Jimmy Panetta | |
|---|---|
_2.jpg) Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Sam Farr |
| Constituency |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Varni Panetta (1969-10-01)October 1, 1969 (age 56) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Carrie McIntyre |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Leon Panetta (father) |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 2003–2011 |
| Unit | Navy Reserve |
| Battles/wars | War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal |
James Varni Panetta (/pəˈnɛtə/pə-NEH-tə; born October 1, 1969) is an American lawyer, politician, and former Navy intelligence officer from thestate ofCalifornia. A member of theDemocratic Party, he is theU.S. representative forCalifornia's 19th congressional district. From north to south, the northernmost district includes southeastSan Jose, continuing southbound,Santa Cruz,Monterey,Carmel-by-the-Sea, and finally far inland to just one city inSan Luis Obispo County,Paso Robles which is correctly part of California's "Central Coast" region.[1] Panetta was first elected in 2016, after working as a deputy district attorney forMonterey County. He is the son of formerSecretary of DefenseLeon Panetta, and represents the same geographical region his father once represented inCongress.
Panetta graduated fromCarmel High School inCarmel, California.[2] He then attendedMonterey Peninsula College and theUniversity of California, Davis, graduating with a bachelor's degree in international relations. He then interned at theUnited States Department of State. Panetta received hisJ.D. degree fromSanta Clara University School of Law.
He joined theUnited States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer and completed atour of duty in theWar in Afghanistan in 2007 while attached toJoint Special Operations Command, for which he was awarded theBronze Star.[3][4]
He worked in theAlameda County, California, prosecutor's office and as a deputy district attorney for the District Attorney's office ofMonterey County, California.[5]
After incumbent U.S. RepresentativeSam Farr announced in November 2015 that he would not seek reelection, Panetta announced his candidacy to succeed Farr in the 2016 election.[5][6] His father had represented the district from 1977 to 1993.
Panetta defeated Republican Casey Lucius in the November general election.[7] Democrats, in the persons of the Panettas and Farr, have held the seat and its predecessors without interruption since 1977. It is one of California's most Democratic districts outsideLos Angeles and theBay Area; Republicans have only garnered as much as 40% of the vote twice since 1977.
Panetta was reelected, defeating an independent challenger with 81.4% of the vote.[8][9]
Panetta was reelected to a third term, defeating Republican challenger Jeff Gorman, a financial adviser,[10] with 76.8% of the vote.[11][12]
Panetta was sworn into office on January 3, 2017.[13][failed verification] House Democrats selected him to be a regional whip forNorthern California, theCentral Coast,Hawaii and the U.S.Pacific Islands.[14]
Twice, in 2018 and in 2019, Panetta introduced a bill commonly stylized as theKITTEN Act, a legislative proposal to curtail certain types of animal testing.[15][16]
As of October 2021, Panetta had voted in line withJoe Biden's stated position 100% of the time.[17]
In February 2023, during theRusso-Ukrainian War, Panetta signed a letter advocating for President Biden to giveF-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.[18]
During May 2024, Panetta joined a bipartisan House delegation that traveled to Taiwan to signal support for the newly electedpro-Taiwanese independencegovernment in the aftermath of Chinese military exercises that simulated a blockade of Taiwan.[19]
For the118th Congress:[20]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta | 116,826 | 70.83% | |
| Republican | Casey Lucius | 32,726 | 19.84% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Joe Williams | 6,400 | 3.88% | |
| No party preference | Barbara Honegger | 6,054 | 3.67% | |
| No party preference | Jack Digby | 2,932 | 1.78% | |
| Total votes | 164,938 | 100.00% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta | 180,980 | 70.75% | |
| Republican | Casey Lucius | 74,811 | 29.25% | |
| Total votes | 255,791 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 102,828 | 80.67% | |
| No party preference | Ronald Paul Kabat | 19,657 | 15.42% | |
| Democratic | Douglas Deitch | 4,956 | 3.89% | |
| Republican | Casey K. Clark (write-in) | 20 | 0.02% | |
| Total votes | 127,461 | 100.00% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 183,677 | 81.37% | |
| No party preference | Ronald Paul Kabat | 42,044 | 18.63% | |
| Total votes | 225,721 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 123,615 | 66.18% | |
| Republican | Jeff Gorman | 38,001 | 20.34% | |
| Democratic | Adam Bolanos Scow | 25,172 | 13.48% | |
| Total votes | 186,788 | 100.00% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 236,896 | 76.78% | |
| Republican | Jeff Gorman | 71,658 | 23.22% | |
| Total votes | 308,554 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 127,545 | 67.30% | |
| Republican | Jeff Gorman | 44,181 | 23.31% | |
| Republican | Dalila Epperson | 12,082 | 6.38% | |
| Democratic | Douglas Deitch | 5,700 | 3.01% | |
| Total votes | 189,508 | 100.00% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 194,494 | 68.65% | |
| Republican | Jeff Gorman | 88,816 | 31.35% | |
| Total votes | 283,310 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 132,711 | 65.03% | |
| Republican | Jason Michael Anderson | 58,285 | 28.56% | |
| Green | Sean Dougherty | 13,080 | 6.41% | |
| Total votes | 204,076 | 100.00% | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jimmy Panetta (incumbent) | 252,458 | 69.30% | |
| Republican | Jason Michael Anderson | 111,862 | 30.70% | |
| Total votes | 364,320 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
As of 2020, Panetta has a 100% rating fromNARAL Pro-Choice America and a F grade from theSusan B. Anthony List for hisabortion-related voting history.[40][41] He opposed the2022 overturning ofRoe v. Wade.[42]
In 2022, Panetta was one of 16 Democrats to vote against the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.[43][44]
Panetta is the youngest of the three sons ofLeon Panetta, the formerUnited States Secretary of Defense.[4] His wife, Carrie, is a judge on theMonterey County Superior Court. They have two daughters.[45]
Ukraine
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 20th congressional district 2017–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromCalifornia's 19th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 177th | Succeeded by |
| People | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
