Jesús "Chuy" García

Jesús "Chuy" García
García at a Bernie Sanders campaign rally in Los Angeles, May 2016
Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from the 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Joseph Mario Moreno
Member of the Illinois Senate from the 1st district
In office January 1, 1993 – January 1, 1999
Preceded by	Howie Carroll
Succeeded by	Antonio Munoz
Member of the Chicago City Council from the 22nd ward
In office March 25, 1986 – January 1, 1993
Preceded by	Frank Stemberk
Succeeded by	Ricardo Muñoz
Personal details
Born	(1956-04-12) April 12, 1956 (age 60) Durango, Mexico
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Evelyn Garcia (m. 1980)
Children	Rosa Garcia Jesús Garcia Samuel Garcia
Alma mater	St. Rita High School University of Illinois, Chicago (B.A., M.U.P.P)

Jesús G. "Chuy" García (born April 12, 1956) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who serves on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. A candidate for Mayor of Chicago, Garcia finished second in the February 24, 2015 mayoral election, forcing a head-to-head runoff vote between himself and incumbent Rahm Emanuel. Garcia was defeated in the April 7 runoff by Emanuel. Garcia was elected to the Chicago City Council in 1986, and in 1992 became the first Mexican-American member of the Illinois State Senate. In 2010, Garcia won election to the 7th district Cook County Board of Commissioners, and after his election was appointed floor leader by Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle. A progressive and a reformer, García is a Preckwinkle ally and was a supporter of former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

García was born in Mexico in the state of Durango. His father was a farm laborer under the US government's World War II-era bracero program.

Chuy moved to the US in 1965 with permanent resident status. The family settled in the Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. (Garcia continues to reside there.) He attended St. Rita High School, graduating in 1974.