Civibus

Biography

Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (; born September 4, 1967) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 34th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented Texas's 15th congressional district from 2017 to 2023. His South Texas district extends along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville, on the Mexican border, to Corpus Christi. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Gonzalez earned a Juris Doctor from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and established a private law practice. He was first elected to Congress in 2016 following the retirement of longtime representative Rubén Hinojosa. After redistricting based on the 2020 census, he ran in the newly configured 34th district and defeated Republican nominee Mayra Flores in 2022. Gonzalez is considered a conservative Democrat and serves as co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition. During his tenure in Congress, he has participated in bipartisan negotiations and has, on several occasions, voted with Republicans on legislation, including firearms, and transgender-related policies.

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