{{short description|American politician (born 1975)}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Georgette Gómez | image = Councilmember Georgette Gomez.jpg | office = President of the San Diego City Council | term_start = December 10, 2018 | term_end = December 10, 2020 | predecessor = Myrtle Cole | successor = Jennifer Campbell | office1 = Member of the San Diego City Council<br>from the 9th district | term_start1 = December 12, 2016 | term_end1 = December 10, 2020 | predecessor1 = Marti Emerald | successor1 = Sean Elo-Rivera | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|11|3}} | birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = San Diego State University (BA) | website = {{URL|sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd9|Government website}} }} '''Georgette Gómez''' (born November 3, 1975) is an American politician and community activist who served as president of the San Diego City Council from 2018 to 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as a member of the city council from 2016 to 2020, representing District 9.
Gómez was an unsuccessful candidate for California's 53rd congressional district in the 2020 elections and for California's 80th State Assembly district in the 2022 special election following the resignation of Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez to Resign, Assume Union Leadership Role |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/politics/politically-speaking/assemblywoman-lorena-gonzalez-to-resign-assume-union-leadership-role/2830200/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |date=January 4, 2022 |publisher=City News Service |language=en-US |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405200208/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/politics/politically-speaking/assemblywoman-lorena-gonzalez-to-resign-assume-union-leadership-role/2830200/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Gómez was born in San Diego to working-class immigrants. She was raised in Barrio Logan.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Georgette |url=http://www.gomezd9.com/about |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715043432/http://www.gomezd9.com/about |archive-date=2015-07-15 |website=Gomez for City Council 2016}}</ref> Gómez attended Canyon Hills High School and later graduated from San Diego State University, where she studied environmental and natural resource geography.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Burks|first1=Megan|title=Who's The Establishment Candidate In San Diego Council District 9?|url=http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/apr/26/establishment-candidate-san-diego-district-nine/|website=KPBS Public Media|date=April 26, 2016|access-date=December 15, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220163430/http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/apr/26/establishment-candidate-san-diego-district-nine/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career== === San Diego City Council === Gómez was a candidate for the ninth district of the San Diego City Council in the 2016 San Diego City Council election after incumbent Marti Emerald opted not to seek reelection.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marti Emerald Not Seeking Reelection, Political Future Uncertain - Times of San Diego|url=http://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2015/04/14/marti-emerald-not-seeking-reelection-political-future-uncertain/|website=Times of San Diego|date=14 April 2015|access-date=December 15, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220140044/http://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2015/04/14/marti-emerald-not-seeking-reelection-political-future-uncertain/|url-status=live}}</ref> The ninth district includes the neighborhoods of Alvarado Estates, City Heights, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Kensington, Mountain View, Mt. Hope, Rolando, Southcrest, and Talmadge.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd9/neighborhoods/|title=Communities - City of San Diego Official Website|publisher=|access-date=January 9, 2017|archive-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110161200/https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd9/neighborhoods/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the June 2016 primary, Gómez came in second to Ricardo Flores, Emerald's chief of staff. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes in the primary, a runoff election was held in November 2016 between Flores and Gómez. Gómez was then elected to the City Council in November with a majority of the votes.<ref name="CD9results" />
On December 10, 2018, the city council voted unanimously to appoint Gómez to be the council president. In this role, she automatically gained a seat on the board of directors of the San Diego Association of Governments.<ref>{{cite news |title=District 9 City Councilwoman Georgette Gomez elected San Diego City Council President |url=https://www.kusi.com/district-9-city-councilwoman-georgette-gomez-elected-san-diego-city-council-president/ |work=KUSI News |date=December 10, 2018 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407094602/https://www.kusi.com/district-9-city-councilwoman-georgette-gomez-elected-san-diego-city-council-president/ |archive-date=April 7, 2019}}</ref> She also served as the chairwoman of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System from January 2018 to October 2019.<ref name="Gomezchair">{{cite news|last1=Bowen|first1=Andrew|title=MTS Board Elects Georgette Gomez Chairwoman|url=http://www.kpbs.org/news/2018/jan/18/mts-board-elects-georgette-gomez-chairwoman/|accessdate=13 February 2018|work=KPBS Public Media|date=18 January 2018|archive-date=March 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308125625/http://www.kpbs.org/news/2018/jan/18/mts-board-elects-georgette-gomez-chairwoman/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sklar |first1=Debbie L. |title=MTS Board Elects County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher as New Chair |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2019/10/10/mts-board-elects-county-supervisor-nathan-fletcher-as-new-chair/ |accessdate=October 13, 2019 |work=Times of San Diego |date=October 10, 2019 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013172149/https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2019/10/10/mts-board-elects-county-supervisor-nathan-fletcher-as-new-chair/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Under Gómez, the city moved to create a community choice energy agency called San Diego Community Power (as an alternative to SDG&E), a strategy which makes up half of the emissions reductions in the San Diego Climate Action Plan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keatts |first=Andrew |date=2020-11-16 |title=The Rise and Fall (for Now) of Georgette Gómez |url=https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/politics/the-rise-and-fall-for-now-of-georgette-gomez/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325195152/https://voiceofsandiego.org/2020/11/16/the-rise-and-fall-for-now-of-georgette-gomez/ |archive-date=2022-03-25 |access-date=2021-08-24 |website=Voice of San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== 2020 congressional election === In September 2019, Gómez announced her candidacy in the 2020 elections to represent California's 53rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Presha |first1=Alex |title=Georgette Gómez Announces Run for Congress in 53rd District |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-County-Member-of-Congress-2020-Susan-Davis-Georgette-Gomez-Seat-53-560296951.html |accessdate=October 23, 2019 |work=NBC 7 San Diego |date=September 14, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=October 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024014813/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-County-Member-of-Congress-2020-Susan-Davis-Georgette-Gomez-Seat-53-560296951.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Gómez and Sara Jacobs advanced to the November 2020 runoff election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-08 |title=Sara Jacobs, Georgette Gómez Officially Headed for Runoff in 53rd District |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sara-jacobs-georgette-gomez-headed-for-runoff-in-53rd-district/2278981/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306161610/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sara-jacobs-georgette-gomez-headed-for-runoff-in-53rd-district/2278981/ |archive-date=2020-03-06 |access-date=2020-06-03 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref> In the runoff, Gomez campaigned as both a progressive and a strong supporter of Israel; she was endorsed by Democratic Majority for Israel, which caused her to lose support from the Justice Democrats.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://jewishinsider.com/2020/10/justice-dems-was-boosting-georgette-gomez/ | title=Justice Dems boosted this candidate until she disagreed with them on Israel | date=October 26, 2020 }}</ref> Jacobs beat Gomez 59.5%-40.5% in the November 2020 general election.
In June 2020, Gómez expressed support for a petition calling for a name change of the Andrew Jackson Federal Post Office in her district due to his history of owning slaves and his part in the forced displacement of Native Americans during the Trail of Tears.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Summers |first=Dave |date=2020-06-24 |title=Petition Calls for Name Change at Andrew Jackson Post Office in Rolando |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/petition-calls-for-name-change-at-andrew-jackson-post-office-in-rolando/2351966/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200624033843/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/petition-calls-for-name-change-at-andrew-jackson-post-office-in-rolando/2351966/ |archive-date=June 24, 2020 |access-date=2020-10-15 |website=NBC 7 San Diego}}</ref>
On October 8, 2020, the San Diego Union Tribune reported that Gómez failed to pay taxes on her city council salary in 2017. Gómez admitted the mistake and amended her filing.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rivlin-Nadler|first=Max|title=Gómez's Tax Omission A Talker In 53rd District Congressional Race|url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/oct/09/53rd-district-congressional-campaigns-react-gomezs/|access-date=2020-10-15|website=KPBS Public Media|date=October 9, 2020|language=en|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101020540/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/oct/09/53rd-district-congressional-campaigns-react-gomezs/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dyer |first=Andrew |date=2020-10-09 |title=City Council President Georgette Gómez failed to report more than $100,000 in income on taxes, records show |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-10-08/city-council-president-georgette-gomez-failed-to-report-more-than-100-000-in-income-on-taxes-records-show |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101073152/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2020-10-08/city-council-president-georgette-gomez-failed-to-report-more-than-100-000-in-income-on-taxes-records-show |archive-date=2020-11-01 |access-date=2020-10-15 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== 2022 California's 80th Assembly district election === Gómez announced her candidacy to represent California's 80th Assembly District on January 3, 2022; the same day Lorena Gonzalez announced her resignation.<ref name=":0" /> In the special election on April 5, 2022, no candidate received a majority of the votes. Gómez and fellow Democrat David Alvarez advanced to a runoff election to be held June 7, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Domenick |first=Candelieri |date=2022-04-06 |title=Assembly District 80 race: Alvarez, Gómez projected to advance to runoff election |url=https://fox5sandiego.com/news/politics/special-primary-election-results-assembly-district-80-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406041016/https://fox5sandiego.com/news/politics/special-primary-election-results-assembly-district-80-2/ |archive-date=2022-04-06 |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=FOX 5 San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2022, she withdrew from the race.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dyer |first=Andrew |date=2022-09-21 |title=Georgette Gómez drops bid for 80th Assembly seat |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2022-09-21/georgette-gomez-assembly-david-alvarez |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921113349/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2022-09-21/georgette-gomez-assembly-david-alvarez |archive-date=2022-09-21 |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{Endorsements box|title=Endorsements|list=;Organizations *California Democratic Party<ref name="Times of San Diego">{{cite news |last1=Jennewein |first1=Chris |title=David Alvarez, Georgette Gómez Headed for Runoff in 80th Assembly District Special Election |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/04/05/david-alvarez-georgette-gomez-headed-for-runoff-in-80th-assembly-district-special-election/ |access-date=8 April 2022 |work=Times of San Diego |date=6 April 2022 |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408024809/https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/04/05/david-alvarez-georgette-gomez-headed-for-runoff-in-80th-assembly-district-special-election/ |url-status=live }}</ref> *California Nurses Association *California Federation of Teachers *Sierra Club California *SEIU California *Equality California *Working Families Party<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Candidates |url=https://workingfamilies.org/candidates/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=Working Families Party |language=en |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307150728/https://workingfamilies.org/candidates/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ;Individuals *Lorena Gonzalez<ref name="KPBS">{{cite news |last1=Aere |first1=Jacob |title=Former Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez endorses Georgette Gómez for District 80 seat, other contenders fighting for role |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2022/02/09/former-assemblymember-lorena-gonzalez-endorses-georgette-gomez-district-80-seat |access-date=8 April 2022 |publisher=KPBS |date=9 February 2022 |language=en}}</ref> *Todd Gloria, mayor of San Diego<ref name="KPBS"/> *Nora Vargas, San Diego Board of Supervisors<ref>{{cite news |title=80th Assembly District special election: Democrats David Alvarez, Georgette Gomez advance to runoff |url=https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/your-voice-your-vote/80th-assembly-district-special-election-democrats-david-alvarez-georgette-gomez-advance-to-runoff |access-date=8 April 2022 |work=ABC 10 News San Diego |date=6 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref> *Nathan Fletcher, San Diego Board of Supervisors<ref name="Times of San Diego"/> *Chris Ward<ref name="TimesofSDJan14">{{Cite web |last=Jennewein |first=Chris |date=2022-01-14 |title=Georgette Gómez Picks Up High-Profile Endorsements in Campaign for Assembly |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/01/13/georgette-gomez-picks-up-high-profile-endorsements-in-campaign-for-assembly/ |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527010346/https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2022/01/13/georgette-gomez-picks-up-high-profile-endorsements-in-campaign-for-assembly/ |url-status=live }}</ref> *Tasha Boerner Horvath<ref name="TimesofSDJan14" /> *Eloise Gómez Reyes<ref name="TimesofSDJan14" /> }}
===Election results=== {{Election box open primary begin no change|title=California's 80th State Assembly district special election, 2022<br />Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Lorena Gonzalez}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=David Alvarez|votes=15,132|percentage=37.8}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=Georgette Gómez|votes=15,300|percentage=38.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Republican Party|candidate=Lincoln Pickard|votes=9,625|percentage=24.0}} {{Election box total no change|votes= 40,057 |percentage=100.0}} {{Election box open primary general election no change}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=David Alvarez|votes= 26,482 |percentage= 54.3}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=California Democratic Party|candidate=Georgette Gómez|votes= 22,297 |percentage=45.7}} {{Election box total no change|votes= 48,779 |percentage=100.0}} {{Election box hold with party link no change|winner=California Democratic Party}} {{Election box end}}{{Election box open primary begin no change|title=2020 United States House of Representatives elections in California<ref name=SoSPrimary>{{Cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf|title=STATEMENT OF VOTE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 3, 2020|access-date=2020-05-03|publisher=California Secretary of State Alex Padilla|archive-date=May 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517221055/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Sara Jacobs|votes=58,312|percentage=29.1}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Georgette Gómez|votes=39,962|percentage=20.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Chris Stoddard|votes=25,962|percentage=13.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Janessa Goldbeck|votes=17,041|percentage=8.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Famela Ramos|votes=15,005|percentage=7.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Michael Patrick Oristian|votes=14,807|percentage=7.4}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Tom Wong|votes=7,265|percentage=3.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Annette Meza|votes=4,446|percentage=2.2}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Joseph R. Fountain|votes=4,041|percentage=2.0}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Jose Caballero|votes=3,226|percentage=1.6}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Joaquín Vazquez|votes=3,078|percentage=1.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=John Brooks|votes=2,820|percentage=1.4}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No party preference|candidate=Fernando Garcia|votes=1,832|percentage=0.9}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Suzette Santori|votes=1,625|percentage=0.8}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Eric Roger Kutner|votes=734|percentage=0.4}} {{Election box total no change|votes=200,156|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box open primary general election no change}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Sara Jacobs|votes=192,897|percentage=59.5}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Georgette Gómez|votes=131,349|percentage=40.5}} {{Election box total no change|votes=324,246|percentage=100.0}} {{End}}{{Election box open primary begin no change | title = San Diego City Council District 9 election, 2016<ref name=CD9results>{{cite web|title=Election History - Council District 9|url=http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/pdf/cd9results.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|accessdate=12 January 2013}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Ricardo Flores | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 7348 | percentage = 34% }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Georgette Gómez | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 6567 | percentage = 31% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Sarah Saez | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 5023 | percentage = 23% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Araceli Martinez | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 2589 | percentage = 12% }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 21527 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box open primary general election no change | title = San Diego City Council District 9 general election, 2016<ref name=CD9results /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Georgette Gómez | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 20075 | percentage = 55% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Ricardo Flores | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 16583 | percentage = 45% }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 36658 | percentage= 100% }} {{Election box end}}
== Personal life == Gómez resides in the Azalea Park neighborhood within City Heights.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Ken |date=2016-11-11 |title=Ex-Green Georgette Gómez Vows to Make S.D. Blue |url=http://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2016/11/10/ex-green-georgette-gomez-vows-to-make-s-d-blue/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd9 Council President Georgette Gómez] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220132636/https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd9 |date=December 20, 2016 }} government website * [https://georgettegomez.org/ Georgette Gómez for Congress] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223231934/https://georgettegomez.org/ |date=February 23, 2020 }} campaign website * {{Ballotpedia|Georgette_Gomez}} {{CongLinks|votesmart=176915|fec=H0CA53107}}
{{s-start}} {{s-civ}} {{s-bef|before=Marti Emerald}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the San Diego City Council<br />from the 9th district|years=2016–present}} {{s-inc}} |- {{s-bef|before=Myrtle Cole}} {{s-ttl|title=President of the San Diego City Council | years=2018–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{SDCouncil |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gómez, Georgette}} Category:1975 births Category:California Democrats Category:Hispanic and Latino American politicians Category:American lesbian politicians Category:Hispanic and Latino American LGBTQ people Category:American LGBTQ city council members Category:LGBTQ people from California Category:Living people Category:San Diego City Council members Category:Women city councillors in California Category:San Diego State University alumni Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections Category:21st-century American women politicians