“There is a kind of strategic recognition that younger, more vibrant, more energetic members are needed to invigorate the base, and this younger generation of Democrats are looking to see themselves in the leadership,” she said.īetween his new role and work on the Jan. Renée Van Vechten, a professor of American politics and policy at the University of Redlands, said Aguilar’s rise in the Democratic ranks is a bit unusual for one so early in their career. And it shows how far we’ve come as a country.” “The role that the Democratic caucus put me in to do that is important. “As a Latino from Southern California, (the importance of) being able to give the first nomination speech for a Black man to be speaker is not lost on me,” he said, referring to his nomination of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, for speaker of the House in January. He’s now the highest-ranking Latino in the House ever, something that’s not lost on Aguilar. In November, House Democrats selected Aguilar as House Democratic Caucus chairman, making him the third-ranking Democrat in the House. “I think, as a group, some of us will get together at some points throughout the year, share our experiences, talk about what we’ve learned and use that as a forum to kind of keep this topical,” Aguilar said. With Republicans now in control of the House, however, any work continuing the now-concluded committee’s work will be done informally. He credits the committee’s work with helping to get election law changed to clarify that the vice president’s role in certifying election results is only ceremonial and directing millions of federal dollars toward helping safeguard the nation’s election system. “That’s exactly the point … are we going to stay true to democracy?” She felt that what the former president did was wrong,” Aguilar said of Hutchinson. Like former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, they believed in the democratic process and the peaceful transition of power between presidents. The committee interviewed staff members for former president Donald Trump who were true believers in the conservative cause, but who disagreed with his behavior after the 2020 election. “But I’m incredibly proud of the work that we did, the (final report) that we produced in December.” “Ultimately, history will be the judge,” he said in his San Bernardino office in January, reflecting on his year-and-a-half on the committee. The work brought together a group of mostly Democratic of lawmakers with conservative whistleblowers. His work on the House select committee investigating the Jan. Since arriving in Washington nearly a decade ago, Aguilar has quietly risen through the Democratic ranks and in national prominence. “I think a lot of the Republicans that we’ve worked with in the past, we have disagreements on the size and scope of programs, but fundamentally, we know the role that government plays in people’s lives,” Aguilar said, a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. He doesn’t change when he’s in Congress.”Īnd that includes Aguilar’s willingness to collaborate with others he might disagree with on many issues. Ted Lieu, D-Manhattan Beach, who was part of the same Congressional freshman class that year. “He’s terrific to work with, very easy-going,” said Rep. On his second try in 2014, Aguilar was elected to the House of Representatives, and he has cruised to reelection four times since. Gray Davis’ Inland Empire office at age 21, four years before he won the Redlands council appointment. Aguilar, now 43, wants government to work.īorn in Fontana, Aguilar, a fourth-generation Inland Empire resident who graduated from Yucaipa High School and the University of Redlands, has spent much of his adult life in public service.
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