The Hill’s 2012 New Members Guide

Rep.-elect Jared Huffman (D-Calif.-02)

DATE OF BIRTH: Feb. 18, 1964

BIRTHPLACE: Independence, Mo.

RESIDENCE: San Rafael, Calif.

OCCUPATION: Lawyer

EDUCATION: B.A., UC Santa Barbara; J.D., Boston College Law School

PREVIOUS OFFICE HELD: California State Assembly (2006-present); president of Marin Municipal Water District Board (1995-2006)

FAMILY: Wife, Susan; two children

Jared Huffman won election in the open 2nd District by emphasizing his environmental background. 

Huffman will replace 20-year veteran Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey after she chose to retire this year. Huffman won this safely Democratic district after garnering more than twice as many votes as his closest Democratic primary opponent. 

He comes to the House after serving six years in the state assembly, where he chaired the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and co-chaired the Environmental Caucus. Prior to that, Huffman was senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council and served as president of the Marin Municipal Water District Board. 

On his website, Huffman says four of his top five priorities are environment-related — including combating global warming, advancing clean energy solutions and resolving natural-resource conflicts. 

Before earning a law degree from Boston College, Huffman attended UC Santa Barbara, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American volleyball player.