Gil Cisneros CA-31

Gil Cisneros CA-31

Summary

Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. (born February 12, 1971) is an American government official, philanthropist, and politician who served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration.

As a member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. representative for California’s 39th congressional district from 2019 to 2021.

OnAir Post: Gil Cisneros CA-31

About

Source: Campaign Site

Gil Cisneros CA-31 1Gil Cisneros is a former Naval Officer, Under Secretary of Defense, Los Angeles County Congressmember, and an education leader running for Congress to fight for the people of the San Gabriel Valley.

As an officer in the U.S. Navy, education nonprofit leader, Congressman, and Under Secretary of Defense, Gil Cisneros has dedicated his life to service, taking action, and getting results for people.  From helping open doors of opportunity to San Gabriel Valley students through providing college scholarships, to standing up to the Gun Lobby in Congress, to protecting the right to comprehensive reproductive care for stationed service members while at the Pentagon, Gil has always stood up for his community and California values.

The son of a public school cafeteria worker and a Vietnam veteran, and the grandson of WWII veterans, Gil understood the importance of public service. After graduating high school, Gil enlisted in the U.S. Navy, driven by a desire to serve his nation and a determination to carve out a brighter future. He earned an ROTC Scholarship and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University. Gil also holds an MBA from Regis University and M.A. in Urban Education Policy from Brown University.

After his Navy service, Gil worked as a logistics manager for Frito-Lay, with facilities in the City of Industry and Rancho Cucamonga, building a middle-class life for himself and his family.

Gil dedicated himself to philanthropy when he purchased a winning California Mega Millions lottery ticket in 2010. Gil and Jacki partnered with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the City of Pico Rivera to create Generation First Degree Pico Rivera, with the goal of putting a college degree in every household in the city, and communities across the San Gabriel Valley. Gil has worked to strengthen schools, and promote access to quality education by supporting Yellow Ribbon programs for Veterans, establishing scholarships, and creating an endowment for the dependents of former Navy Supply Corps personnel, so that tuition costs are never a barrier to educational opportunities. Gil also served on the advisory board of Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher Initiative for college access, and was appointed to the Advisory Committee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Barack Obama in 2014.

After the election of Donald Trump, Gil could not sit on the sidelines, knowing the transformative impact public service and leadership could have on communities and the nation. He ran for California’s 39th Congressional District and won with the support of middle-class families and labor unions.

Once in Congress, Gil took an uncompromising stance against Donald Trump and his divisive policies. Together with seven colleagues, he co-authored an opinion piece  calling for the President’s impeachment. He advocated for women, girls, and families, championing abortion care and reproductive health as a right, not a privilege. Gil also championed gun safety reform, striving to create safer communities through measures like universal background checks and the banning of assault weapons. He collaborated with fellow Congressmember Grace Napolitano to protect water resources and address climate change, air quality improvement, and health concerns related to pollution and fossil fuels. In keeping his promise to put the community he represented first– Gil’s office directly recovered over $550K for constituents, brought home $136M in non-COVID related grants for infrastructure and services, responded to 119K letters, and held 250 in-district events, including 30 town halls.

In 2021, Gil was appointed by President Biden to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Military’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. During his tenure in leadership at the Department of Defense, he played a pivotal role in enacting policies that protected military personnel and supported their families, which included lowering costs, expanding healthcare, increasing educational opportunities, and safeguarding individual rights. He spearheaded the Pentagon’s new reproductive healthcare policy for military personnel, ensuring they had access to essential reproductive healthcare services, even if unavailable in the state where they were stationed. He led 80 recommendations to reform military sexual assault and harassment guidelines, resulting in the creation of an independent counsel’s office for sexual assault cases. While overseeing the Department of Defense education system of 160 schools in 11 foreign countries, and 7 states, Gil was the driving factor in ensuring the Department implemented Universal Pre-K in their elementary schools around the world.

Now with MAGA extremists running the House of Representatives, Gil is running for California’s 31st Congressional District to stand up for the San Gabriel Valley and continue his mission of service, advocating for veterans, gun safety reform, economic opportunity for working families, climate action, and defending women’s rights.

Web Links

More Information

Wikipedia

[1] is an American politician and former naval officer serving as the U.S. representative for California’s 31st congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration and was the U.S. representative for California’s 39th congressional district from 2019 to 2021.

In 2010, he and his wife won a $266 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot[2] and became philanthropists. He was elected to the House in 2018 to represent California’s 39th congressional district.[3] He was defeated in his 2020 bid for reelection by former California State Assembly member Young Kim, whom he had defeated in 2018. In April 2021, he was nominated by President Biden to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and after confirmation by the Senate, he assumed office on August 24, 2021.[4]

On August 1, 2023, he announced he was stepping down from his position in the Pentagon in early September. On September 18, he announced his candidacy for California’s 31st congressional district[5][6] and defeated Republican Daniel Martinez in the 2024 election.[7]

Early life and education

Cisneros was born in Torrance, of Californio heritage.[8][9] His great-grandmother was born in Los Angeles when it was still part of Mexico.[8] His mother worked in a cafeteria, while his father served in the Vietnam War where he suffered from exposure to Agent Orange.[2] He is Hispanic.[8]

Cisneros served in the United States Navy as a supply officer for 11 years.[10] He was discharged from the Navy in 2004,[11] as a lieutenant commander, and his decorations included the Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal.[2] He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from George Washington University and his Master of Business Administration from Regis University.[12]

Career

Cisneros worked as a shipping and manufacturing manager for Frito-Lay until he was laid off in 2010.[13]

Lottery win

Weeks after he was laid off, Cisneros won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $266 million.[13] He and his wife became philanthropists, establishing endowments for scholarships to be given to Latino students at GWU and the University of Southern California. They also founded Generation First Degree Pico Rivera, with the goal of ensuring every Latino household in Pico Rivera has at least one college graduate, and the Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros Foundation with an initial investment of $20 million to provide mentorship in education.[12][14][15]

Gil Cisneros’ work in philanthropy led him to an appointment by President Barack Obama to be on the Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2014.[16]

Continuing education

After setting up the foundation, Cisneros earned a Master of Arts from Brown University in Urban Education Policy,[2][10] and an MBA from Regis University.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

Cisneros meets with California State Military Reserve, 2019

Cisneros was a Republican until 2008, but left the party because he felt it had become “too ideological” and switched to the Democratic Party.[17]

In 2017, he declared his candidacy against Ed Royce in the 2018 election for the United States House of Representatives to represent California’s 39th congressional district.[14][18] He specifically cited Royce’s vote to repeal the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, as a reason he chose to run.[17] In January 2018, Royce announced he would retire rather than seek reelection to a 14th term.[19] Later, the election attracted national attention as the “weirdest race in the country” after the California Democratic Party and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee brokered a truce on negative campaigning between Cisneros and Andy Thorburn, who had spent a combined eight million dollars on their campaigns.[20]

Fears of a lockout by either party were not realized when Cisneros advanced to the November runoff election, finishing second in the June primary election to Republican former state Assemblywoman Young Kim,[21] with 19.35% of the vote.[22] This election was rated a “Toss-up” by the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball.[23] The Associated Press called the election for Cisneros on November 17.[24]

2020

Cisneros’s portrait from his first term in Congress.

Cisneros lost to Young Kim by a margin of 1.2% in the 2020 House of Representatives election for California’s 39th congressional district, in a rematch of the 2018 election.[25]

2024

On September 18, 2023, Cisneros announced his intention to make a return to Congress by announcing his candidacy for the vacant 31st congressional district seat that became available with the retirement of Grace Napolitano.[26] He defeated Republican Daniel Martinez in the 2024 election.[7]

Tenure

Committee assignments

Current
Former

Caucus memberships

Biden–Harris administration

Cisneros is sworn in as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in 2023

On April 12, 2021, the White House announced that Cisneros would be nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration;[28] his nomination was received on April 27.[29] On July 27, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) voted to advance Cisneros’s nomination to the full chamber for a future vote.[29][30] Cisneros was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on August 11, 2021, by voice vote,[31] and he was sworn in on August 24, 2021.[4] He served in that position until September 8, 2023.

Electoral history

California’s 39th congressional district election, 2018
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanYoung Kim30,01921.2
DemocraticGil Cisneros27,46919.4
RepublicanPhil Liberatore20,25714.3
DemocraticAndy Thorburn12,9909.2
RepublicanShawn Nelson9,7506.9
RepublicanBob Huff8,6996.2
DemocraticSam Jammal7,6135.4
DemocraticMai-Khanh Tran7,4305.3
DemocraticHerbert H. Lee5,9884.2
RepublicanSteven C. Vargas4,1442.9
DemocraticSuzi Park Leggett2,0581.5
RepublicanJohn J. Cullum1,7471.2
No party preferenceKaren Lee Schatzle9030.6
No party preferenceSteve Cox8560.6
RepublicanAndrew Sarega8230.6
American IndependentSophia J. Alexander5230.4
American IndependentTed Alemayhu1760.1
Total votes141,445 100.0
General election
DemocraticGil Cisneros 126,002 51.6
RepublicanYoung Kim118,39148.4
Total votes229,860 100.0
California’s 39th congressional district election, 2020
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanYoung Kim83,94148.3
DemocraticGil Cisneros (incumbent)81,40246.9
No party preferenceSteve Cox8,2864.8
Total votes173,629 100.0
General election
RepublicanYoung Kim 173,946 50.6
DemocraticGil Cisneros (incumbent)169,83749.4
Total votes343,783 100.0
California’s 31st congressional district election, 2024[32][33]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticGil Cisneros23,88823.6
RepublicanDaniel Martinez19,46419.2
RepublicanPedro Casas17,07716.9
DemocraticSusan Rubio16,00615.8
DemocraticBob Archuleta10,15110.0
DemocraticMary Ann Lutz6,6296.5
DemocraticGreg Hafif4,9144.9
DemocraticKurt Jose1,4151.4
No party preferenceErskine Levi1,1661.2
No party preferenceMarie Manvel5340.5
Total votes101,244 100.0
General election
DemocraticGil Cisneros 148,095 59.7
RepublicanDaniel Martinez99,85640.3
Total votes247,951 100.0
Democratic hold

Personal life

Cisneros and his wife Jacki have twin sons.[10] They own a home in Pico Rivera,[34] and lived in Newport Beach until they moved to Yorba Linda in late 2017, the year he began running for election.[14] Before Cisneros won the lottery, Jacki worked for KNBC in Los Angeles.[13] Gil currently resides in Covina, California.[citation needed] He is Catholic.[35]

See also

References

  1. ↑ “CISNEROS, Gil – Biographical Information”. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress.
  2. 1 2 3 4 “Former Navy Vet, Lottery Winner Joins Race To Unseat GOP Congressman”. Losangeles.cbslocal.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  3. ↑ “Democrat Cisneros wins OC’s 39th district”. November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  4. 1 2 “Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness – The Honorable Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr”. United States Department of Defense. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  5. ↑ “Cisneros to leave Pentagon in early September after controversial tenure”. July 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ Altimari, Daniela (September 18, 2023). “Cisneros eyes open California seat for return to Congress”. Roll Call. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Nelson, Laura (November 6, 2024). “Here are L.A. County’s three new members of Congress”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 “¿Hispanos en Congreso de EE.UU. podrían producir cambios? | Voice of America – Spanish”. www.vozdeamerica.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ “CISNEROS, Gilbert Ray, Jr”. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 “Republicans-turned-Democrats challenging O.C. GOP Congress members”. Orange County Register. July 19, 2017. Archived from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  11. ↑ “The Honorable Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr”. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  12. 1 2 L.S. Hall (June 24, 2015). “Lucky and Focused: A Lottery Winner Uses His Millions to Boost Hispanic Students — Inside Philanthropy”. Insidephilanthropy.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 “TV news employee in LA has $266M winning ticket”. The San Diego Union-Tribune. May 6, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 Christine Mai-Duc (August 5, 2017). “Navy veteran/lottery winner to challenge Orange County Rep. Ed Royce for Congress”. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  15. ↑ David Callahan. “The Big Money Behind a New College Fund for Immigrant “DREAMers” — Inside Philanthropy”. Insidephilanthropy.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  16. ↑ Advisory Committee
  17. 1 2 “Lottery Winner to Challenge Royce in California”. Rollcall.com. July 17, 2017. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  18. ↑ Wildermuth, John (April 21, 2018). “Lottery millionaire wins again: National Democrats help him in Orange County race”. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  19. ↑ “Rep. Ed Royce of California to retire, the 8th GOP chairman to bow out ahead of midterms”. The Washington Post. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  20. ↑ Schneider, Elena (June 3, 2018). “This is the weirdest race in the country”. POLITICO. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  21. ↑ Robertson, Derek (June 6, 2018). “This is basically a home run for Democrats”. Politico. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  22. ↑ “Gil Cisneros”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  23. ↑ “California’s 39th Congressional District election, 2018 – Ballotpedia”. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  24. ↑ “Dem Gil Cisneros scores win in open-seat race in California”. TheHill. November 18, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  25. ↑ McCullough, Carson (November 13, 2020). “Republican Young Kim Flips California’s 39th Congressional District”. Courthouse News Service. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  26. ↑ “Reference Guide”. Roll Call. September 24, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  27. ↑ “Membership”. Congressional Freethought Caucus. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  28. ↑ “President Biden Announces His Intent to Nominate 11 Key Administration Leaders on National Security and Law Enforcement”. The White House. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  29. 1 2 “PN426 — Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr — Department of Defense”. congress.gov. United States Congress. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  30. ↑ “PN426 – Nomination of Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr for Department of Defense, 117th Congress (2021-2022)”. congress.gov. Library of Congress. August 11, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  31. ↑ “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.
  32. ↑ “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.
  33. ↑ “She won $266 million; chatted on ‘Oprah’“. Orange County Register. May 24, 2011. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  34. ↑ “Religious affiliation of members of the 119th Congress” (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved January 8, 2025.


California’s 39th congressional district
2019–2021


source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Cisneros

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