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Rep. Robert Garcia is challenging MAGA extremists with intellect, passion and sass

Rep. Robert Garcia
Long Beach Rep. Robert Garcia (Photo: US Gov)

Robert Garcia made history with his election to Congress in November 2022. He became the first gay immigrant to become a U.S. representative.

Garcia, 45, was brought to the US from Peru by his mom when he was five years old. He became a US citizen at 21. He is married to his husband Matthew Mendez Garcia. Before going to Washington DC, he was the mayor of Long Beach in California. He now represents the state’s 42nd District.

Besides making history, Garcia immediately established himself as a progressive, and sassy, addition to the house. His colleagues duly elected him President of the Democratic freshman class.

Just before he relocated to DC to take up his position, Garcia posted a tweet that went viral.

It was a reposting of a TikTok video of NeNe Leakes playfully sashaying in a pair of towering high heels. Garcia said, “As a reminder this will be me when I walk by Marjorie Taylor Greene in the Capitol next week at orientation.”

Superman

Once in DC, Garcia marked himself out in other ways. New lawmakers are allowed to choose what they are sworn in on, besides the Constitution. Most choose the Bible.

“Will be proudly sworn-in to Congress on the U.S. Constitution,” tweeted Garcia. “Underneath the Constitution will be 3 items that mean a lot to me personally. A photo of my parents who I lost to covid, my citizenship certificate & an original Superman #1 from the @librarycongress. 🇺🇸😊”

Why did he choose the Superman comic?

“I came to America at the age of five as a Spanish-speaker,” Garcia explained to People. “As a kid, I would pick up comics at old thrift shops and pharmacies and that’s how I learned to read and write in English.”

“Superman is the first comic I read as a kid,” Garcia said. “He was an immigrant from another planet who was raised to believe in truth and justice — and those are things I value. So, definitely, there’s a personal connection there.”

Drag performer Sash Colby and Robert Garcia
Drag performer Sash Colby and Robert Garcia (Photo: Supplied)

Beyoncé fan

Garcia also made headlines when he paid tribute to one of his favorite singers on the floor of Congress.

To mark the end of Black History Month and the start of Women’s History Month, he gave a speech celebrating Beyoncé. The former Destiny’s Child singer had just made history with her record-breaking 32nd Grammy win.

He praised Beyoncé as a role model who has, “stood up for voting rights, for feminism, for women and girls, for my community — the LGBTQ+ community — and for my generation as so many others.”

Garcia has continued his attack on the far-right. This has included frequent online spats with a fellow Congressional freshman: NYC Republican George Santos.

Garcia has often shot down Santos’ outlandish claims and lies online. Not only did he sponsor a resolution to have Santos tossed out of Congress, but he’s also trolled the former drag queen with Drag Race memes. Santos’ divisive rhetoric has been lambasted by Garcia again and again.

First 100 days in office

Garcia delivers more than a sassy line in pop culture references. He has been a vocal critic of the Republican aim of limiting transgender rights. This includes the recently passed Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which passed the House 219-203.

In his first 100 days in office, he introduced his first bill: the International Human Rights Defense Act, which focuses on LGBTQ+ rights. He recently indicated he would work alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others, to co-sponsor the reintroduction of the Green New Deal bill this year.

Robert Garcia
Rep. Robert Garcia (Photo: Supplied)

Last month, he introduced the Honoring All Families resolution. He did so in response to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene telling a lesbian stepmom she was “not a real mom.”

“As an LGBTQ+ person myself, I know the positive impact chosen family and adoptive figures have on our community,” Garcia said in a press release. “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s comments were gross, bigoted, and invalidated the thousands of loving LGBTQ+ and adoptive families across this country.”

On the subject of fighting Republicans in Congress, Garcia told Spectrum News in April, “I intend to be a person that continues to call out people’s BS, and there are clearly folks here that are intent on destroying our country, by demonizing people.

“Part of why I’m here is to push back on them, and I’m not going to sit around and allow them to say lies and try to attack our country.”

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