and in collective bargaining contexts.[5]

Gomez also served as the political representative for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), one of the largest public employee unions in the United States. His work with AFSCME further deepened his experience in labor politics and legislative advocacy, providing him with an understanding of the intersection between organized labor, public policy, and electoral politics. These roles in the labor movement laid the groundwork for his transition into elected office, giving him both policy expertise and a network of political allies within California's labor community.[3]

California State Assembly

In 2012, Gomez was elected to the California State Assembly, representing the 51st Assembly district. He succeeded Steven Bradford in the seat and took office on December 3, 2012.[3] The 51st Assembly district encompassed parts of Los Angeles, aligning with many of the same communities Gomez had served during his career in labor organizing.

During his tenure in the State Assembly, Gomez established himself as a progressive legislator focused on healthcare, housing, environmental protection, and workers' rights. His background in labor organizing informed much of his legislative agenda, and he became an advocate for expanding access to healthcare and strengthening protections for working families in California.

Gomez served in the California State Assembly until July 11, 2017, when he resigned to take his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was succeeded in the Assembly by Wendy Carrillo, who won a special election to fill his vacant seat.[3]

2017 Special Election and Entry to Congress

In December 2016, Gomez entered the race to succeed Xavier Becerra in California's 34th congressional district after Becerra was nominated by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as Attorney General of California.[6] The special election attracted a crowded field of candidates seeking to represent the heavily Democratic district, which includes some of the most diverse neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

The race drew considerable attention as a contest within the Democratic Party, given the district's strong Democratic lean. Gomez emerged from the initial primary election and advanced to a runoff.[7] On June 6, 2017, Gomez won the runoff election to represent California's 34th congressional district.[8]

Gomez was sworn in on July 11, 2017, officially beginning his service in the U.S. House of Representatives.[9] He succeeded Xavier Becerra, who had held the seat since 1993.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee Assignments

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Gomez has served on two prominent committees. He is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxation, trade, Social Security, Medicare, and other fiscal matters. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Reform, which exercises broad oversight authority over federal government operations.[10]

His assignment to the Ways and Means Committee is notable given its status as one of the most influential committees in the House, with jurisdiction over a range of economic and fiscal policy issues central to Gomez's legislative priorities, including healthcare policy and tax reform.

Caucus Memberships

Gomez is a member of several congressional caucuses that reflect his policy priorities and the demographic composition of his district. He is a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus, which advocates for a single-payer healthcare system in the United States. This founding role aligns with his longstanding interest in healthcare policy, which dates to his career as a labor organizer for healthcare workers.[11]

He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, reflecting both his Latino heritage and his representation of a district with a significant Latino population.[12] Gomez is also a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), reflecting the substantial Asian American communities in his district, particularly in Koreatown and surrounding neighborhoods.[13]

Additionally, Gomez is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, further reflecting his alignment with progressive policy positions on a range of social and economic issues.

Legislative Priorities and Policy Positions

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Gomez has focused on issues including healthcare access, affordable housing, immigration reform, workers' rights, and environmental protection. His legislative work reflects the priorities of his district, which includes both immigrant communities and neighborhoods experiencing significant housing affordability challenges.

In the area of foreign policy, Gomez was among congressional leaders who called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cut military aid to Azerbaijan and impose sanctions on Turkey during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, reflecting the concerns of the significant Armenian American community in his district and the broader Los Angeles area.[14]

Housing and Immigration Legislation

In 2025, Gomez introduced legislation proposing to redirect $175 billion from federal funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) toward affordable housing programs. To promote the bill, he produced and hosted a virtual premiere of a short film titled Housing Over Hate, which illustrated the proposed policy's potential impact on communities facing housing insecurity.[15] The bill received formal endorsement from the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which includes nearly 100 House Democrats.[16]

The legislation was also featured in Los Angeles Magazine, which reported on Gomez's proposal to put $175 billion in ICE funding toward housing programs.[17]

Gomez also voted against an ICE funding bill in the House, maintaining his opposition to what he characterized as excessive enforcement spending.[18] In connection with immigration enforcement oversight, Gomez joined other members of Congress in visiting an ICE detention facility, as reported by CBS Los Angeles.[19]

Government Funding and Oversight

Gomez has been vocal on matters of government funding and fiscal responsibility. In October 2025, following a government shutdown triggered by congressional budget disputes, Gomez issued a statement criticizing Republicans for forcing the shutdown and its effects on federal workers and public services.[20]

In February 2025, Gomez was among Democrats who publicly criticized the display of a large banner bearing President Donald Trump's image at the United States Department of Justice headquarters, an action Gomez and other lawmakers characterized as inappropriate politicization of a federal law enforcement agency. The incident was covered by Time magazine.[21]

Electoral History

Gomez has won reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives in each general election since his initial special election victory in 2017. In the 2020 general election, he ran for reelection in California's 34th congressional district.[22] He has continued to represent the district through subsequent election cycles.

As of early 2026, Gomez was facing the 2026 primary election cycle. Reporting from The Eastsider LA noted that Gomez received an endorsement related to anti-PAC positions, and the outlet tracked outside spending in the race for the June 2, 2026, primary.[23]

Personal Life

Gomez has one child.[3] He resides in the Los Angeles area, within the communities he represents in Congress. His personal background and family roots in Southern California have shaped his connection to the diverse neighborhoods of the 34th congressional district, which is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse districts in the nation, encompassing Latino, Asian American, Armenian American, and other communities.

References

  1. ↑ "Jimmy Gomez".Congress.gov.https://www.congress.gov/member/jimmy-gomez/G000585.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ "Members".Congressional Progressive Caucus.https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71&sectiontree=2,71.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "GOMEZ, Jimmy".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=G000585.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ "About — Congressman Jimmy Gomez".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.https://gomez.house.gov/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Jimmy Gomez".C-SPAN.https://www.c-span.org/person/?108883.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez joins race to replace Xavier Becerra in Congress".Los Angeles Times.2016-12-05.https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-assemblyman-jimmy-gomez-joins-race-to-1480953164-htmlstory.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Congressional race in the 34th District to replace Becerra".Los Angeles Times.2016-12-13.https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-congressional-race-34th-replace-becerra-20161213-story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "Jimmy Gomez wins the race for California's 34th Congressional District".Los Angeles Times.2017-06-08.https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-jimmy-gomez-congress-20170608-story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "Los Angeles Rep. Jimmy Gomez sworn in as newest member of Congress".Los Angeles Times.2017-07-11.https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-los-angeles-rep-jimmy-gomez-sworn-1499817496-htmlstory.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Jimmy Gomez".Congress.gov.https://www.congress.gov/member/jimmy-gomez/G000585.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Congressional Progressive Caucus — Members".Congressional Progressive Caucus.https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71&sectiontree=2,71.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Congressional Hispanic Caucus — Members".Congressional Hispanic Caucus.2018-05-15.https://web.archive.org/web/20180515183838/https://congressionalhispaniccaucus-lujangrisham.house.gov/members.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "CAPAC Members".Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.https://capac-chu.house.gov/members.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Senate and House Leaders to Secretary of State Pompeo: Cut Military Aid to Azerbaijan, Sanction Turkey for Ongoing Attacks Against Armenia and Artsakh".Armenian Weekly.2020-10-02.https://armenianweekly.com/2020/10/02/senate-and-house-leaders-to-secretary-of-state-pompeo-cut-military-aid-to-azerbaijan-sanction-turkey-for-ongoing-attacks-against-armenia-and-artsakh/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Rep. Jimmy Gomez Hosts Virtual Premiere of Housing Over Hate, A Film Based On His Bill to Redirect $175 Billion from Trump's ICE & CBP Slush Fund to Housing".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-02-20.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5991.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "The Huffington Post: Progressive Caucus Backs Rep. Gomez Bill To Redirect ICE Money To Affordable Housing".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-01-24.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5911.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Los Angeles Magazine: Rep. Jimmy Gomez Wants To Put $175 Billion in ICE Funding Toward Housing".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-02-21.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5992.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "CBS: Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California Voted Against the ICE Funding Bill Earlier This Week".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-02-10.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5960.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "CBS LA: Jimmy Gomez, US Reps. Visit ICE Detention Facility".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-02-03.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5965.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Rep. Jimmy Gomez Slams Republicans on Shutting Down the Government".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-10-01.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5716.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Time: 'Beyond Parody': Rep. Gomez, Democrats Criticize Giant Trump Banner Hung at Justice Department Headquarters".Office of U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez.2025-02-21.https://gomez.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=5993.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "California 34th Congressional District Results".The New York Times.2020-11-03.https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-california-house-district-34.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "More outside spending, and Jimmy Gomez gets an anti-PAC endorsement".The Eastsider LA.2026-02-23.https://www.theeastsiderla.com/news/government_and_politics/more-outside-spending-and-jimmy-gomez-gets-an-anti-pac-endorsement/article_7374d64c-93b5-4ed7-b8f7-e6cc704fd7ee.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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