Nora Vargas
{{short description|Member of San Diego County Board of Supervisors}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Nora Vargas
| image = NoraVargas.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2021
| office = Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
| term_start = January 10, 2023
| term_end = January 6, 2025
| predecessor = Nathan Fletcher
| successor = Vacant
| office1 = Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
| term_start1 = January 5, 2021
| term_end1 = January 9, 2023
| predecessor1 = Nathan Fletcher
| successor1 = Terra Lawson-Remer
| birth_date = October 14, 1971
| birth_place = Tijuana, Mexico
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence = Chula Vista, California, U.S.
| party = Democratic
| education = University of San Francisco (BA)
Claremont Graduate University
| spouse =
| office2 = Member of the
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
from the 1st district
| termstart2 = January 4, 2021
| termend2 = January 6, 2025
| successor2 = Paloma Aguirre
| predecessor2 = Greg Cox
}}
Nora E. Vargas (born 1970/1971) is an American politician who served on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from 2021 to 2025, representing District 1. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as chair of the body from 2023 to 2025 and was the first immigrant and the first Latina to serve in the body.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-11-28/nora-vargas|title=San Diego Supervisor-elect Nora Vargas sets stage for more Latinas, and a focus on health, equity|date=November 28, 2020|access-date=August 8, 2021|last1=Mendoza|first1=Alexandra|last2=Clark|first2=Charles|website=San Diego Union Tribune}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/womens-history-month-nora-vargas-1st-latina-san-diego-county-board-supervisor-south-bay/509-d14c4122-5b2c-4cc7-8311-74a1bb2116f3|title=Women's History Month: Nora Vargas, the 1st Latina San Diego County Board Supervisor|date=March 28, 2021|access-date=August 8, 2021|last=Peters|first=LAMonica|website=KFMB-TV}}
After being re-elected in the 2024 election with 62.5% of the vote,{{Cite news |author=City News Service |date=November 6, 2024 |title=Vargas on her way to winning 2nd term as San Diego County District 1 Supervisor |url=https://www.10news.com/americavotes/nora-vargas-eyes-second-term-as-district-1-supervisor-looks-to-fend-off-alejandro-galicia |newspaper=ABC 10 News San Diego |location=San Diego, CA |access-date=January 19, 2025 |language=en-US}} Vargas announced that she would not be taking the oath of office for a second term.{{Cite news |last=Alvarenga |first=Emily |date=December 20, 2024 |title=In surprise announcement, Nora Vargas will step down as supervisor, just after re-election |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/12/20/nora-vargas-resigns-from-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors/ |newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune |location=San Diego, CA |access-date=January 19, 2025 |language=en-US}}{{subscription required}}{{Cite news |author1=Lindsey Holden|author2=Eric He|author3=Will McCarthy |date=December 20, 2024 |title= San Diego official resigns suddenly over 'security reasons' |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/20/san-diego-supervisor-resigns-00195764 |newspaper=POLITICO |access-date=January 19, 2025 |language=en-US}} She formally resigned from the board of supervisors on January 6, 2025.{{Cite news |last=Bianco|first=Rachel|date=January 6, 2025 |title=County Chair Nora Vargas officially steps down |url=https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/san-diego-news/county-chair-nora-vargas-officially-steps-down |newspaper=ABC 10 News San Diego |location=San Diego, CA |access-date=January 22, 2025 |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Vargas was born in Tijuana, Mexico, and grew up in southern San Diego County, California. She graduated from Montgomery High School and attended Southwestern College before matriculating to the University of San Francisco, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in political science in 1993.{{LinkedIn URL|https://www.linkedin.com/in/noraevargas/|Nora Vargas|access-date=January 22, 2025}}
She later completed graduate work in women's studies at Claremont Graduate University.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestarnews.com/new-board-member-sworn-in/|title=New board member sworn in|last=Davalos|first=Carlos|date=May 2, 2013|access-date=August 8, 2021|website=The Star-News}}
She has worked at various non-profit organizations and was vice president of community and governmental relations at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegometro.com/2014/05/women-who-impact-san-diego/|title=Women Who Impact San Diego|date=May 29, 2014|access-date=August 8, 2021|website=San Diego Metro Magazine}} Governor Jerry Brown appointed her to the California State Teachers' Retirement System in 2015 and she served on the Southwestern College board.{{cite web|url=https://www.pri.org/stories/2021-02-08/latina-landed-seat-powerful-san-diego-county-board-supervisors-first-her|title=This Latina landed a seat on the powerful San Diego County Board of Supervisors — a first for her community|date=February 8, 2021|access-date=August 8, 2021|last=Rivlin-Nadler|first=Max|website=The World}}
San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Vargas was elected to succeed longtime District 1 Supervisor Greg Cox in 2020, defeating State Senator Ben Hueso in the general election. The district includes Chula Vista, Coronado, and National City as well as the San Diego communities of Barrio Logan, San Ysidro, and Otay.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-11-03/hueso-vargas-race-for-sd-county-supervisor-district-1|title=Nora Vargas maintains lead against Ben Hueso in District 1 county supervisor race|date=November 3, 2020|access-date=August 8, 2021|last=Nikolewski|first=Rob|website=San Diego Union Tribune}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kusi.com/nora-vargas-projected-to-win-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors-district-1/|title=Nora Vargas projected to win San Diego County Board of Supervisors District 1|date=November 4, 2020|access-date=August 8, 2021|website=KUSI-TV}} She was sworn in on January 4, 2021, and selected to be vice chair of the board.{{cite web|url=https://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/story/2021-01-07/lawson-remer-sworn-into-sd-county-board-of-supervisors|title=Lawson-Remer sworn into SD County Board of Supervisors|last=Billing|first=Karen|date=January 7, 2021|access-date=August 8, 2021|website=Encinitas Advocate}} Vargas was elected chair of the board on January 9, 2023,{{Cite web |last=Alvarenga |first=Emily |date=2024-01-09 |title=Nora Vargas will chair San Diego County Board of Supervisors for a second year |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/01/09/nora-vargas-will-chair-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors-for-a-second-year/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Diego |first=Debbie L. Sklar • Times of San |date=2023-01-11 |title=Vargas Voted in as County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2023/01/10/vargas-voted-in-as-county-board-of-supervisors-chairwoman/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}} and re-elected as chair on January 9, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Alvarenga |first=Emily |date=2024-01-09 |title=Nora Vargas will chair San Diego County Board of Supervisors for a second year |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/01/09/nora-vargas-will-chair-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors-for-a-second-year/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} Vargas was re-elected to another term in November 2024. On December 20, she announced that she would not be taking the oath of office for a second term in January 2025 due to "personal safety and security reasons."
=Electoral history=
{{Election box begin no party no change|title=2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors primary election for the first district{{cite web|title=County of San Diego Presidential Primary Election – Tuesday, March 3, 2020 – Official Results (San Diego Portion Only)|url=https://www.sdvote.com/content/dam/rov/en/archive/202003bull.pdf|publisher=San Diego County Registrar of Voters|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212233729/https://www.sdvote.com/content/dam/rov/en/archive/202003bull.pdf|archive-date=December 12, 2020|url-status=live}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Ben Hueso
|votes = 32,263
|percentage = 29.29
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Nora Vargas
|votes = 20,767
|percentage = 18.86
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Rafa Castellanos
|votes = 17,934
|percentage = 16.28
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Sophia Rodriguez
|votes = 16,634
|percentage = 15.10
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Alex Galicia
|votes = 13,232
|percentage = 12.01
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Henry Belisle
|votes = 4,035
|percentage = 3.66
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Camilo Marquez
|votes = 2,679
|percentage = 2.43
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Tony Villafranca
|votes = 2,591
|percentage = 2.35
}}
{{Election box total no party no change
|votes = 110,135
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no party no change|title=2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors general election for the first district{{cite web|title=County of San Diego Presidential General Election – Tuesday, November 3, 2020 – Official Results (San Diego Portion Only)|url=https://www.sdvote.com/content/dam/rov/en/archive/202011bull.pdf|publisher=San Diego County Registrar of Voters|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212234807/https://www.sdvote.com/content/dam/rov/en/archive/202011bull.pdf|archive-date=December 12, 2020|url-status=live}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Nora Vargas
|votes = 131,783
|percentage = 56.58
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Ben Hueso
|votes = 101,133
|percentage = 43.42
}}
{{Election box total no party no change
|votes = 232,916
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.noravargas.com Official Campaign Website]
- [https://www.supervisornoravargas.com/content/d1/us/en/about/supervisor-nora-vargas.html Supervisor Nora Vargas Official Website]
{{San Diego County Board of Supervisors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vargas, Nora}}
Category:21st-century California politicians
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Politicians from San Diego
Category:San Diego County Board of Supervisors members
Category:Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
Category:American politicians of Mexican descent