Vicente Gonzalez (American politician)

Gonzalez was born on September 4, 1967, in Corpus Christi, Texas.{{cite web |url=http://info.cqrollcall.com/rs/764-XAC-282/images/CQ-NewMemberGuide-115thCongress.pdf |title=Guide to the New Congress |publisher=Roll Call |access-date=January 3, 2017 |archive-date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524105207/http://info.cqrollcall.com/rs/764-XAC-282/images/CQ-NewMemberGuide-115thCongress.pdf |url-status=dead }} His father was a merchant seaman who served in the Korean War.{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Steve |date=November 22, 2015 |title=Gonzalez explains why he is running for Congressional District 15 |url=http://riograndeguardian.com/gonzalez-explains-why-he-is-running-for-congressional-district-15/ |access-date=November 6, 2016}} His mother was born and raised in Mexico.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7sHD1olggk&t=46s |title=Congressman Gonzalez Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month |date=2017-10-06 |last=U.S. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez |access-date=2025-01-04 |via=YouTube}} He went to Roman Catholic School in Corpus Christi for part of his childhood. In junior year, he dropped out of high school but later earned his high school equivalency (GED) certificate in 1985.{{cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Andrew |date=April 19, 2016 |title=Texas lawyer Vicente Gonzalez hopes outsider tag takes him to Capitol Hill |url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2016/04/19/vicente-gonzalez-hopes-outsider-tag-takes-him-all-way-to-capitol-hill/ |access-date=November 6, 2016 |work=Fox News Latino}}{{Cite web |date=December 3, 2012 |title=Official Congressional Website |url=https://gonzalez.house.gov/about}}

Gonzalez afterwards enrolled at Del Mar College, obtaining an associate degree in banking and finance in 1990.{{Cite web |title=Rep. Vicente Gonzalez - D Texas, 34th, In Office - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/259527/Vicente_Gonzalez_Jr_.html |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=www.legistorm.com |language=en}} He continued his education at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University on the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aviation business administration in 1992.

In 1996, Gonzalez received a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law.{{Cite web |title=Gonzalez, Vicente, Jr. |url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/G000581 |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}} During law school, Gonzalez interned for Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz. The following year, he established his law practice, V. Gonzalez & Associates.

{{see also|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 15|label 1=2016 Texas's 15th congressional district election}}

File:Vincente_Gonzalez_Swearing_in_to_115th_Congress.jpg, 2017]]

Gonzalez, a political newcomer, announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 15th congressional district in 2016 following the retirement of incumbent Rubén Hinojosa.{{cite web |last=Politics |first=Edinburg |date=November 23, 2015 |title=Democrat Vicente González announces for Congress to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Hinojosa |url=http://www.edinburgpolitics.com/2015/11/23/vicente-gonzalez-announces-congress/ |access-date=November 6, 2016}} He secured the Democratic nomination by defeating Sonny Palacios in a runoff election.{{cite web |date=May 25, 2016 |title=Democratic Party Runoff: Vicente Gonzalez crushes Sonny Palacios in congressional race |url=http://valleycentral.com/news/local/early-voting-vicente-gonzalez-crushes-sonny-palacios-in-hidalgo-county |access-date=November 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Nelsen |first1=Aaron |date=May 25, 2016 |title=Gonzalez cruises to easy victory in the Democratic primary for open congressional seat; faces GOP opponent in the fall |url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/politics/article/Gonzalez-cruises-to-easy-victory-in-the-7943685.php |access-date=November 6, 2016 |newspaper=Mysa}}{{cite web |last=LOPEZ |first=NAXIELY |title=Gonzalez takes Dem nomination for Congressional District 15 |url=http://www.themonitor.com/news/gonzalez-takes-dem-nomination-for-congressional-district/article_997f94b0-220b-11e6-b891-17e4b767e059.html |access-date=November 6, 2016}} In the November general election, Gonzalez won with 57.3% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee Tim Westley, who received 37.7%.{{cite web |date=November 9, 2016 |title=Texas Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/texas |access-date=December 6, 2016 |work=New York Times}}

{{see also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 15|label 1=2018 Texas's 15th congressional district election}}

Gonzalez sought reelection in 2018 and faced a rematch against Republican Tim Westley. He won a second term with 59.7% of the vote to Westley's 38.7%.

{{see also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 15|label 1=2020 Texas's 15th congressional district election}}

In 2020, Gonzalez's seat became unexpectedly competitive. He faced Republican challenger Monica De La Cruz and secured reelection by a much narrower margin than in his previous campaigns, winning with 50.5% of the vote to De La Cruz's 47.6%.{{cite web |title=Texas Election Results - Official Results |url=https://results.texas-election.com/races |access-date=November 26, 2020 |website=Texas Secretary of State}}{{cite news |last1=Livingston |first1=Abby |last2=Carolan |first2=Kelsey |date=November 4, 2020 |title=Texas Republicans fighting off Democrats in battleground congressional races |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/11/04/texas-congressional-districts-election-results-democrats-republicans/ |access-date=January 3, 2021 |publisher=The Texas Tribune}}

{{see also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 34|label 1=2022 Texas's 34th congressional district election}}

File:Vincente_Gonzalez_Summit_of_the_Americas.jpg in Los Angeles in 2022]]

Following Texas’s redistricting based on the 2020 census, Gonzalez announced in November 2021 that he would seek reelection in the newly redrawn 34th congressional district. The 15th district, which he previously represented, had become more favorable to Republicans, while the neighboring 34th became more Democratic-leaning.{{cite web |date=June 26, 2021 |title=House Dems head off retirement crisis - for now |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/26/house-democrats-retirement-496408 |access-date=June 29, 2021 |website=Politico}} The Texas legislature also placed Gonzalez’s residence within the 34th district’s boundaries. The incumbent representative, Filemon Vela Jr., had previously announced that he would not seek reelection and endorsed Gonzalez regardless of which district he chose to run in.

Gonzalez secured the Democratic nomination in the March 2022 primary, while Republicans nominated Mayra Flores. Soon after, Vela resigned from Congress on March 31, triggering a special election to fill the remainder of his term under the district’s previous, more competitive boundaries. Gonzalez declined to run in the special election and instead endorsed Democrat Dan Sanchez. Flores, however, entered the race and won the June 14 special election with 50.9% of the vote to Sanchez’s 43.4%, briefly flipping the seat for Republicans. Gonzalez and Flores then faced each other in the regular November 8 general election, where Gonzalez won and reclaimed the seat for the Democrats.{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez defeats GOP candidate Mayra Flores in TX |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/democratic-rep-vicente-gonzalez-wins-texas-34th-congressional-district-rcna55741 |website=NBC News}} In the same election cycle, Gonzalez’s 2020 opponent, Monica De La Cruz, ran in and won the redrawn 15th district, making her his successor in that district.{{Cite web |last=Neukam |first=Matthew Choi and Stephen |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Monica De La Cruz becomes first Republican to win in 15th Congressional District in South Texas |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/08/monica-de-la-cruz-michelle-vallejo-texas-15/ |website=The Texas Tribune}}

During the campaign, a blogger who received campaign funds from Gonzalez lobbed racist attacks at Flores, calling her "Miss Frijoles" and "Miss Enchiladas". He accused her of "playing the race card" and called her a "cotton pickin' liar" for having worked in cotton fields with her immigrant parents as a child. Gonzalez said he had never read the blog and was unaware of the blogger's racist commentary, and committed not to give any more campaign money to the blog.{{cite news|title=Blogger with ties to Vicente Gonzalez lobs racist attack at his congressional opponent Mayra Flores|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/19/mayra-flores-gonzalez-mchale-racist-1658251711/}}

{{see also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Texas#District 34|label 1=2024 Texas's 34th congressional district election}}

File:Vincente_Gonzalez_Campaigning_2024.jpg, 2024|upright]]

Gonzalez was re-elected in 2024. He faced no opposition in the Democratic primary. He ran against Republican nominee Mayra Flores in the November 2024 general election in a rematch of their 2022 contest.{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Berenice |date=2024-11-06 |title=Vicente Gonzalez defeats Mayra Flores to hold onto South Texas congressional district |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-election-2024-mayra-flores-vicente-gonzalez-district-34/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}}

Before the Republican primary election, Gonzalez' campaign targeted the weaker primary candidate, Greg Kunkle, in hopes he would become the nominee and make Gonzalez' path to re-election easier.{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=Matthew |title=U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez wants GOP voters to believe that Mayra Flores is the weaker primary candidate |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/vicente-gonzalez-mayra-flores-primary-election/ |access-date=21 March 2024 |work=The Texas Tribune |date=27 February 2024 |language=en}}

During the campaign, Gonzalez compared Hispanic Trump supporters to "Jews for Hitler," prompting criticism from Republicans in his mostly Hispanic South Texas district.{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=Matthew |title=Vicente Gonzalez compares Latino Trump supporters to "Jews for Hitler" |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/vicente-gonzalez-trump-jews-for-hitler/ |access-date=21 March 2024 |work=The Texas Tribune |date=14 March 2024 |language=en}} Gonzalez stood by his comments saying, "I don’t understand how Mexican Americans can vote for Trump. It’s clearly a vote against self interest. And yes it would be like the Jewish community voting for Hitler before the atrocities he caused. That would never happen. And Latinos need [to] wake up and see a tyrant on the horizon."{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=Matthew |title=Vicente Gonzalez compares Latino Trump supporters to "Jews for Hitler" |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/vicente-gonzalez-trump-jews-for-hitler/ |date=March 14, 2024}}

Gonzalez was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.{{cite web |last=Lopez |first=Naxiely |date=January 3, 2017 |title=Newcomer Vicente Gonzalez to be sworn into congress: Pressing issues await the new District 15 representative |url=http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/newcomer-vicente-gonzalez-to-be-sworn-into-congress/article_c81e64a4-d156-11e6-885e-23f8bc4ad6cc.html |work=The Monitor}} In his first year in Congress, he introduced the Repatriate Our Patriots Act, which would have allowed U.S. military veterans who are not citizens—and who had been deported for certain nonviolent offenses—to return to the United States.{{cite web |date=September 6, 2017 |title=H.R.3429 - Repatriate Our Patriots Act |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3429?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22repatriate+our+patriots+act%22%7D&s=4&r=1 |website=Congress.gov}} In January 2019, Gonzalez joined fellow members of the Problem Solvers Caucus in meeting with President Donald Trump in an effort to resolve the 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, although the effort did not succeed.{{cite news |last1=Benning |first1=Tom |date=2019-01-16 |title=Why this Texas Democrat met with Trump amid shutdown fight over border wall |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/01/16/why-this-texas-democrat-met-with-trump-amid-shutdown-fight-over-border-wall/ |access-date=16 June 2021 |work=Dallas Morning News |language=en}} In January 2020, Gonzalez received the Order of the Quetzal.[https://valleycentral.com/news/local/congressman-vicente-gonzalez-receives-guatemalas-highest-honor Congressman Vicente Gonzalez receives Guatemala's highest honor] by Ronnie Marley, CBS4 Valley Central, 20 January 2020File:Vincente_Gonzalez_Drain_Expansion_Project.jpg for the north drain expansion project in Hidalgo County, 2022]]During subsequent sessions, Gonzalez continued to work across party lines on certain issues.{{cite web |title=The Lugar Center - McCourt School of Bipartisan Index |url=https://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Bipartisan-Index.html |website=The Lugar Center}} In August 2021, he was among a group of conservative Democrats, known as "The Unbreakable Nine,"{{Cite web |date=August 25, 2021 |title=Already, Cracks Emerge in Rep. Josh Gottheimer's "Unbreakable Nine" |url=https://theintercept.com/2021/08/24/reconciliation-infrastructure-gottheimer-democrats-unbreakable-nine/}} who opposed supporting the Biden administration's $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package{{Cite news |last1=Bouie |first1=Jamelle |date=August 24, 2021 |title=Opinion | the 9 Democrats Making Nancy Pelosi's Life Harder Are Making a Big Mistake |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/opinion/democrats-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill.html |newspaper=The New York Times}} unless the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was passed.{{cite news |last1=Shabad |first1=Rebecca |last2=Caldwell |first2=Leigh Ann |date=August 13, 2021 |title=Moderate House Dems say they won't support budget vote until infrastructure bill passes |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/moderate-house-dems-say-they-won-t-support-budget-vote-n1276738 |agency=NBC News}} In July 2022, he joined the Republicans and four other Democrats in voting against a bill to ban assault weapons.{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Ella |date=30 July 2022 |title=Who are the 7 House members who broke with their party in voting on assault weapons ban? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/30/congress-members-broke-party-assault-weapons-ban/10191151002/ |access-date=30 July 2022 |publisher=USA Today}} In September 2022, Gonzalez introduced the Safe Zones Act, which proposed that the United States Department of State establish safe zones where individuals could apply for asylum. These safe zones would accept applications from nationals of the country where the zone is located or from neighboring countries.{{cite web |date=November 2022 |title=H.R.8823 - Safe Zones Act of 2022 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8823?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22safe+zones+act+2021%22%7D&s=3&r=1 |website=Congress.gov}}{{cite web |date=April 27, 2023 |title=H.R.2946 - Safe Zones Act of 2023 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2946#:~:text=Safe%20Zones%20Act%20of%202023,-This%20bill%20makes&text=Specifically%2C%20the%20Department%20of%20State,the%20safe%20zone%20is%20located. |website=Congress.gov}} The Lugar Center later ranked him among the top 50 most bipartisan members of Congress during the 118th Congress session.

During the 2024 presidential election, Gonzalez aired television advertisements in his district opposing the participation of trans women in women's sports.{{cite web |title=Why Moulton Won't Back Transgender Pill |url=https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/01/14/congress/why-moulton-wont-back-transgender-bill-00198065 |website=Politico}} After the election, he criticized Democrats for being "lazy" and "out of touch" on abortion issues and urged the party to moderate its stance on transgender policies.{{cite web |last=Choi |first=Matthew |date=November 26, 2024 |title="Somebody needs to get fired": Vicente Gonzalez blasts Dem strategy on abortion, trans issues |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/26/texas-vicente-gonzalez-congress-democrats-abortion-transgender/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |website=Texas Tribute}} In 2025, he was one of two House Democrats, along with Henry Cuellar, to vote in favor of the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which seeks to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports at federally funded educational institutions.{{Cite news |date=2025-01-14 |title=Roll Call 12 Roll Call 12, Bill Number: H. R. 28, 119th Congress, 1st Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202512 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114230625/https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202512 |archive-date=January 14, 2025 |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}{{Cite news |last1=Foran |first1=Clare |last2=Talbot |first2=Haley |date=January 14, 2025 |title=GOP-led House votes to ban transgender athletes from women's sports |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/14/politics/house-vote-ban-transgender-athletes-womens-sports/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115021850/https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/14/politics/house-vote-ban-transgender-athletes-womens-sports/index.html |archive-date=January 15, 2025 |access-date=January 15, 2025 |work=CNN}} Later that year, Gonzalez was among 46 House Democrats who joined Republicans in supporting the Laken Riley Act.{{cite news |last=Rashid |first=Hafiz |date=January 22, 2025 |title=The 46 Democrats Who Voted for Republicans' Racist Immigration Bill |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/190569/list-house-democrats-vote-pass-laken-riley-act-immigration-bill |accessdate=January 31, 2025 |publisher=The New Republic}}

File:Vincente_Gonzalez_on_the_Finance_Committee.jpg, 2021]]

For the 119th Congress:{{Cite web |date=2025-01-03 |title=Committees and Caucuses |url=https://gonzalez.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=Representative Gonzalez |language=en}}

• Committee on Financial Services
• Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets
• Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions

Gonzalez's caucus memberships include:

• Blue Dog Coalition (co-chair){{cite web |date=September 6, 2023 |title=Members |url=https://bluedogcaucus-golden.house.gov/members |access-date=17 October 2023 |publisher=Blue Dog Coalition}}
• New Democrat Coalition
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus
• Congressional Oil & Gas Caucus (chair)
• Critical Minerals Caucus (co-chair)
• El Salvador Caucus

Gonzalez is married to Lorena, a former teacher and school administrator. They live in McAllen, Texas.{{cite web |last1=Livingston |first1=Abby |date=May 4, 2020 |title=U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez suffers broken back, ordered to bed rest at least four weeks |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/04/us-rep-vicente-gonzalez-suffers-broken-back |access-date=4 May 2020 |website=Texas Tribune}}

He is Roman Catholic.{{cite web |title=Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316090407/https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf |archive-date=2023-03-16 |website=Pew Research Center}}

• List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress

{{reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [https://gonzalez.house.gov/ Congressman Gonzalez] official U.S. House website
• [http://www.vicentegonzalez.com/ Campaign website]
• {{CongLinks| congbio = G000581 | fec = H6TX15162 | votesmart=166483| congress = vicente-gonzalez/G000581}}
• {{C-SPAN|103568}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-hs}}

{{US House succession box

|state = Texas

|district = 15

|before = Rubén Hinojosa

|after = Monica De La Cruz

|years = 2017–2023}}

|-

{{US House succession box

|state = Texas

|district = 34

|before = Mayra Flores

|after =

|years = 2023–present}}

|-

{{s-ppo}}

{{s-bef|before=Marie Gluesenkamp Perez}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition for Communications|years=2025–present|alongside=Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Administration), Lou Correa (Policy)}}

{{s-inc}}

|-

{{s-prec|usa}}

{{s-bef|before=Brian Fitzpatrick}}

{{s-ttl|title=United States representatives by seniority|years=169th}}

{{s-aft|after=Josh Gottheimer}}

{{s-end}}

{{TX-FedRep}}

{{Current members of the U.S. House of Representatives}}

{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 115th–present United States Congress |state=Texas}}

{{USCongRep/TX/115}}

{{USCongRep/TX/116}}

{{USCongRep/TX/117}}

{{USCongRep/TX/118}}

{{USCongRep/TX/119}}

{{USCongRep-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Vicente}}

Category:1967 births

Category:Catholic politicians from Texas

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Texas

Category:Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University

Category:Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress

Category:Living people

Category:American politicians of Mexican descent

Category:People from McAllen, Texas

Category:Texas A&M University School of Law alumni

Category:Texas lawyers

Category:21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives