Gil Cisneros

Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. (born February 12, 1971) is an American government official, philanthropist, and politician who is a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 31st congressional district since 2025. Cisneros, a Democrat since 2008, previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration and the U.S. representative for from 2019 to 2021.

In 2010, he and his wife won a $266 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot and became philanthropists. He was elected to the House in 2018 to represent . He was defeated in his 2020 bid for reelection by former California State Assembly member Young Kim, whom he had defeated in 2018. In April 2021, he was nominated by President Biden to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and after confirmation by the Senate, he assumed office on August 24, 2021.

On August 1, 2023, he announced he was stepping down from his position in the Pentagon in early September. On September 18, he announced his candidacy for California's 31st congressional district and defeated Republican Daniel Martinez in the 2024 election.

Early life and education

Cisneros was born in Los Angeles, of Californio heritage. His great-grandmother was born in Los Angeles when it was still part of Mexico. His mother worked in a cafeteria, while his father served in the Vietnam War and suffered from exposure to Agent Orange. He is Hispanic.

Cisneros served in the United States Navy as a supply officer for 11 years. He discharged from the Navy in 2004, as a lieutenant commander, and his decorations included the Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from George Washington University and his Master of Business Administration from Regis University.

Career

Cisneros worked as a shipping and manufacturing manager for Frito-Lay until he was laid off in 2010.

Lottery win

Weeks after he was laid off, Cisneros won a Mega Millions jackpot worth $266 million. He and his wife became philanthropists, establishing endowments for scholarships to be given to Latino students at GWU and the University of Southern California. They also founded Generation First Degree Pico Rivera, with the goal of ensuring every Latino household in Pico Rivera has at least one college graduate, and the Gilbert and Jacki Cisneros Foundation with an initial investment of $20 million to provide mentorship in education.

Gil Cisneros' work in philanthropy led him to an appointment by President Barack Obama to be on the Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2014.

Continuing education

After setting up the foundation, Cisneros earned a Master of Arts from Brown University in Urban Education Policy, and an MBA from Regis University.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

Cisneros was a Republican until 2008, but left the party because he felt it had become "too ideological" and switched to the Democratic Party.

In 2017, he declared his candidacy against Ed Royce in the 2018 election for the United States House of Representatives to represent . He specifically cited Royce's vote to repeal the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, as a reason he chose to run. In January 2018, Royce announced he would retire rather than seek reelection to a 14th term. Later, the election attracted national attention as the "weirdest race in the country" after the California Democratic Party and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee brokered a truce on negative campaigning between Cisneros and Andy Thorburn, who had each spent $6 million on their respective campaigns.

Fears of a lockout by either party were not realized when Cisneros advanced to the November runoff election, finishing second in the June primary election to Republican former state Assemblywoman Young Kim, with 19.35% of the vote. This election was rated a "Toss-up" by the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball. The Associated Press called the election for Cisneros on November 17.

2020

Cisneros lost to Young Kim by a margin of 1.2% in the 2020 House of Representatives election for , in a rematch of the 2018 election.

2024

On September 18, 2023, Cisneros announced his intention to make a return to Congress by announcing his candidacy for the vacant 31st congressional district seat that became available with the retirement of Grace Napolitano. He defeated Republican Daniel Martinez in the 2024 election.

Tenure

Committee assignments

;Current:
* Committee on Armed Services (116th and 119th Congresses)
** Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations (119th Congress)
** Subcommittee on Military Personnel (116th and 119th Congresses)
** Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces (116th Congress)
* Committee on Small Business
** Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure (Ranking Member)
** Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations
;Former
* Committee on Veterans' Affairs (116th Congress)
** Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
** Subcommittee on Health
** Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Caucus memberships

* Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
* Congressional Hispanic Caucus
* Congressional Progressive Caucus
* Congressional Taiwan Caucus
* New Democrat Coalition

Biden-Harris administration

On April 12, 2021, the White House announced that Cisneros would be nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration; his nomination was received on April 27. On July 27, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) voted to advance Cisneros's nomination to the full chamber for a future vote. Cisneros was confirmed unanimously by the Senate on August 11, 2021, by voice vote, and he was sworn in on August 24, 2021.

Electoral history

Personal life

Cisneros and his wife Jacki have twin sons. They own a home in Pico Rivera, and lived in Newport Beach until they moved to Yorba Linda in late 2017, the year he began running for election. Before Cisneros won the lottery, Jacki worked for KNBC in Los Angeles. Gil currently resides in Covina, California. He is Catholic.

See also

* List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
* List of new members of the 119th United States Congress

References

External links

Campaign website

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cisneros, Gil
1971 births
Living people
21st-century American naval officers
21st-century California politicians
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Biden administration personnel
Brown University alumni
California Republicans
Californios
Catholic politicians from California
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences alumni
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress
Hispanic and Latino American military personnel
Lottery winners
People from El Monte, California
People from Newport Beach, California
People from Pico Rivera, California
People from Yorba Linda, California
Politicians from Los Angeles
Politicians from Orange County, California
Regis University alumni
United States Under Secretaries of Defense