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 sourceSB 119 Budget and Fiscal Review Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 765 Niello Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AJR 15 Alanis Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AJR 16 Alvarez Consent Calendar Second Day
AB 313 Ortega Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 369 Michelle Rodriguez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1138 ZBUR Concurrence - Urgency Added
SCR 25 Blakespear Consent Calendar Second Day
SCR 74 Ochoa Bogh Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 75 Weber Pierson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 81 Niello Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 83 Stern Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 86 Weber Pierson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 87 Weber Pierson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SCR 94 Blakespear Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
SJR 2 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Ortega
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 [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
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 [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor and Employment]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Business and Professions]
Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary] 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 [Judiciary] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
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 [Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials]
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Privacy and Consumer Protection]
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Judiciary]
Do pass as amended, 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]
Do pass. To Consent Calendar
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
Be adopted. To third reading
Recognition of the historical wrongdoing committed against California Native Americans.
AB 130 BUDGET Concurrence in Senate Amendments By GABRIEL
AB 927 Sharp-Collins Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 85 Umberg Consent Calendar Second Day
SB 129 B. & F. R. Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 131 B. & F. R. Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL Amend By GONZALEZ, J. Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY
SB 131 B. & F. R. Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 139 B. & F. R. Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
SB 140 B. & F. R. Senate Third Reading By GABRIEL
ACR 16 Gallagher Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AJR 9 Wallis Assembly Third Reading