Bonnie Garcia

From dKosopedia

Category: California Republicans

Bonnie Garcia represents the 80th Assembly district of the California State Assembly and is its only Latina Republican member. She was elected in 2002.

Assemblywoman Garcia serves this term as the vice-chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development. She also serves as a member of the Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy, the Committee on Governmental Organization, and was appointed to the Select Committees on California-Latin American Affairs, Community Colleges, Workforce Investment, Mobile Homes, and Children’s Physical and Mental Well-Being. Assemblywoman Garcia serves this term as the vice-chair of the Committee on Housing and Community Development. She also serves as a member of the Committee on Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy, the Committee on Governmental Organization, and was appointed to the Select Committees on California-Latin American Affairs, Community Colleges, Workforce Investment, Mobile Homes, and Children’s Physical and Mental Well-Being. [1]

The 80th district includes all of Imperial County and the eastern portion of Riverside County. It stretches from Coachella Valley, east to Blythe and south to the Mexican border. The area covers 10,000 square miles and includes the tourism belt around Palm Springs, the Salton Sea, thousands of acres of farmland, and Indian Casinos. [2]

When the 80th Assembly District was redrawn by redistricting mapmakers in 2001, they established a 12-point Democratic registration advantage. In recent years, however, GOP registration has trended upwards while Democratic registration has trended down with Democrats now only holding a seven point advantage. There is clear evidence that this district votes much more conservatively than what might appear in the registration numbers. [3]

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) discussed her ethnicity in the following language: "I mean, they are all very hot. They have the, you know, part of the black blood in them and part of the Latino blood in them that together makes it." Source: Robert Salladay. "Gov.'s Candid Moments Caught on Audiotape: Schwarzenegger's Banter With Aides Offers Glimpse of Bull Session Behind Closed Doors." Los Angeles Times. September 8, 2007. Article