Politics & Government

New Coronado Congressman Peters Takes Office Thursday

Peters unseated Bilbray in November. Vargas also will take office, representing other parts of the South Bay.

Juan Vargas, representing Imperial Beach, resigned his state Senate seat Wednesday, the day before he and Scott Peters, representing Coronado, are sworn in as two new members of San Diego's congressional delegation.

Vargas and Peters, both Democrats, are scheduled to be sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner Thursday.

Vargas was one of two state senators who resigned in order to take seats in the House of Representatives, according to the Sacramento Bee. The other was Gloria Negrete McLeod, of Chino.

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Vargas and Peters will begin their freshman terms following November election victories. Democrats will hold a 3-2 majority among local members of the House of Representatives.

Peters, a former port commissioner and ex-member of the San Diego City Council, unseated Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, by a narrow margin in an election that wasn't decided until about a week after voters went to the polls.

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Peters, who will represent Coronado, La Jolla, Poway among other area communities, said he was "honored and eager" to take office.

“Personally, it will be the culmination of an exciting year for my family and me,” Peters said. “But mostly, I am enthusiastic about getting to work for San Diego.”

He said his wife and two children would join him at the ceremony, which will take place at 9 a.m. Pacific Time. He also planned to attend a bipartisan prayer service at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., and hold an open house at his Capitol Hill office.

Vargas, also an ex-councilman, will fill the seat of Bob Filner, the 10-term Democratic congressman who gave up his seat for his successful San Diego mayoral bid.

Peters has been assigned to the House Armed Services Committee, while Vargas will join the Foreign Affairs Committee.

San Diego County is also represented by Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego; Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-El Cajon; and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista.

 

– City News Service contributed to this report.


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