Chanikarn Thongsupa
LBJ Library
Brendan Smialowski, Agence France-Presse
Exit
45, California — 42, D
Born in Peru and a self-described ‘comic book nerd’, Robert served as the mayor of Long Beach from 2014-2022. He was one of the first openly gay speakers in a keynote slot at a Democratic National Convention (he spoke in 2020). When sworn into Congress he held a photo of his parents, who he lost to Covid, his citizenship certificate, and an original Superman #1 from the Library of Congress.
Robert was the California Youth Coordinator for the 2000 George W. Bush presidential campaign and founded the Long Beach Young Republicans in 2005. He changed his party registration to Democrat in 2007 before first being elected to office.
42, Florida — 23, D