Celeste Rodriguez

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Celeste Rodriguez

| image = Celeste Rodriguez, 2024.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1990}}

| birth_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = Los Angeles Mission College (AA)
San Diego State University (BEc)
University of Southern California (MSW)

| state_assembly = California

| district = 43rd

| term_start = December 2, 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor =

| successor =

| office1 = Mayor of San Fernando

| term_start1 = December 14, 2022

| term_end1 = December 2, 2024

| predecessor1 = Mary Mendoza

| successor1 = Mary Mendoza

| office2 = Member of the San Fernando City Council

| term_start2 = December 7, 2020

| term_end2 = December 2, 2024

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 = Patty López

| spouse = Robert Gonzales

| children = 1

| preceded = Luz Rivas

}}

Celeste T. Rodriguez (born 1990) is an American politician who is a member of the California State Assembly representing the 43rd district, based in the eastern San Fernando Valley. Elected in the 2024 election, she previously served as a councilor and Mayor of San Fernando, California.

Early life and career

Rodriguez was born in 1990, graduated from James Monroe High School and later earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Mission College.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/08/30/two-members-of-san-fernando-city-council-vie-for-state-assembly-seat-in-november/|title= Two members of San Fernando City Council vie for state Assembly seat in November |date=August 30, 2024|website=Los Angeles Daily News|author=Scauzillo, Steve}} She later attended and graduated from San Diego State University and later earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California. She started her public service at Recreation and Community Services Department and later moved to the Office of Economic Opportunity in Los Angeles.{{cite web|url=https://sfvbj.com/special-editions/valley200/2023-valley200/government-2023/valley-200-2023-celeste-rodriguez/|title=Valley 200 2023: Celeste Rodriguez|date=July 28, 2023|website=San Fernando Valley Business Journal}}

Political career

In 2020, Rodriguez announced that she would be running for the San Fernando City Council. She defeated Mayor Joel Fajardo by 24 votes in the general election, being elected with Cindy Montañez.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2020/11/30/after-weeks-of-vote-counting-celeste-rodriquez-wins-tight-race-for-san-fernando-city-council/|title= After weeks of vote-counting, Celeste Rodriguez wins tight race for San Fernando City Council |date=November 30, 2020|author=Love, Marianne|website=Los Angeles Daily News}}{{cite web|url=https://sanfernandosun.com/2020/12/02/rodriguez-unseats-fajardo-on-san-fernando-council/|title= Rodriguez Unseats Fajardo on San Fernando Council |author=Terry, Mike|date=December 2, 2020|website=San Fernando Valley Sun}} In December 2022, Rodriguez was elected by the city council to become the Mayor of San Fernando, after previously losing a vote for vice mayor against Mary Mendoza. She was recommended by councilor Cindy Montañez, who had the unanimous support of the city council to become Mayor before turning down the position.{{cite web|url=https://sanfernandosun.com/2022/12/14/san-fernando-city-council-votes-twice-for-mayor-after-first-choice-refused-position/|title= San Fernando City Council Votes Twice for Mayor After First Choice Refused Position |date=December 14, 2022|author=Arizon, Gabriel|website=San Fernando Valley Sun}}

In January 2024, she announced that she would be running for California State Assembly for the 43rd district after incumbent Luz Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-01/2024-california-election-assembly-district-43-race-garcia-hurtado-minasova-novick-rodriguez-primary-voter-guide|title=Your guide to California's Assembly District 43 race: Eastern San Fernando Valley|author=Nelson, Laura J.|date=February 1, 2024|website=Los Angeles Times}} She advanced to the general election with Republican Victoria Garcia, a fellow San Fernando city councilor.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/05/2024-elections-here-are-early-primary-results-for-la-area-state-assembly-races/|title= Election 2024: Semi-final results in for LA-area state Assembly races |website=Los Angeles Daily News|date=March 5, 2024|author=Harter, Clara}}

Electoral history

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;" \|+ {{sronly\|Electoral history of Celeste Rodriguez}} ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 \| Year ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 \| Office ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 \| Party ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 \| Primary ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 \| General ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 \| Result ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 \| Swing ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 \| {{abbr\|Ref\|Reference}}.
style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Total ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| {{abbr\|P\|Position}}. ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Total ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| % ! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| {{abbr\|P\|Position}}.
style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| 2020 \| San Fernando City Council \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Nonpartisan}};" \| \| Nonpartisan \| 3,233 \| 25.33% \| 2nd \| colspan=3 {{CNone}} \| {{yes2\|Won}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|None}};" \| \| N/A \|{{cite web\|url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/2020-los-angeles-county-election-live-results/\|title=2020 Los Angeles County election results\|website=Los Angeles Times\|date=November 3, 2020}}
style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| 2024 \| California State Assembly \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| Democratic \| 20,425 \| 43.5% \| 1st \|85,983 \|66.6% \|1st \| {{yes2\|Won}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| Hold \|{{cite web\|title=California - General Election - Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - State Assembly - Results of All Districts \|url=https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/all\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408175155/https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/all\|url-status=dead\|archive-date=April 8, 2020}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

|+ {{sronly|Electoral history of Celeste Rodriguez}}

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Year

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Office

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 | Primary

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=3 | General

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | Result

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Swing

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Ref|Reference}}.

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | %

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|P|Position}}.

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | Total

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | %

! style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | {{abbr|P|Position}}.

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2020

| San Fernando City Council

| style="background-color:{{party color|Nonpartisan}};" |

| Nonpartisan

| 3,233

| 25.33%

| 2nd

| colspan=3 {{CNone}}

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|None}};" |

| N/A

|{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/2020-los-angeles-county-election-live-results/|title=2020 Los Angeles County election results|website=Los Angeles Times|date=November 3, 2020}}

style="background-color:#EAECF0;" | 2024

| California State Assembly

| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}};" |

| Democratic

| 20,425

| 43.5%

| 1st

|85,983

|66.6%

|1st

| {{yes2|Won}}

| style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}};" |

| Hold

|{{cite web|title=California - General Election - Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - State Assembly - Results of All Districts |url=https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408175155/https://electionresults.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-assembly/district/all|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2020}}