De León wants to represent the new face of California: multiracial, the child of immigrants, and offering an uncompromising brand of progressive politics. His views on immigration, healthcare, and the environment are ambitious and absolute. In the age of Donald Trump, de León is the candidate who champions resistance.
He grew up in San Diego, raised by a single mother—an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who cleaned homes for a living. He is the first in his family to graduate from high school or college. Before joining the California Assembly, de León’s work history traces the ideological foundation of the modern Democratic Party in California: He taught English to immigrants; campaigned against Proposition 187, which would have denied public services to undocumented immigrants; and worked as a union organizer for the teachers’ union.
INTERESTS
- Protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants
- Environmental protection
- Single-payer healthcare
- Not cooperating with the Trump administration even a little bit
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
California State Senator 2010-Present
- Served as president pro tempore, the ranking member of the state Senate, where he introduced California’s “sanctuary state” bill, which places tight restrictions on how state and local law enforcement officers can cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
- Wrote the law requiring California to get all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045
- Co-chaired the campaign for Proposition 39 in 2012, which raised corporate income taxes on businesses that conduct business in California but which are located outside of the state.
ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
- Member, California Assembly
- Organizer, California Teachers Association
- English as a Second Language Teacher, One-Stop Immigration and Education Center
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
- California Nurses Association
- SEIU California
- U.S Rep. Ro Khanna
- State Sen. Toni Atkins
- Tom Steyer
CONTACT INFORMATION: www.kevindeleon.com @kdeleon