Gonzalez is the First Latina district attorney in Georgia.
Washington, D.C. — Latino Victory Fund congratulates former state Representative Deborah Gonzalez for being elected district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit in the Georgia runoff election. Gonzalez made history by becoming the first Latina district attorney in the state of Georgia. Nathalie Rayes, Latino Victory Fund president & CEO, issued the following statement:
“Deborah is a talented attorney with a proven public service record as a legislator and a social justice advocate. District attorneys play a pivotal role in our communities’ safety and security, and increasing Latina representation in this position is key to having a justice system that reflects our diversity and values. Deborah’s voice will leave a lasting impact in the Western Judicial Circuit and the Athens-Clarke and Oconee communities. Latino Victory is proud to congratulate her on her well-deserved victory.”
Last month, Latino Victory ran a paid digital ad program in support of Gonzalez, as part of our ongoing efforts that included a text program, weekly phone banks, and digital events supporting Gonzalez.
Gonzalez is a former Georgia State Representative of House District 117, a seat that Latino Victory helped her flip from red to blue, in 2017. Since 2016, Latino Victory has been making investments in Georgia, with the aim of building political power and supporting the burgeoning Latino community in the state.
Meet Deborah Gonzalez
Former Representative Deborah Gonzalez, HD117, is an attorney, mother, and advocate for social justice. She has been elected district attorney for the Western Judicial Circuit, which includes Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Her District Attorney platform includes ending mass incarceration, focusing on serious crimes, transparency, accountability, and developing new and smart justice policies. Her work in the legal field covers media, technology, and entertainment. She won her seat in the state House in a special election in November 2017 and gained national media attention by flipping the seat blue despite being outraised 4 to 1 by her opponent. Her legislative work includes protecting children (health, education), working families, and victims of sexual harassment, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse. She is a published author, most recently of “Managing Online Risks: Apps, Mobile, and Social Media Security.” Deborah comes from a military family (army).
Gonzalez served on three committees: judiciary, non-civil, code revision, and intergovernmental coordination. Due to her 2018 committee work, Gonzalez was appointed in May 2018 to be the Vice-Chair of a national task force on Law & Criminal Justice for the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. Gonzalez distinguished herself as a freshman legislator by defeating a bad bill with her opposition speech on cross-over day, not once but twice.
