Luz Rivas

Luz Rivas
Luz Rivas
Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives; from California's 29th district
	Assuming office; January 3, 2025
Succeeding	Tony Cárdenas
Member of the California Assembly
	In office; June 11, 2018 – November 30, 2024
Preceded by	Raul Bocanegra
Succeeded by	Celeste Rodriguez
Constituency	39th district (2018–2022); 43rd district (2022–2024)
Personal details
Born	Luz Maria Rivas; February 6, 1974 (age 50); Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS); Harvard University (MEd)
Website	Campaign website

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Luz Maria Rivas (born February 6, 1974) is an American politician from the state of California. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the member-elect to the United States House of Representatives for California's 29th congressional district. Rivas previously served in the California State Assembly from 2018 to 2024, representing California's 43rd State Assembly district.

Background

Rivas is from Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, worked for Motorola, and then earned a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.^[1] She founded a non-profit organization based in Pacoima, Los Angeles, to encourage school age girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.^[2] She also served on Los Angeles' City Public Works Commission.^[1]

California State Assembly

Following Raul Bocanegra's resignation from the California Assembly, Rivas declared her candidacy in the special election to succeed him.^[1] Rivas won the special election on June 5, 2018,^[3] and was sworn into office on June 11.^[4]

Anti-housing actions

Rivas has opposed legislative proposals that would reduce the stringent regulations on affordable housing construction along California's coast (which includes many of the state's most affluent and segregated areas).^[5]^[6] She has sought to limit the ability of religious institutions to build more housing.^[7] Rivas is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.^[8]

U.S. House of Representatives

2024 election

Tony Cárdenas, the incumbent U.S. Representative for California's 29th congressional district, announced that he would not run for reelection in the 2024 elections. Rivas announced her candidacy for the seat, with Cárdenas' endorsement.^[9] She won the election.^[10]

Tenure

Before the start of the 119th Congress, Rivas was elected as the freshman class representative for the Democratic Caucus, defeating Maryland freshman U.S. Representative-elect Sarah Elfreth and Washington freshman U.S. Representative-elect Emily Randall.^[11]

Electoral history

2018 California State Assembly

California's 39th State Assembly district election, 2018
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Luz Rivas	20,453	43.9
	Republican	Ricardo Antonio Benitez	11,679	25.1
	Democratic	Patty López	6,783	14.6
	Democratic	Antonio Sanchez	4,705	10.1
	Democratic	Patrea Patrick	1,740	3.7
	Democratic	Bonnie Corwin	1,220	2.6
Total votes			46,580	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Luz Rivas (incumbent)	85,027	77.7
	Republican	Ricardo Antonio Benitez	24,468	22.3
Total votes			109,495	100.0
	Democratic hold

2020 California State Assembly

2020 California's 39th State Assembly district election
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Luz Rivas (incumbent)	37,867	77.1%
	Republican	Ricardo Benitez	11,237	22.9%
Total votes

2022 California State Assembly

2022 California's 43rd State Assembly district election^[12]^[13]
Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Luz Rivas (incumbent)	38,303	98.5
	Republican	Siaka Massaquoi (write-in)	575	1.5
Total votes			38,878	100%
General election
	Democratic	Luz Rivas (incumbent)	55,282	74.6
	Republican	Siaka Massaquoi	18,782	25.4
Total votes			74,064	100%
	Democratic hold

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Kevin Modesti (January 8, 2018). "New candidate for Bocanegra's Assembly seat touts record of empowering women – Daily News". Dailynews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
^ "This MIT Grad Plans to Change the Lives of Thousands of Latina Girls". HuffPost. August 28, 2014.
^ Kevin Modesti (June 5, 2018). "Democrats Luz Rivas and Jesse Gabriel elected to Assembly from San Fernando Valley – Daily News". Dailynews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
^ "Two Democrats sworn into office to replace California assemblymen accused of sexual misconduct". Los Angeles Times. June 11, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
^ Christopher, Ben (July 6, 2023). "My house or my beach? How California's housing crisis could weaken its coastal protections". CalMatters.
^ Gardiner, Dustin; Korte, Lara; Govindarao, Sejal (August 17, 2023). "A sea change for housing". POLITICO.
^ Christopher, Ben (November 22, 2023). "Speaker Rivas shuffles the leadership deck and YIMBYs win". CalMatters.
^ "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
^ Logan, Erin B. (November 20, 2023). "Assemblymember Luz Rivas will run to replace Tony Cárdenas in Congress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
^ https://www.bdtonline.com/news/nation_world/ap-race-call-democrat-luz-rivas-wins-election-to-u-s-house-in-californias-29th/article_d6793e69-2dac-5839-b2bc-dd9c97e7d9eb.html
^ Diaz, Daniella; Tully-McManus, Katherine; Wu, Nicholas (November 20, 2024). "The Gaetz fight heads to the House floor". Politico. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
^ "Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
^ "General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - State Assembly" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

External links

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Tony Cárdenas	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 29th congressional district Taking office 2025	Elect

[candidate-1] Kevin Modesti (January 8, 2018). "New candidate for Bocanegra's Assembly seat touts record of empowering women – Daily News". Dailynews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.

[2] "This MIT Grad Plans to Change the Lives of Thousands of Latina Girls". HuffPost. August 28, 2014.

[3] Kevin Modesti (June 5, 2018). "Democrats Luz Rivas and Jesse Gabriel elected to Assembly from San Fernando Valley – Daily News". Dailynews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2018.

[4] "Two Democrats sworn into office to replace California assemblymen accused of sexual misconduct". Los Angeles Times. June 11, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.

[5] Christopher, Ben (July 6, 2023). "My house or my beach? How California's housing crisis could weaken its coastal protections". CalMatters.

[6] Gardiner, Dustin; Korte, Lara; Govindarao, Sejal (August 17, 2023). "A sea change for housing". POLITICO.

[7] Christopher, Ben (November 22, 2023). "Speaker Rivas shuffles the leadership deck and YIMBYs win". CalMatters.

[8] "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved April 11, 2024.

[9] Logan, Erin B. (November 20, 2023). "Assemblymember Luz Rivas will run to replace Tony Cárdenas in Congress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 20, 2023.

[10] ttps://www.bdtonline.com/news/nation_world/ap-race-call-democrat-luz-rivas-wins-election-to-u-s-house-in-californias-29th/article_d6793e69-2dac-5839-b2bc-dd9c97e7d9eb.html

[11] Diaz, Daniella; Tully-McManus, Katherine; Wu, Nicholas (November 20, 2024). "The Gaetz fight heads to the House floor". Politico. Retrieved November 20, 2024.

[12] "Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

[13] "General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - State Assembly" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

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