John Garamendi

Who is John Garamendi?

John Raymond Garamendi is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for California's 3rd congressional district. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Garamendi was the California State Insurance Commissioner from 1991 to 1995, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Interior from 1995 to 1998, and the California State Insurance Commissioner again from 2003 to 2007. He then served as the 46th Lieutenant Governor of California from January 8, 2007 until he was elected to Congress in November 2009.

Garamendi was temporarily a candidate for Governor of California in the 2010 election after announcing his candidacy on July 31, 2008. However, he suspended his candidacy on April 29, 2009, to run for Congress in the 10th congressional district. This seat was vacated by Ellen Tauscher, who resigned to become Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. Garamendi won the Democratic Party nomination in the primary election for the seat on September 1 and then won the special election on November 3, 2009. Garamendi was re-elected to a full term in 2010 and 2012.