The future looked bright for Democratic Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia when she coasted to reelection in 2016. She had gained clout in the Capitol and statewide attention for notching hard-fought victories for enviromental advocates and championed women’s rights.
Now, she’s in a fight for her political life, facing a well-funded opposition campaign from typically Democratic allies and damaged relationships with many of her colleagues in Sacramento.
It’s a stark reversal of fortune for a leader of the #MeToo movement in California’s Capitol, who forcefully criticized male collegues accused of inappropriate behavior, only to face similar accusations of harassment and misconduct herself not long after their resignations.
The completion of a legislative investigation into her conduct enabled her to return from a three-month voluntary leave of absence last week. Still unresolved is the controversy’s impact on her reelection prospects and her influence in Sacramento, particularly after being removed from all legislative committees by the Assembly speaker.
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