Juan Vargas

Early life and education

Vargas was born on a chicken ranch in National City, California, where he grew up very poor. He is the third of ten children of Tomas and Celina Vargas, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the late 1940s as part of the Bracero program. Vargas graduated magna cum laude with a BA from the University of San Diego and earned an MA in humanities from Fordham University.

After college, Vargas joined the Jesuit Novitiate in Santa Barbara. In the Jesuits, Vargas served in an orphanage in El Salvador's civil-war-torn jungles. After leaving the Jesuits, he attended law school, graduating in 1991 with a JD from Harvard Law School.

Early political career (1992–2000)

1992 congressional election

In 1992, Vargas ran in the newly created 50th congressional district, based in San Diego. He lost the Democratic primary, ranking fourth with 19% of the vote. Bob Filner won the primary with a plurality of 26% and went on to win the election.

San Diego City Council

Vargas served on the San Diego City Council from 1993 to 2000. While on the council, he created "Operation Restore" to employ homeless people to remove graffiti and to rehabilitate homes.

1996 congressional election

In 1996, Vargas challenged Filner in the Democratic primary. Vargas wouldn't debate Filner, so the incumbent instead sparred with a life-sized Vargas cardboard cutout. Vargas said he agreed with Filner on "99 percent" of issues. Filner defeated him 55%–45%.

California State Assembly (2000–2007)

Elections

In 2000, Vargas ran in California's 79th State Assembly district. He defeated Republican Jon Parungao 77%–19%. In 2002, he defeated Republican Mark Fast 66%–30%. In 2004, he defeated Libertarian Eli Wallace Conroe 85%–15%.

Tenure

In his first year in the Assembly, Vargas was appointed Assistant Majority Leader. He authored AB 188, legislation that bans smoking in children's playgrounds. He also introduced legislation aimed at protecting children from arcade video games, and authored legislation to mandate life sentences for people who commit violent sex crimes against children, which served as a model for Chelsea's Law.

Committee assignments

• Business and Professions
• Insurance (chair)

2006 congressional election

In 2006, Vargas challenged Filner a third time, this time in California's 51st congressional district. He accused Filner of being a part of the culture of corruption of Washington, pointing out that Filner had paid his wife more than $500,000 in campaign funds for consulting services performed from their condominium in Washington. Filner argued that Vargas had controversial payments to his brother-in-law, who was a lobbyist for realtors. Filner defeated Vargas 51%–43%, with Danny Ramirez getting 6% of the vote.

Business career (2007–2009)

After leaving the State Assembly in 2006 due to term limits, Vargas took a job with a home, auto and small business insurance company, where he was tasked with creating jobs and outreach in diverse San Diego communities as part of the company's diversity initiative. He left that job at the end of 2009 to run as a Democratic candidate for the California State Senate.

California State Senate (2010–2013)

2010 election

In 2010, Vargas narrowly won a seat in the California's 40th State Senate district, defeating Assemblywoman Mary Salas by 22 votes after recounts in San Diego and Riverside counties. He resigned from the Senate effective January 2, 2013, to take his seat in Congress. A special election to fill his seat was held in March 2013.

Committee assignments

;Standing committees

• Banking & Financial Institutions (chair)
• Agriculture
• Business, Professions, and Economic Development
• Education
• Public Employment and Retirement

;Subcommittee

• Education: Sustainable School Facilities

;Joint Committee

• Rules

;Select Committee

• Recovery, Reform, and Re-Alignment

U.S. House of Representatives (2013–present)

2012 election

In 2012, when Filner announced he would retire from Congress to run for mayor of San Diego, Vargas endorsed him despite their history of bitter rivalry. Vargas then ran for Filner's seat in the 51st district. In the open primary, he ranked first with 46% of the vote. Republican Michael Crimmins ranked second with 20%, Democratic state senator Denise Moreno Ducheny third with 15%, and four other candidates received single-digit percentages. In November, he defeated Crimmins 71%–29%.

2020 election

In 2019, Vargas spent $124,200 of campaign money on photography, printing, postage, mailing and shipping of holiday cards that he sent to constituents.

Tenure

Vargas was sworn in on January 3, 2013. In 2015, he and his wife, Adrienne, spent five days in Berlin and Elmau, Germany. The trip was paid for by Robert Bosch Stiftung and the German Marshall Fund and cost $18,200. Part of Vargas's congressional work, the trip was to help him develop "a greater understanding of the key legislative topics of the 114th Congress through our [Germany and the United States] transatlantic relationship."

In 2022, Vargas was one of 16 Democrats to vote against the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.

He voted in favor of a bill that provided an additional $14.3 billion to support Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Monetary Policy
  • Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance and International Financial Institutions

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• New Democrat Coalition
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus
• Climate Solutions Caucus
• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
• Congressional Equality Caucus
• Rare Disease Caucus

Political positions

Vargas has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and an F grade from the Susan B. Anthony List for his abortion-related voting record. He opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it "fundamentally wrong and extremely disappointing, impacting millions of women across the country."

In 2023, Vargas was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21 which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

In February 2025, Vargas joined a protest against Donald Trump's immigration policies led by religious leaders including Cardinal Robert McElroy, the Bishop of San Diego and Archibishop-designate of the Archdiocese of Washington.

Personal life

Vargas and his wife, Adrienne, have two daughters.

During the 1999 armed conflict in Kosovo, Vargas welcomed a Kosovar refugee family into his family's home for nearly two years.

He had a cameo in the 2023 movie Dumb Money.

References

References

1. (August 2011). "District 51". Healthy City.
2. (9 August 2017). "Border wall hits close to home: Trump's immigration policy raises old fears for Congress's first-generation Americans". Washington Post.
3. (11 December 2012). "Full Biography".
4. "Our Campaigns – CA District 50 – D Primary Race – Jun 02, 1992".
5. Mork, Janis. (November 7, 2012). "Meet Congressman Juan Vargas, who wins seat in 51st congressional district". East County Magazine.
6. "The Politics of Bob Filner's Personality – Voice of San Diego: Government".
7. "Our Campaigns – CA District 50 – D Primary Race – Mar 26, 1996".
8. "Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 79 Race – Nov 07, 2000".
9. LaVelle, Philip J.. (June 7, 2006). "Bilbray edges out Busby". San Diego Union-Tribune.
10. "Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 79 Race – Nov 05, 2002".
11. "Our Campaigns – CA State Assembly 79 Race – Nov 02, 2004".
12. (11 March 2011). "Biography".
13. "USATODAY.com – Consumer-backed bill fails; industry measure passes committee".
14. (21 March 2003). "Calif. Commissioner Formally Enforces Regulatory Powers Over SCIF".
15. "Login".
16. "Mudslinging, issues pit Vargas against Filner". Imperial Valley Press Online.
17. "Our Campaigns – CA District 51 – D Primary Race – Jun 06, 2006".
18. Raftery, Miriam. (June 5, 2006). "Bigamy, bribery, other allegations plague California congressional race".
19. Walker, Mark. (January 3, 2013). "Peters, Vargas ready for Washington fray". San Diego Union Tribune.
20. "Home – Senator".
21. "Juan Vargas, Democrat for United States Congress".
22. Liam Dillon. (2 November 2012). "The Politics of Bob Filner's Personality". Voice of San Diego.
23. "Our Campaigns – CA – District 51 – Open Primary Race – Jun 05, 2012".
24. "Our Campaigns – CA – District 51 Race – Nov 06, 2012".
25. "Presidential General Election, Tuesday, November 5, 2012". California Secretary of State.
26. (30 April 2015). "Juan and Adrienne's Bavarian spring break {{!}} San Diego Reader". San Diego Reader.
27. (29 September 2022). "House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled".
28. "H.R. 3843: Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 -- House Vote #460 -- Sep 29, 2022".
29. (November 2, 2023). "House approves GOP's $14.3 billion Israel aid package". The Hill.
30. "Juan Vargas". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.
31. "Members". Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
32. "Members". New Democrat Coalition.
33. "Members". Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
34. "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby.
35. "Caucus Members".
36. "Members of the Caucus on U.S. - Türkiye Relations & Turkish Americans". Turkish Coalition of America.
37. "About the CEC". CEC.
38. "Rare Disease Congressional Caucus". Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases.
39. "Juan Vargas".
40. "Juan Vargas".
41. (24 June 2022). "Roe v. Wade was the law of the land. Today's Supreme Court decision is fundamentally wrong and extremely disappointing, impacting millions of women across the country. My full statement is below.".
42. "H.Con.Res. 21: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of … -- House Vote #136 -- Mar 8, 2023".
43. (2023-03-08). "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria".
44. (2025-02-10). "'It's terrifying, the direction we're heading in': San Diegans protest against Musk, Trump".
45. (5 February 2019). "Vargas spends $100K on holiday cards for constituents". Baltimore Sun.
46. (11 March 2011). "Senator Juan Vargas: California Senate District 40". California State Senate.