Quick Info
| Profession | Politician and former educator |
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| Nationality | American |
| Date of Birth | 02/12/1977 |
| Age | 48 years |
| Birthplace | Lima, Peru |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
Latest News about Robert Garcia
03/11/2026
Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, is positioned to lead the committee if Democrats win the House in the November 2026 midterm elections. Reporting ahead of the vote said he plans to use that role to hold federal immigration agents and corporate executives accountable.
01/10/2026
Garcia made an unannounced oversight visit to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the country, to inspect conditions. The visit was part of his continuing oversight of immigration enforcement.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Robert Julio Garcia is a Democratic politician who has represented California's 42nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2023. He previously served on the Long Beach City Council, as vice mayor, and as mayor of Long Beach. He is also a former college instructor in communication and public policy. |
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Educational Qualification(s)
| Bachelor of Arts | Communication Studies, California State University, Long Beach (2002) |
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| Master of Arts | University of Southern California |
| Doctor of Education | Educational Policy, California State University, Long Beach (2010) |
Personal Life
| Immigration | Moved to the United States from Peru as a young child and later became a U.S. citizen during college |
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| Sexual orientation | Gay, identified as an openly LGBTQ public official |
Relationships & More
| Spouse | Matthew Mendez (married 2018) |
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Family
| Mother | Brought him from Peru to the United States as a child |
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Career
| Long Beach City Council | Represented the 1st district, 2009 to 2014 |
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| Vice Mayor of Long Beach | 2012 to 2014 |
| Mayor of Long Beach | 2014 to 2022 |
| U.S. House of Representatives | Representative for California's 42nd district since January 2023 |
| House Oversight Committee | Ranking Member since 2025 |
| Teaching | Taught courses in communication and public policy at the University of Southern California, California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Became the first openly LGBTQ mayor of Long Beach and was the youngest person elected to that office | |
| 2. Was elected by House Democrats as the lead Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee | |
| 3. Served as co-chair of the Congressional PORTS Caucus and the Peru Caucus | |
| 4. Described himself in an official statement as the first Peruvian-American Member of Congress | |
| 5. Is widely described as the first openly LGBTQ immigrant to serve in Congress |
