I'm Latino, progressive, and I have deep roots in the working class - my father was a bracero, a guest farmworker and cook, and my mom worked as a nursing home laundry attendant.

In my four years as a state legislator, I went to dozens of nontraditional events - everything from bird watchings to tree giveaways, neighborhood cleanups to self-defense clinics for women - going where people are instead of asking them to come to me. It's how I learned about their struggles and how legislative decisions affected their lives.

As a California state legislator, I supported our cap-and-trade law to force polluters to pay for releasing harmful greenhouse gases to combat climate change.

Jimmy Gomez Quotes