Vicente Gonzalez (politician)

As a newcomer to politics, Gonzalez declared his candidacy in 2016 for the United States House of Representatives in Texas's 15th congressional district after Rubén Hinojosa, the incumbent representative, announced he would not run for reelection.[8] He won the Democratic Party nomination, defeating Sonny Palacios in the runoff election.[9][10][11] He defeated Republican Tim Westley in the November general election, winning 57.3% of the vote to Westley's 37.7%.[12]

Gonzalez faced Westley in a rematch and won re-election in 2018 with 59.7% of the vote to Westley's 38.7%.

During the 2020 general election, where Democrats targeted a number of Republican-held seats but ultimately failed, Gonzalez's seat became unexpectedly competitive. He faced Republican Monica de la Cruz-Hernandez and won re-election by a narrower margin compared to his previous two victories, attaining 50.5% of the vote to Cruz-Hernandez's 47.6%.[13][14]

Gonzalez was sworn in January 3, 2017.[15] He is only the seventh person to represent this district since its creation in 1903.

At the start of his career in Congress, he was appointed to the House Financial Services Committee[16] and joined the Blue Dog Coalition[17] and the Problem Solvers Caucus.[18] In June 2017, Gonzalez announced the formation of the Congressional Oil & Gas Caucus[19] and serves as its chair. He is also a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Small Business Caucus, and the Congressional Blue Collar Caucus.[20] In the 116th Congress, he serves on the Subcommittees on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets; Housing, Community Development, and Insurance; and Diversity and Inclusion.[21] In the 116th Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi granted him a waiver to jointly serve on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.[22] Congressman Gonzalez is a member of the Subcommittees on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade; and Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment.[23]

During his first six months in office, Gonzalez brought Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to the Rio Grande Valley. He was also the first Texas Democrat and first Latino in Congress to be invited by President Donald Trump to a private dinner at the White House.[24]

In the 115th Congress, Gonzalez participated in bipartisan and bicameral congressional delegations to a variety of countries around the globe.

In Japan, he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, and Japanese First Lady Akie Abe. He also met with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tarō Kōno, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Bill Hagerty, and other respective government officials.[25]

In Mexico, he met with the Chief of Staff to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Alfonso Romo; Mexican Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, Juan Carlos Baker; and Former Secretary of the Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal.[26]

In China, he met with Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Liu He. In South Korea, he met with members of the U.S. Army, stationed at Camp Humphreys, located within the seaport city of Pyeongtaek.[27]

In December 2018, he joined the U.S. delegation attending the inauguration of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[28]

In Israel has met with Benjamín Netanyahu and in the Palestinian Territories with President Abbas.

In April of 2019, Congressman González traveled to Lebanon & Jordan with the U.N. Foundation. In Lebanon he met with President Michel Aoun as well as Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Speaker of the House Nabih Berri.

In Jordan, the delegation was received at the Royal Palace by Prince Feisal Hussein.

Since taking office, Gonzalez has spent every Thanksgiving with members of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed overseas. He spent the holiday with troops stationed in Afghanistan in 2017,[29] and in Kuwait and Djibouti in 2018.[30]

In January 2019, Gonzalez was one of seven Democratic lawmakers to meet with President Donald Trump to put an end to the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.[31]

In January 2020, Gonzalez was awarded the Order of Quetzal by President Morales of Guatemala. While dealing with issues on the United States' southern border, Gonzalez has regularly engaged Central America leaders since arriving to Congress.

• Committee on Financial Services[32]
  • United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets
  • United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance
  • United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion
• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade
  • United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus[33]
• Congressional Oil & Gas Caucus
• Congressional Small Business Caucus
• Congressional Blue Collar Caucus
• Medicare for All Caucus
• Blue Collar Caucus
• Blue Dog Coalition[34]

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez received the Order of the Quetzal, an award that acknowledges foreign officials, organizations, and people who have given back to the nation of Guatemala whose artistic, civic, humanitarian, or scientific work merit special recognition, in January 2020.[35]