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Luz Rivas

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Luz Rivas
Official House portrait of Rivas smiling in front of the U.S. flag, wearing a black shirt and red jacket with large black buttons.
Official portrait, 2024
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 29th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Preceded byTony Cárdenas
Member of the California State Assembly
In office
June 11, 2018 – November 30, 2024
Preceded byRaul Bocanegra
Succeeded byCeleste Rodriguez
Constituency39th district (2018–2022)
43rd district (2022–2024)
Personal details
BornLuz Maria Rivas
(1974-02-06) February 6, 1974 (age 52)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BS)
Harvard University (MEd)
Signature
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website

Luz Maria Rivas (born February 6, 1974) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative from California's 29th congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the 43rd district in the California State Assembly from 2018 to 2024.

Early life and education

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Rivas was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, worked for Motorola, and then earned a Master of Education degree 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

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Following Raul Bocanegra's resignation from the California State 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]

Rivas is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.[5]

Housing

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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).[6][7] She has sought to limit the ability of religious institutions to build more housing.[8] Rivas is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.[5]

U.S. House of Representatives

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2024 election

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Main article: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 29

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

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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]

Committee assignments

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Caucus membership

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Personal life

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Rivas is Catholic.[14] Rivas was the founder of DIY Girls, which is a non-profit organization that supports girls who are interested in learning technology and engineering through mentorship and education.[15][self-published source?]

Electoral history

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2018 California State Assembly

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2018
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

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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

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2022 California's 43rd State Assembly district election[16][17]
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

2024 U.S. House of Representatives

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2024 California's 29th congressional district election[18][19]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Luz Rivas 40,096 49.3
Republican Benito Bernal 21,446 26.4
Democratic Angelica Dueñas 19,844 24.4
Total votes 81,386 100.0
General election
Democratic Luz Rivas 146,312 69.8
Republican Benito Bernal 63,374 30.2
Total votes 209,686 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 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.
  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. ^ a b "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  6. ^ Christopher, Ben (July 6, 2023). "My house or my beach? How California's housing crisis could weaken its coastal protections". CalMatters.
  7. ^ Gardiner, Dustin; Korte, Lara; Govindarao, Sejal (August 17, 2023). "A sea change for housing". POLITICO.
  8. ^ Christopher, Ben (November 22, 2023). "Speaker Rivas shuffles the leadership deck and YIMBYs win". CalMatters.
  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. ^ 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
  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. ^ "Members | Congressional Hispanic Caucus". chc.house.gov. April 21, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  13. ^ "Caucus Members". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Religious affiliation of members of the 119th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  15. ^ "About | Representative Luz Rivas". rivas.house.gov. January 3, 2025. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  16. ^ "Primary Election – Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  17. ^ "General Election – Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 – State Assembly" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  18. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 86. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  19. ^ "Statement of Vote" (PDF). sos.ca.gov. Sacramento: Secretary of State of California. 2024. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
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