J.J. Galvez, a Democrat, is running for California State Assembly District 71. He faces Republican Kate Sanchez in the Nov. 3 general election.

Asked why he is running, Galvez said in our candidate questionnaire: "I'm running to restore faith in a better future … I'm an immigrant who still believes in the American Dream, which is the belief that outcomes are determined by the effort we put in, not the circumstances we're born into."

He added: "In the Assembly, I'll focus on bringing down the cost of living, creating opportunity, serving with unity, protecting our quality of life, and ensuring safe communities."

Candidate information

Party affiliation: Galvez said in our questionnaire: "Democrat. But first and foremost, I am running as an American. We are extremely divided right now, and I aim to be a voice of unity … When I am working on a bill, I want to call a Republican legislator to get their thoughts on it, because they will point out things I have missed, and the result will be a better bill."

Family: Galvez said in our questionnaire: "I was born and raised in Honduras. My mother was a kindergarten teacher, my dad was an insurance broker … I am the oldest of 4 brothers. Today I live in Silverado Canyon with my wife, Carolina, and our two rescue dogs, Nacho and Mona."

Education: Galvez said in our questionnaire: "I attended a bilingual school in Honduras, where I learned English growing up. I received a student visa to attend college in the US. Through scholarships and part-time jobs, I was able to pay my way through Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, graduating with honors and a double-major in Entrepreneurship and Economics."

Experience and public service

Galvez said in our questionnaire: "I am a Strategy and Operations Manager at Transformco, a tech-enabled home services company. I have more than 10 years of experience in technology startups and business consulting."

He said he also serves as director and treasurer of the Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District. Asked about that role, he said in our questionnaire: "Shortly before I joined the board, the district's funding had been reduced by 30%. I worked with the rest of my board members (Republicans and Democrats) to rebalance our budget while preserving core services."

Asked about accomplishments, Galvez said in our questionnaire: "In this year's primary, we earned 41.8 percent of the vote, running a strong field operation that knocked on over 20,000 doors and resulted in a 7.5-point improvement over the past Democratic candidate in the district."

On the issues

Housing: Galvez said on his campaign website: "Housing costs aren't our only challenge and we need to address the affordability crisis from multiple angles: eliminating unnecessary or out-of-date burdens to build more affordable housing, addressing rising and unsustainable insurance costs, working with state utility regulators to alleviate energy and utility prices …"

Transportation: Galvez said in the Orange County Register's questionnaire that he supports freezing gas tax increases, investing in practical public transportation and bringing more jobs to Riverside County to reduce commuting times.

Immigration: Galvez said in the Orange County Register's questionnaire: "We can have strong immigration enforcement while preserving constitutional rights and our shared humanity."

Healthcare: Galvez said he would reduce drug pricing through state-negotiated volume discounts, expand CalRx and tackle the shortage of nurses, primary care providers and caregivers, according to the Orange County Register's questionnaire.

Endorsements

According to his campaign website, Galvez has been endorsed by:

  • Mike Levin, U.S. Congress
  • California Latino Legislative Caucus
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
  • Teamsters Joint Council 42
  • California Teachers Association
  • California Labor Federation
  • California Federation of Teachers
  • UNITE HERE Local 11
  • Inland Empire Building Trades Council
  • Equality California

According to BallotReady profile data, he has also been endorsed by:

  • AFL-CIO
  • Riverside County Democrats
  • California Young Democrats
  • California - Orange County Democrats
  • California Democratic Party