Breaking news Peekers – Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-30) has been seen meeting with Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. Talk around the Water Cooler is that Rivas has the votes to become the new Speaker. Details are limited, but watch this space for more breaking news on who may lead the State Assembly in a matter of months. Note: Rivas is running for AD 29, but is currently representing AD 30.
From the campaign website:
Assemblymember Robert Rivas was elected to the State Assembly in 2018. While still in his first term, in the Fall of 2020, he was appointed as Chairman of the Assembly Agriculture Committee and elected as Vice-Chair of the influential Latino Legislative Caucus. A lifelong resident of the district, Rivas served two terms on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors prior to becoming an Assemblymember.
Rivas was raised in Paicines, California, where his grandfather was a farmworker at Almaden Vineyards. Rivas and his brother Rick grew up in farmworker housing, cared for by their single mother and beloved grandparents, who emigrated from Mexico in the 1960s.
As a child, Rivas watched his grandfather stand side by side with Cesar Chavez and the UFW as a leader in the fight to win equal rights and fair contracts for farmworkers.
Rivas’ grandfather was known for his passionate advocacy on behalf of his fellow workers, but also for his ability to work with owners to negotiate contracts acceptable to both sides.
Through his grandfather, Rivas learned that you could fight fiercely for your beliefs while respecting those with whom you disagreed. Still, it seemed unlikely that Rivas would become a community leader, at least not if doing so required public speaking. For much of his childhood, he struggled to overcome a severe stutter that rendered him almost speechless. It was only after years of speech therapy that Rivas was able to overcome the disability.
How is it looking for Isaac Bryant, AD 54/55?