John Perez won his election to the California state Assembly in 2008, becoming the first out LGBTQ person of color elected to the California state legislature. In 2010, he was unanimously elected California’s first out LGBTQ Assembly Speaker. Many give him credit for turning a state budget deficit of $64 billion dollars into a surplus by the end of his time as speaker. He served until his retirement in 2014.
California Assembly Speaker (2010 – 2014)
California Assembly (2008 – 2014)