Liz Ortega
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 20th district
Assumed office
December 5, 2022
Preceded byBill Quirk
Personal details
Born
Elizabeth Ortega

(1977-08-26) August 26, 1977
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Jason Toro
​
(m. 2000)​
Children4
ResidenceSan Leandro, California
Alma materUniversity of Phoenix (BS)
ProfessionLabor executive
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Elizabeth Ortega-Toro (née Ortega; born August 26, 1977) is an American politician and labor executive who is a member of the California State Assembly from the 20th district since 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, her district includes the southern East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Ortega immigrated to the United States at age three and was raised in Oakland. She has a bachelor of science from the University of Phoenix.[1] She served as the statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299 before becoming the first Latina elected to serve as the executive secretary-treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council, a central labor council that represents all labor unions in Alameda County.[2]

Ortega was first elected to the Assembly in 2022, defeating Dublin City Councilmember Shawn Kumagai.[3] She assumed office on December 5, 2022.

Early life and education

Ortega was born in Mexico on August 26, 1977.[4][5][6] Her family is from the Guadalajara area.[7] Ortega immigrated to the United States at age three with her mother and brother; her father had already immigrated to the United States. They crossed the border in San Diego and moved to the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, where Ortega was raised and attended public school.[8][7]

Ortega attended the University of Phoenix at its Oakland campus. She graduated with a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration in 2009.[1]

Labor career

Ortega began her labor career as a receptionist for SEIU in 2001. She later became an education trainer for SEIU and was eventually promoted to assistant director of Education and Nursing Homes.[7] In 2011, she became political director for the Alameda Labor Council, an AFL-CIO-affiliated central labor council that represents all labor unions in Alameda County, from 2011 to 2013.[1]

In 2013, Ortega joined AFSCME Local 3299 as its statewide political director. As statewide political director, she was based in Sacramento and lobbied the California State Legislature for the successful passage of legislation to protect essential service jobs at all University of California campuses.[9]

Ortega returned to the Alameda Labor Council in 2017 as its Executive Secretary-Treasurer. She was the first Latina to serve in that position.[10]

California State Assembly

Tenure

Ortega was sworn in on December 5, 2022. She represents the 20th district, which includes the Alameda County communities of San Leandro, Union City, Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Cherryland, Ashland, and parts of Dublin and Pleasanton.[11]

Elections

2022

2022 California's 20th State Assembly district election[12][13]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Liz Ortega 23,503 32.2
Democratic Shawn Kumagai 17,481 23.9
Democratic Jennifer Esteen 16,211 22.2
Republican Joseph Grcar 15,869 21.7
Total votes 73,064 100.0
General election
Democratic Liz Ortega 68,775 62.1
Democratic Shawn Kumagai 41,889 37.9
Total votes 110,664 100.0
Democratic hold

Personal life

Ortega is marred to Jason Toro have four children together and live in San Leandro.[9]

Bankruptcy

In 2010, Ortega filed for personal bankruptcy in the Northern District of California. She claimed $431,450 in assets and $628,558 in liabilities, as well as student loan debts and debts to the Internal Revenue Service and Chase Bank.[14]

In 2018, the State of California claimed a $16,614.23 tax lien against Ortega.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Maplight, LWVCEF and cavotes.org. "Liz Ortega". Voter's Edge California Voter Guide. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ "About". Liz Ortega for Assembly. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Alameda County Election Results". www.acgov.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Liz Ortega for Assembly". Twitter. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Elizabeth Ortega - phone number: (510) 638-1***, age 45, address: 530 Fortuna Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577 - Radaris". radaris.com. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Democratic faction rivalry defines Assembly District 20 race". The Mercury News. October 18, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "Liz Ortega Toro". Unionist. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Liz Ortega". Bay Rising Action. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Liz Ortega-Toro". Womens Political Committee. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ Valle, Richard (November 30, 2022). "Elizabeth Ortega-Toro" (PDF). Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  11. ↑ "District Map | Official Website - Assemblymember Liz Ortega Representing the 20th California Assembly District". a20.asmdc.org. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  13. ↑ "California General Election - Unofficial Results". California Secretary of State.
  14. ↑ Tavares, Steven (September 30, 2022). "AD20 race picks up where it left off in the spring with a nasty hit on Liz Ortega-Toro". eastbayinsiders.substack.com. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  15. ↑ "SAY "NO" TO TAX LIEN LIZ!". Retrieved December 1, 2022.
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