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Lena Gonzalez

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Lena Gonzalez
Majority Leader of the California Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 8, 2024
Preceded byMike McGuire
Member of the California Senate
from the 33rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 12, 2019
Preceded byRicardo Lara
Member of the Long Beach City Council
from the 1st district
In office
July 15, 2014 – June 12, 2019
Preceded byRobert Garcia
Succeeded byMary Zendejas
Personal details
Born (1981-01-26) January 26, 1981 (age 43)
Torrance, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Adam Carillo
​
(m. 2021)​
Children3
EducationCalifornia State University, Long Beach (BA)
Loyola Marymount University (MBA)

Lena Adriana Gonzalez (born January 26, 1981) is an American politician serving as a member of the California State Senate from the 33rd district, which encompasses the Southeast Los Angeles area including Lakewood and Long Beach. Since February 2024, she has served as Majority Leader of the Senate.

Early life and education

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Gonzalez was born in Torrance, California, the daughter of immigrants from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Her father worked as a cargo truck driver and her mother worked in the aerospace technology industry.[1] She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.[citation needed]

Career

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Gonzalez previously worked for Microsoft as a corporate affairs manager in charge of the company’s philanthropy and civic engagement.[2]

She served on the Long Beach City Council from 2014 to 2019, representing District 1 in Downtown Long Beach.[citation needed] Prior to this, she worked for then-Councilman Robert Garcia.

California State Senate

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Gonzalez was first elected to the California State Senate in a June 2019 special election to succeed Ricardo Lara, who was elected California Insurance Commissioner.[3]

She chaired the Senate Transportation Committee, becoming the first Latina to ever serve in this capacity and the only woman to serve in the last 20 years. On February 12, 2021, Senator Gonzalez was appointed as Majority Whip. She was one of several California lawmakers to attend the COP15 Summit.[4]

She was appointed Majority Leader of the Senate in 2024, succeeding President Pro Tem Mike McGuire.[5]

Legislation

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Governor Gavin Newsom signed Gonzalez's “The Equal Insurance HIV Act” into law, which prohibits life and disability income insurance companies from denying coverage to HIV-positive individuals solely based on their HIV status.[6]

Gonzalez has been a frequent critic of the 'Big Oil' lobby in California, authoring numerous bills protecting environmental standards and public health.[7] She introduced legislation in 2022 to require CalPERS and CalSTRS to engage in fossil fuel divestment to align with the state's climate action goals. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill by Gonzalez that would ban new oil and gas wells near homes and schools in 2022.[8] Gonzalez introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2 alongside Assemblyman Ash Kalra, which upon adoption made California the largest economy endorsing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative[9]

Personal life

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Gonzalez lives in Long Beach with husband Adam Carillo and three sons in a blended family. The pair met playing softball and were married in a 2019 ceremony at the new Long Beach City Hall building.[10]

Electoral history

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2020

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2020 California's 33rd State Senate district election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lena Gonzalez (incumbent) 109,428 99.8
Democratic Elizabeth C. Castillo (write-in) 205 0.2
Total votes 109,633 100.0
General election
Democratic Lena Gonzalez (incumbent) 164,752 61.8
Democratic Elizabeth C. Castillo 101,831 38.2
Total votes 266,583 100.0
Democratic hold

2019

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2019 California's 33rd State Senate district special election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lena Gonzalez 10,984 31.6
Republican Jack M. Guerrero 4,860 14.0
Democratic Ali Saleh 3,334 9.6
Democratic Ana Maria Quintana 3,038 8.8
Democratic José Luis Solache 2,594 7.5
Democratic Denise Diaz 2,404 6.9
Republican Martha Flores Gibson 2,225 6.4
Democratic Leticia Vasquez Wilson 1,839 5.3
Democratic Al Austin, II 1,356 3.9
Democratic Thomas Jefferson Cares 824 2.4
Democratic Chris Garcia 720 2.1
Green Cesar Flores 529 1.5
Total votes 34,711 100.0
General election
Democratic Lena Gonzalez 32,394 69.8
Republican Jack M. Guerrero 14,049 30.2
Total votes 46,443 100.0
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ Martínez Ortega, Araceli (June 6, 2019). "Lena González gana asiento en el Senado de California". La Opinión (in Spanish). Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  2. ^ Modesti, Kevin (July 8, 2019). "Lawyers, lawyers and more lawyers? Actually, in Sacramento, pre-election job backgrounds are more diverse". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  3. ^ Whillon, Phil (June 4, 2019). "In two California Senate special elections, Gonzalez and Dahle are the winners". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "Sen. Lena Gonzalez discusses COP15, CA Latino Caucus priorities". KTXL. January 1, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Koseff, Alexei (February 8, 2024). "California Senate leader Mike McGuire picks his team". CalMatters. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Bajko, Matthew (July 31, 2021). "California Governor Newsom signs HIV-related bills into law". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Sabalow, Ryan; Kimelman, Jeremia (December 19, 2023). "How Big Oil wins in green California". CalMatters. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  8. ^ La, Lynn (July 27, 2023). "Fight reignites against Big Oil's neighborhood drilling". CalMatters. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  9. ^ Corbett, Jessica (September 1, 2023). "'Powerful Example': California Now Largest Economy to Back Fossil Fuel Nonproliferation Treaty". Common Dreams. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Munguia, Hayley (August 16, 2019). "With Mayor Garcia presiding, new Long Beach City Hall's first wedding unites State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, longtime beau Adam Carrillo". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
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California Senate
Preceded by Majority Leader of the California Senate
2024–present 		Incumbent
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