OP-ED: Keeping My Promise: An Independent Voice in Sacramento
Calexico Chronicle
Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez
September 26, 2025
It’s been almost one year since I stood on the Assembly floor for the very first time, humbled by the trust the people of California’s 36th District placed in me.
I ran for office with a simple promise: to be an independent voice for our community, to fight for affordability, transparency, and accountability, and to ensure veterans, working families, and our most vulnerable neighbors are never left behind…
In a supermajority legislature, the voices of communities like ours can be overshadowed, but every day I made it my mission to make sure that from Anza to Needles, and Indio to Calexico, our voices were heard loud and clear in the Capitol.
I’m proud to share that in our first year, we returned over $500,000 directly to constituents through casework and state resources. We prevented prison closures in our district, protecting both jobs and public safety.
I co-authored more than 140 bills, with over half of them bipartisan, because real solutions do not happen if we stay in partisan corners.
We also protected seniors and people with disabilities by stopping cuts to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). That fight was personal to me. My son, RJ, lives with cerebral palsy, and I know firsthand how devastating those cuts would have been for families like mine…
I also pushed for accountability where it was most needed, including demanding answers on the $60 million deficit at CVUSD.
I was honored to be selected by Speaker Robert Rivas to serve as Vice Chair of the Assembly’s Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and as Vice Chair of Water, Parks and Wildlife. I also serve on the Assembly’s Agriculture Committee, which is critical for our district. Agriculture is a cornerstone of our economy, from the fields of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys to the workers and businesses that support them…
From town halls and community coffees to meeting constituents on their porches, I have made it a priority to remain accessible. The best ideas do not come from Sacramento. They come from the people I meet every day at home…
I will keep fighting for geothermal and lithium development in Imperial County because I believe these resources can transform our region into the Silicon Valley of clean energy — creating well-paying jobs, strengthening our economy and delivering long-term energy security for California…
I did not run for this office to play political games. I ran to get results. My first year showed both the obstacles and the opportunities that come with serving in Sacramento. But one thing is certain: I remain committed to being your independent voice, working every day to make our communities stronger, safer, and more affordable.
The work continues, and I’m just getting started.
To read the full story, click HERE.
###