James Ramos

Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) represents California's 45th Assembly District and holds the historic distinction of being the first California Native American elected to the state legislature since statehood ^[1,2]. A lifelong resident of the San Manuel Indian Reservation and member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, Ramos grew up in poverty in San Bernardino County, worked his way through school, and built a career of public service rooted in family, tribal heritage, and community leadership ^[3,4]. Married to his wife Terri for more than 30 years, he is a father of four and grandfather of three, and his legislative priorities around suicide prevention, child welfare, cultural preservation, and youth mental health reflect a deep personal commitment to protecting families and vulnerable children ^[3,5]. With a 23% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, Ramos's voting record has frequently diverged from the California Family Council's worldview framework on the sanctity of life (Chapter 6), parental authority in education (Chapter 8), and religious liberty (Chapter 9).

James C. Ramos was born on January 29, 1967, and has lived his entire life on the San Manuel Indian Reservation in San Bernardino County ^[1,2]. His great-great-grandfather Santos Manuel led the surviving Yuhaviatam clan of Serrano people to the San Bernardino Valley floor during the conflicts of 1866, and in 1891 the federal government established the San Manuel Indian Reservation in Santos Manuel's honor ^[3,6].

Before entering the legislature, Ramos compiled a notable record of public service marked by a series of historic firsts for Native Americans in California. He served as Chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, where he oversaw significant growth of the tribal government and co-founded the San Manuel Band's Cultural Awareness Program ^[3,4]. He was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Native American Heritage Commission and served as its chairman from 2008 to 2018 ^[6,7].

Their 17.8% Biblical Values Scorecard rating across 104 scored floor votes reflects consistent divergence from CFC's worldview framework. Their voting record has supported abortion access expansion over the sanctity of human life, government-directed education over parental authority and school choice, and progressive social mandates over religious liberty protections.

From a CFC perspective, Ramos presents a legislator whose personal story and many of whose priorities offer genuine points of connection with family-centered values. His more than 30-year marriage to his wife Terri, his devotion to his four children and three grandchildren, and his frequent public emphasis on the importance of family and community are hallmarks of his public identity ^[3,4].