Celeste Rodriguez’s route to Assembly District 43 included San Fernando, where her 2020 City Council race was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Mayor Joel Fajardo in that general election and was elected alongside Cindy Montañez. Two years later, the council chose Rodriguez as mayor after she had previously lost a vote for vice mayor. In January 2024, after Assemblymember Luz Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives, Rodriguez announced her own campaign for the 43rd district. She advanced to the general election with Republican Victoria Garcia, a fellow San Fernando councilor.
ROOTS AND PUBLIC WORK
Born in 1990, Rodriguez graduated from James Monroe High School and earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Mission College. She later graduated from San Diego State University and earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California.
Her public-service work began at the Recreation and Community Services Department. She later moved to the Office of Economic Opportunity in Los Angeles. Her public-service record thus included work in recreation and community services and in economic opportunity.
Her education extended across several institutions: Monroe, Mission College, San Diego State and USC. In 2020, Rodriguez announced a campaign for a council seat in San Fernando.
THE PATH THROUGH CITY HALL
Rodriguez’s 2020 council election was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Fajardo, then the mayor, and was elected alongside Montañez to the San Fernando City Council.
Before becoming mayor, Rodriguez lost a vote for vice mayor to Mary Mendoza. In December 2022, the council elected Rodriguez mayor. Montañez had the council’s unanimous support to become mayor but turned down the position and recommended Rodriguez instead. The council then selected Rodriguez.
Rodriguez won her council seat through a general election, lost the internal vote for vice mayor and later became mayor through a vote of her fellow council members. Her Assembly campaign followed Rivas’s run for the United States House of Representatives. In January 2024, Rodriguez entered the race and then advanced to the general election with Garcia.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Rodriguez’s public career includes work at a recreation and community services department and at an economic opportunity office, followed by service as a San Fernando councilor and mayor. Her council seat and mayoralty came through distinct votes: she defeated Fajardo by 24 votes in the 2020 general election, and the council elected her mayor in December 2022.
Her move toward state office began with her January 2024 campaign announcement after Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives. Rodriguez advanced to the general election with Garcia and was elected in the 2024 election to represent Assembly District 43.
The documented sequence runs from public-service work to the San Fernando City Council and mayor’s office, and then to the California State Assembly. It includes both a close election decided by voters and an internal council decision that made Rodriguez mayor.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 43 · 2024–present
Celeste Rodriguez’s route to Assembly District 43 included San Fernando, where her 2020 City Council race was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Mayor Joel Fajardo in that general election and was elected alongside Cindy Montañez. Two years later, the council chose Rodriguez as mayor after she had previously lost a vote for vice mayor. In January 2024, after Assemblymember Luz Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives, Rodriguez announced her own campaign for the 43rd district. She advanced to the general election with Republican Victoria Garcia, a fellow San Fernando councilor.
ROOTS AND PUBLIC WORK
Born in 1990, Rodriguez graduated from James Monroe High School and earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Mission College. She later graduated from San Diego State University and earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California.
Her public-service work began at the Recreation and Community Services Department. She later moved to the Office of Economic Opportunity in Los Angeles. Her public-service record thus included work in recreation and community services and in economic opportunity.
Her education extended across several institutions: Monroe, Mission College, San Diego State and USC. In 2020, Rodriguez announced a campaign for a council seat in San Fernando.
THE PATH THROUGH CITY HALL
Rodriguez’s 2020 council election was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Fajardo, then the mayor, and was elected alongside Montañez to the San Fernando City Council.
Before becoming mayor, Rodriguez lost a vote for vice mayor to Mary Mendoza. In December 2022, the council elected Rodriguez mayor. Montañez had the council’s unanimous support to become mayor but turned down the position and recommended Rodriguez instead. The council then selected Rodriguez.
Rodriguez won her council seat through a general election, lost the internal vote for vice mayor and later became mayor through a vote of her fellow council members. Her Assembly campaign followed Rivas’s run for the United States House of Representatives. In January 2024, Rodriguez entered the race and then advanced to the general election with Garcia.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Rodriguez’s public career includes work at a recreation and community services department and at an economic opportunity office, followed by service as a San Fernando councilor and mayor. Her council seat and mayoralty came through distinct votes: she defeated Fajardo by 24 votes in the 2020 general election, and the council elected her mayor in December 2022.
Her move toward state office began with her January 2024 campaign announcement after Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives. Rodriguez advanced to the general election with Garcia and was elected in the 2024 election to represent Assembly District 43.
The documented sequence runs from public-service work to the San Fernando City Council and mayor’s office, and then to the California State Assembly. It includes both a close election decided by voters and an internal council decision that made Rodriguez mayor.
The record
4,235 events, each with its sourceDo pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
AB 377 Tangipa Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 951 Ta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1216 Education Concurrence in Senate Amendments By MURATSUCHI
SB 521 Gonzalez Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SB 757 Richardson Senate Third Reading By Dixon
SB 863 Rev. & Tax. Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 94 Patel Consent Calendar Second Day
AJR 18 Ramos Assembly Third Reading
SJR 3 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Calderon
Relative to the 105th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment.
AB 390 Wilson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1478 Hoover Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 394 Allen Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SB 459 Grayson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SB 619 Education Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SB 673 Ochoa Bogh Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SB 860 Governmental Organization Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 81 DeMaio Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 96 Rogers Assembly Third Reading
ACR 97 Rogers Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 104 Wallis Consent Calendar Second Day
SCR 54 Grayson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 73 Niello Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 77 Seyarto Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 88 Seyarto Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AJR 12 Ahrens Assembly Third Reading By HADWICK
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Public Safety]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Human Services] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Human Services]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Be adopted. To Consent Calendar
Be adopted. To third reading
AB 1416 Ta Concurrence in Senate Amendments