{{Short description|American politician (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Jessica de la Cruz |image = Jessica de la Cruz, Rhode Island State Senator.jpg |caption = de la Cruz in 2025 |office = Minority Leader of the Rhode Island Senate |term_start = August 2, 2022 |term_end = |predecessor = Dennis Algiere |successor = |state_senate1 = Rhode Island |district1 = 23rd |term_start1 = January 1, 2019 |term_end1 = |predecessor1 = Paul Fogarty |successor1 = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|7|20}} |birth_place = Rhode Island, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |spouse = David de la Cruz }} '''Jessica de la Cruz''' (born July 20, 1981) is an American politician serving as a member of the Rhode Island Senate from the 23rd district, which includes all of Burrillville and Glocester and part of North Smithfield.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ballotpedia.org/Rhode_Island_State_Senate_District_23 | title=Rhode Island State Senate District 23 }}</ref> Elected in November 2018, she assumed office on January 1, 2019. She is a Republican.
==Early life== De la Cruz was born on July 20, 1981, in Rhode Island to Portuguese immigrant parents, of Madeira and Azores.<ref name="legis">{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/senators/delacruz/Pages/Biography.aspx|title=Biography - Senator Jessica de la Cruz|publisher=Rhode Island General Assembly|accessdate=June 5, 2020|archive-date=June 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605182059/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/senators/delacruz/Pages/Biography.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="news">{{cite web|url=https://www.valleybreeze.com/2018-06-13/woonsocket-north-smithfield/de-la-cruz-announces-senate-bid-district-23|title=De la Cruz announces Senate bid for District 23|publisher=The Valley Breeze|accessdate=June 5, 2020|archive-date=June 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605182108/https://www.valleybreeze.com/2018-06-13/woonsocket-north-smithfield/de-la-cruz-announces-senate-bid-district-23|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lusa |first=Agência |title=Senadora filha de emigrantes da Madeira e Açores pede a republicanos para "não desperdiçarem oportunidade" gerada por Trump |url=https://www.dnoticias.pt/2024/11/24/428356-senadora-filha-de-emigrantes-da-madeira-e-acores-pede-a-republicanos-para-nao-desperdicarem-oportunidade-gerada-por-trump/ |date=November 24, 2024 |access-date=November 24, 2024 |website=Diário de Notícias |language=pt}}</ref>
==Career== On November 6, 2018, de la Cruz was elected to the Rhode Island Senate, where she has represented the 23rd district since January 1, 2019. She is a Republican.<ref name="ballot">{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Jessica_de_la_Cruz|title=Jessica de la Cruz|publisher=Ballotpedia|accessdate=June 5, 2020|archive-date=May 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521073107/https://ballotpedia.org/Jessica_de_la_Cruz|url-status=live}}</ref> She was previously the senate minority whip, and in 2022 was named the senate minority leader by her four Republican colleagues.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Edward |title=De la Cruz elected new Republican leader in R.I. Senate |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/02/metro/de-la-cruz-elected-new-republican-leader-ri-senate/ |date=August 2, 2022 |access-date=May 17, 2025 |work=The Boston Globe |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260202062738/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/02/metro/de-la-cruz-elected-new-republican-leader-ri-senate/ |archive-date=February 2, 2026 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref> She gave the Republican rebuttals to governor Dan McKee's State of the State addresses in 2023 and 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Patrick |title=GOP response to McKee's State of the State address: Do more |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/18/gop-response-to-mckee-state-of-the-state-address-do-more/69816500007/ |access-date=September 21, 2025 |work=The Providence Journal |date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260202062012/https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/18/gop-response-to-mckee-state-of-the-state-address-do-more/69816500007/ |archive-date=February 2, 2026 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Patrick |title='The honest state of our state is bleak': GOP leader says RI, McKee on wrong track |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/15/gop-response-2025-state-of-the-state-speech-rhode-island-and-governor-mckee-on-wrong-track/77695068007/ |access-date=September 21, 2025 |work=The Providence Journal |date=January 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260202062349/https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/15/gop-response-2025-state-of-the-state-speech-rhode-island-and-governor-mckee-on-wrong-track/77695068007/ |archive-date=February 2, 2026 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
==Personal life== De la Cruz resides in the Forestdale section of North Smithfield. She and her husband, David, have three children. Her husband David is one of the pastors at Awakening Church in Smithfield, Rhode Island.<ref name="legis"/>
==Elections==
{{Election box begin no change|title=2024 general election: Rhode Island State Senate, District 23<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2024/general_election/races/27.html |title= 2024 General Election, Senator in General Assembly District 23 |publisher= Rhode Island Board of Elections |location= Cranston, Rhode Island |access-date= November 14, 2024}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Jessica de la Cruz|votes=11054|percentage=68.1%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Lewis Pryeor|votes=5170|percentage=31.8%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2020 general election: Rhode Island State Senate, District 23<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2020/general_election/races/327.html |title= 2020 General Election, Senator in General Assembly District 23 |publisher= Rhode Island Board of Elections |location= Cranston, Rhode Island |access-date= November 14, 2024}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Jessica de la Cruz|votes=10361|percentage=66.5%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Paul Roselli|votes=5131|percentage=32.9%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2018 general election: Rhode Island State Senate, District 23<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2018/general_election/races/331.html |title= 2018 General Election, Senator in General Assembly District 23 |publisher= Rhode Island Board of Elections |location= Cranston, Rhode Island |access-date= November 14, 2024}}</ref>}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Jessica de la Cruz|votes=6217|percentage=55.4%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Kevin Heitke|votes=4983|percentage=44.4%}} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ri-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Dennis Algiere}} {{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Rhode Island Senate|years=2022–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Current Rhode Island statewide political officials}} {{U.S. State Senate Floor Leaders}} {{Rhode Island State Senators}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:de la Cruz, Jessica}} Category:1981 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Rhode Island General Assembly Category:American people of Portuguese descent Category:Living people Category:People from North Smithfield, Rhode Island Category:Politicians from Providence County, Rhode Island Category:Republican Party Rhode Island state senators Category:Women state legislators in Rhode Island
{{RhodeIsland-politician-stub}}