Jenniffer González
| Jenniffer González | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minority Leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico | |
| Assumed office January 2, 2013 |
|
| Governor | Alejandro García Padilla |
| Preceded by | Luis Raúl Torres |
| 29th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 12, 2009 – January 1, 2013 |
|
| Governor | Luis Fortuño |
| Preceded by | José Aponte Hernández |
| Succeeded by | Jaime Perello |
| Vice-Chairwoman of the New Progressive Party | |
| Assumed office May 9, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Miriam J. Ramírez de Ferrer |
| At-Large Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2005 |
|
| Member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico for the 4th District | |
| In office February 28, 2002 – January 1, 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Edison Misla Aldarondo |
| Succeeded by | Liza Fernández Rodríguez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jenniffer Aydin González Colón August 5, 1976 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | New Progressive Party Republican Party of Puerto Rico |
| Alma mater | University of Puerto Rico Inter American University of Puerto Rico |
| Occupation | career politician |
| Nickname(s) | JGo |
Jenniffer Aydin González Colón[lower-alpha 1] (born August 5, 1976) is a career politician that has occupied leadership positions in the New Progressive Party (PNP in Spanish) and in the Puerto Rico Republican Party. Today, González serves in three prominent roles: as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, as vice-chair of the PNP, and as the chair of the Puerto Rico Republican Party.[1][2] Before serving in these roles, she was elected by her peers as the 29th Speaker of the House—becoming the youngest person to hold that post at the age of thirty-two.[3][4]
In 2015, González filed her candidacy to the PNP nomination for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico's sole non-voting seat in Congress.
Contents
Early life and education
González was born in San Juan to Jorge González and Nydia Colón, both school teachers. She graduated from University Gardens High School and then studied political science at the University of Puerto Rico. Subsequently, she studied law at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico where she obtained both a juris doctor and an LL.M.[5]
Representative
González was first elected to the House of Representatives in a special election held on February 24, 2002, to fill the vacancy left by former House Speaker Edison Misla Aldarondo, after his resignation as Representative from San Juan's 4th District due to being convicted and sentenced to nearly six years in prison for extortion, money laundering and obstruction of justice. She was the first female elected representative of San Juan's Fourth District and the youngest member of the 14th Legislative Assembly. Previous to being elected as Representative, González served as Chairwoman of the San Juan New Progressive Party Youth Organization and was very active in the Pro-Statehood Students movement while attending college.
González was re-elected in the 2004 Puerto Rico general elections, this time as an At-Large Representative. She served as Chairwoman of the House Government Affairs Committee, and as ranking member of the Budget, San Juan Development, Women's Affairs, and Internal Affairs Committees, as well as the Joint Commission for the Revision of the Civil Code of Puerto Rico.
Speaker of the House
González was re-elected for another term at the 2008 Puerto Rico general elections obtaining the most votes from her party, and the second most votes overall.[6] At the age of 32, she was elected House Speaker by members of her New Party for Progress delegation during a caucus held on November 7, 2008. González defeated incumbent House Speaker José Aponte Hernández in his bid for re-election to that post, becoming the youngest person in Puerto Rican history to be elected Speaker of the House, and the third woman to hold that seat.
Post-Speakership career
In 2012, González was again re-elected this time gathering the most votes overall, despite the fact that her party lost the majority of seats.[7] The same night of the election, she was selected as Minorty Leader of her party by her fellow Republicans.[8]
On September 14, 2015, she announced that she was throwing her hat in the ring to succeed Rep. Pedro Pierluisi in Congress. Six days later, one of Pierluisi's rivals for the gubernatorial nomination, Ricardo Rosselló chose her as his running mate for the June 5, 2016 primary and, if successful, the November 8, 2016 general election.
Other political ventures
As vice-chair of the PNP, she has been charged with organizing a massive educational campaign on statehood for Puerto Rico.[2] She is also a member of the party's governing body.
See also
Notes
- ↑ This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is González and the second or maternal family name is Colón.
References
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