Raul Ruiz

Raul Ruiz was born in Zacatecas City, Mexico, and raised in Coachella, California, by parents who worked as farmworkers. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles, before attending Harvard University, where he earned a medical degree, a Master of Public Policy, and a Master of Public Health. Ruiz was the first Latino to receive three graduate degrees from Harvard University. After completing his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, he returned to the Coachella Valley to work as an emergency room physician at Eisenhower Medical Center. Before entering politics, Ruiz was involved in humanitarian and academic work. He served as the medical director for the J/P Haitian Relief Organization following the 2010 earthquake, for which he received the U.S. Army's Commanders Award for Public Service. He also served as a senior associate dean at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine and founded the Coachella Valley Healthcare Initiative to address local physician shortages and healthcare disparities. In 2012, he entered the political arena and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating an incumbent Republican in what was considered a significant upset. Ruiz is a member of the Democratic Party and has represented California's 36th and 25th districts since being first sworn into Congress on January 3, 2013. During his tenure, he has served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. A hallmark of his legislative career is his work on the PACT Act, which expanded healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. He continues to advocate for public health, environmental justice, and economic development in the Inland Empire and Imperial Valley.

Representative Ruiz's policy positions are rooted in his background as a physician and his upbringing in a farmworking family. He is a staunch advocate for healthcare access, supporting the Affordable Care Act and fighting to protect and expand Medicare and Social Security for seniors. He has led significant legislative efforts regarding veterans' health, particularly focusing on the health impacts of toxic burn pit exposure. On the economy, Ruiz promotes job creation through infrastructure investment, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the development of 'Lithium Valley' in the Imperial Valley to establish the region as a hub for clean energy and battery production. He supports small businesses and advocates for women's economic security through equal pay and affordable childcare. In terms of immigration, Ruiz calls for bipartisan reform that includes border security and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and essential workers. His environmental platform focuses on the revitalization of the Salton Sea and transitioning to a clean energy economy to improve local air quality and public health outcomes.