Marie Alvarado-Gil
{{Short description|American politician (born 1973)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Marie Alvarado-Gil
| image = Marie Alvarado-Gil.jpg
| state_senate = California State
| district = 4th
| term_start = December 5, 2022
| term_end =
| predecessor = Jim Nielsen
| successor =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|12|24}}
| birth_place = Mountain View, California
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican (since 2024)
Democratic (until 2024)
| otherparty =
| education = University of California, Davis
University of San Francisco (BA, MPA)
| spouse =
| children = 6 (3 biological, 3 step)
| occupation = Educator
| residence = Amador County, California
| caption = Official portrait, 2023
| alt = Headshot of Alvarado-Gil on a white background
}}
Marie Issa Alvarado-Gil (born December 24, 1973){{cite web |title=Marie Alvarado-Gil |url=https://calmatters.org/legislator-tracker/marie-alvarado-gil-1973/ |website=CalMatters|date=5 January 2023 }} is an American educator and politician who represents California's 4th State Senate district in the California State Senate, following her election in 2022. Elected as a member of the Democratic Party, she joined the Republican Party in August 2024.
Early life and education
Alvarado-Gil was born in Mountain View to parents from Jalisco, Mexico. She was placed in foster care by fifth grade and spent part of her youth with her Mexican grandmother who owned a tortilla factory in Mexico.{{cite web|url=https://www.modbee.com/opinion/garth-stapley/article270779387.html|title=Meet Marie Alvarado-Gil, Stanislaus’ new state senator; her surprising political ascent|last=Stapley|first=Garth|date=January 8, 2024|access-date=September 8, 2024|website=Modesto Bee}} She attended UC Davis, studying animal science. In her third year at the school, Alvarado-Gil pivoted from her education to raise her three children in rural northern California.{{cite web|title="Campaign website"|url=https://www.votealvaradogil.com/}} She later attended the University of San Francisco, where she obtained a Bachelors degree and earned a Master of Public Administration.{{cite web|title=Marie Alvarado-Gil's official biography|url=https://sr04.senate.ca.gov/content/about-marie}}
Political career
Alvarado-Gil ran as a Democrat for California's 4th State Senate district in the 2022 California State Senate election. She placed second in the top-two primary, with fellow Democrat Tim Robertson placing first. This guaranteed that the district, which is largely rural and tends to lean Republican, would be represented by a Democrat.{{cite news |last1=MacLean |first1=Alex |title=Alvarado-Gil declares victory in California Senate District 4 race |url=https://www.uniondemocrat.com/news/article_4cbc8f10-6526-11ed-a025-bfb91b0dc49a.html |access-date=December 9, 2022 |work=The Union Democrat |date=November 15, 2022}}
=Party change=
On August 8, 2024, Alvarado-Gil crossed the floor and joined the Republican Party.{{cite web |last1=Zavala |first1=Ashley |title=Democratic California State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil is switching parties |url=https://www.kcra.com/article/democratic-california-state-sen-marie-alvarado-gil-is-switching-parties-republican/61830996 |website=KCRA |language=en |date=August 8, 2024}}{{Cite web |author=Trân Nguyễn |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-09/california-lawmaker-switches-party-criticizes-democratic-leadership |title=California lawmaker switches party to join GOP, criticizes Democratic leadership |website=latimes.com |language=en-US |date=August 9, 2024}} Upon switching her party affiliation, Alvarado-Gil lost all her committee assignments, and was forced out of the Latino Caucus.{{cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article291103520.html|title=A California lawmaker switched to the Republican party. What happened to her bills?|first=Nicole|last=Nixon|date=August 15, 2024|publisher=Sacramento Bee}} Alvarado-Gil is fiscally conservative and had previously voted with Republicans on labor, security and economic legislation; though she had also aligned with the Democratic Party on certain social issues.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/california-district-4-sen-marie-alvarado-gil-switches-to-republican-party/|title=Northern California state senator switches to Republican Party after years as a Democrat|accessdate=September 5, 2024|date=August 9, 2024|publisher=CBS News}} While the change was welcomed by Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones and Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, conservative Assemblymember Bill Essayli dubbed her a "RINO."{{cite web|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article290914189.html|title=California lawmaker blasts newly GOP Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil as a ‘fake Republican’|last=Sheeler|first=Andrew|date=August 21, 2024|access-date=September 8, 2024|website=Sacramento Bee}}
Electoral history
{{Election box open primary begin no change
| title = 2022 California State Senate 4th district election{{cite web|title=June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Senator|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-primary/sov/99-state-senator.pdf|website=Secretary of State of California |access-date=July 15, 2022}}{{cite web |title=November 8, 2022, General Election - State Senator |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/60-state-senator.pdf |website=Secretary of State of California|accessdate=June 30, 2025}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Tim Robertson
| votes = 48,880
| percentage = 22.1
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Marie Alvarado-Gil
| votes = 41,262
| percentage = 18.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = George Radanovich
| votes = 37,793
| percentage = 17.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Steven Bailey
| votes = 37,129
| percentage = 16.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jeff McKay
| votes = 34,773
| percentage = 15.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jack Griffith
| votes = 10,337
| percentage = 4.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Michael Gordon
| votes = 6,202
| percentage = 2.8
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Republican Party
| candidate = Jolene Daly
| votes = 4,652
| percentage = 2.1
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 221,028
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box open primary general election no change}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Marie Alvarado-Gil
| votes = 129,277
| percentage = 52.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = California Democratic Party
| candidate = Tim Robertson
| votes = 116,425
| percentage = 47.4
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 245,702
| percentage = 100.0
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no change
| winner = California Democratic Party
| loser = California Republican Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
Personal life
Alvarado-Gil was diagnosed with cervical cancer and metastatic thyroid cancer in 2018, defeating both by 2019. Two of her children have special needs.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://sr04.senate.ca.gov/ Government website]
- [https://www.votealvaradogil.com/ Campaign website]
- {{CongLinks | congbio = | votesmart = 205209 | fec = | congress = }}
{{California State Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvarado-Gil, Marie}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature
Category:American politicians of Mexican descent
Category:American politicians who switched parties
Category:Democratic Party California state senators
Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California
Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
Category:Latino conservatism in the United States
Category:People from Jackson, California
Category:Republican Party California state senators
Category:Women state legislators in California