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TJ Cox

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TJ Cox
Image of TJ Cox
Prior offices
U.S. House California District 21
Successor: David G. Valadao
Predecessor: David G. Valadao

Elections and appointments
Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal
Profession
Engineer and businessman
Contact

TJ Cox (Democratic Party) was a member of the U.S. House, representing California's 21st Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2019. He left office on January 3, 2021.

Cox (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California's 21st Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Biography

Cox's professional experience includes working as an engineer and small businessman. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and created the Central Valley Fund.[1]

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2019-2020

Cox was assigned to the following committees:[Source]


Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021

The 116th United States Congress began on January 9, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (235-200), and Republicans held the majority in the U.S. Senate (53-47). Donald Trump (R) was the president and Mike Pence (R) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2021
Vote Bill and description Status
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (365-65)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (208-199)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (234-193)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (419-6)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (236-173)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (240-190)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (237-187)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (377-48)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (363-40)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (417-3)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (230-192)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (297-120)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (417-1)
Not Voting Yes check.svg Passed (228-164)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (415-2)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (300 -128)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (363-62)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (335-78)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (322-87)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (411-7)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Guilty (230-197)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Guilty (229-198)


Elections

2020

See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 21

David G. Valadao defeated incumbent TJ Cox in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
50.4
 
85,928
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
49.6
 
84,406

Total votes: 170,334
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 21

David G. Valadao and incumbent TJ Cox defeated Ricardo De La Fuente and Roque De La Fuente in the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
49.7
 
39,488
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
38.7
 
30,697
Image of Ricardo De La Fuente
Ricardo De La Fuente (D)
 
9.2
 
7,309
Image of Roque De La Fuente
Roque De La Fuente (R)
 
2.4
 
1,912

Total votes: 79,406
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2018

See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 21

TJ Cox defeated incumbent David G. Valadao in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
50.4
 
57,239
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
49.6
 
56,377

Total votes: 113,616
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 21

Incumbent David G. Valadao and TJ Cox advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
62.8
 
34,290
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
37.2
 
20,293

Total votes: 54,583
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

TJ Cox did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Cox's campaign website stated the following:

  • Seniors
"We must keep our promises to seniors."
Generations of Americans built the Social Security system out of a shared belief that if you work hard your whole life, you should be able to count on a retirement you can live on. TJ strongly supports this model.
When TJ was a boy, his father was tragically killed in a car accident, and Social Security’s Survivor Benefits for Children helped TJ and his family in their time of need.
TJ is committed to protecting Medicare and Social Security so that seniors and families in the Central Valley receive the full benefits they have been promised — and he will stand up against any attempt to privatize or cut these programs.
  • Immigration
"We need a system that works for our families and our economy."
As the son of immigrants, TJ knows and appreciates the value and contributions immigrants make to our communities and our country, and believes everyone working here in the United States deserves a pathway to legal status.
Immigrants in the Central Valley and beyond should be valued for their contributions to their community and the local economy. For the Valley’s businesses to thrive, we need an immigration system that actually works.
TJ’s proudest moment in Congress was his vote for the American Dream and Promise Act, which protects DACA recipients who came to America as children and offers them a pathway to citizenship without fear of deportation.
TJ also helped create a workforce solution for the agriculture industry here in the Valley, which relies on the contributions of immigrants, through the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. TJ has been a strong advocate for humanitarian standards for those in border control custody, and he has worked to protect DACA students from discrimination in colleges.
You can count on TJ to continue the fight against President Trump’s cruel and senseless immigration policies in Congress. TJ doesn’t see the diversity of our nation as a problem, but as our promise.
  • Healthcare
"Central Valley families deserve access to affordable care."
The Covid-19 pandemic has only highlighted the need for healthcare reform both in the Central Valley and across the nation. We must ensure affordable and accessible healthcare for all Americans.
Before being elected, TJ secured hard-to-get funding for community health clinics across the Central Valley. His efforts have brought health care access to rural communities so that hardworking families can see doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals when they need to — and in their own communities. He has funded clinics in Fowler, Mendota, Parlier, and Sanger, creating over 250 local health care jobs and serving over 40,000 residents here in the 21st District.
In Washington, TJ has offered amendments that increased the Affordable Care Act’s outreach and education to areas of high unemployment. He also supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act that will force drug companies to lower their outrageous prices so that people can get the prescriptions they need without having to worry about the cost.
Here in the Central Valley, we suffer from respiratory illnesses like Valley Fever and asthma at much higher rates than other places around the country. Thirty percent of all cases of Valley Fever occur locally in Kern County. In Congress, TJ introduced the End Valley Fever Now Act as well as four bills to help people in the Valley who suffer from asthma and COPD. TJ also serves on bipartisan committees in Congress that focus on finding solutions for people who suffer from diabetes as well as substance abuse.
TJ advocates for expanding tele-health services, particularly for people living in rural communities far from hospitals or other treatment centers. He introduced legislation that would increase funding for these services in rural areas, which is now even more essential in the time of the Coronavirus pandemic. TJ is committed to the fight for fair & equitable healthcare access in the Central Valley.
  • Jobs
"We need to jumpstart and sustain our economy."
TJ knows how to come up with innovative and creative solutions to create jobs in our communities. Before being elected to Congress, TJ was the founder of the Central Valley’s most successful community development entity. TJ has created more than 2,000 jobs, built businesses from the ground up, and developed job training programs that prepare Central Valley residents for 21st century jobs — all right here at home. TJ doesn’t just create jobs; he creates careers that pay a living wage and offer benefits.
As founder of a nut processing plant in the Valley, TJ knows firsthand that agriculture drives our Central Valley economy. In Congress, TJ’s plan to provide critical relief to more family farmers during the agricultural downturn became law. As a member of the Agriculture Committee TJ has ensured that California’s farmers and ranchers have a seat at the table and that they have the support they need to continue supplying the world with fresh produce, dairy and meat.
In Congress, TJ will continue his work in creating health care, agricultural and other good-paying jobs. He will work to create and foster new agricultural businesses, protect and expand export markets, fight for fair trade deals, and invest in job training. While we are facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, you can count on TJ to put more Americans back to work.
  • Water
"We must protect the lifeblood of the Central Valley."
TJ knows that water is the lifeblood of the Central Valley. Unfortunately, the Valley has been particularly susceptible to extreme weather patterns in California, including both long droughts and periods of heavy precipitation. As one of the nation’s largest agricultural centers, we need reliable water sources and storage to combat these volatile weather patterns.
As an engineer, TJ understands the necessity of water storage and conveyance systems here in the Valley. That’s why TJ fought for $150 million in funding for these projects in his first year in Congress. As a member of the Natural Resources Committee he introduced and advocated for legislation that will restore the water carrying capacity for conveyance facilities that have been impacted by land subsidence, like the Friant-Kern and Delta-Mendota canals.
TJ agrees that access to safe, clean drinking water is a human right. The State of California declared this back in 2012, but there are still more than 300,000 Californians who lack access to clean water. Over half of these people live in Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern countries that make up California’s 21st Congressional District. That’s why TJ has made it his mission to fight for clean water in Congress. He introduced the Disadvantaged Community Drinking Water Assistance Act, which would establish a grant program to close gaps in access to safe drinking water for residents of the Central Valley.
TJ understands that the lack of water storage capacity and access to clean drinking water is a public health emergency in California, and it is one of his top priorities to solve this crisis as your representative.
  • Education
"Nothing is more important than investing in our children’s future."
In the 21st century, curriculum focused on STEM and career readiness is essential, yet many rural school districts lack access to these opportunities. TJ introduced the INSPIRES Act in Congress, which will build STEM classrooms and labs in rural public schools as well as provide for high-speed internet access for students.
The Covid-19 pandemic has only increased our reliance on technology for education. TJ has written numerous letters to House and Senate leadership requesting funding for rural STEM infrastructure and help for educators in rural communities to teach online during these times.
In CA-21, only 8 percent of residents have a college degree. TJ believes in lowering the cost of college for students, holding universities accountable for student success, and helping students graduate on time and ready to join the workforce.
Prior to being elected to Congress, TJ funded local community college facilities and programs here in the Central Valley, including the West Hill Community College Farm of the Future. In Washington, TJ introduced the Remedical Improvement Act, which would help students receive federal financial aid to finish their studies and graduate on time.
TJ will continue to spend his time in Congress working to close the educational gap that exists between rural and urban communities by increasing funding for STEM-based programs and modern infrastructure for Central Valley schools.
  • Veterans
"Our veterans sacrificed for us, now we must support and protect them."
Veterans from all across the Central Valley have served courageously to protect our freedom. It’s our turn to honor them by ensuring they have access to their well-deserved benefits, quality healthcare and any other services they may need.
TJ introduced the Caring for Survivors Act of 2020 to support the family members of veterans and ensure they are receiving the benefits they deserve. This bill will expand the benefits offered by the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Fund at the VA. Previously, veteran survivor benefits were not on par with other federal retirement programs. The least we can do to honor our courageous service-members and their families is to ensure that they are entitled to adequate benefits.
Many of our veterans suffer from trauma after their time in service. In Congress, TJ passed an amendment that provided $10 million in funding for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress research within the Department of Defense. TJ also honored the brave servicemen in the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory group who were not receiving benefits they were entitled to by introducing the Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act, extending their wartime veteran benefits. In rural communities like the Central Valley, many veterans live far away from their healthcare providers. To help increase veterans’ access to care, TJ introduced legislation that would offer grants to transport veterans to their healthcare facilities, regardless of where they live.
TJ will continue to honor our brave veterans by passing legislation in Congress that protects them and ensures they receive the benefits they’ve earned.[24]
—TJ Cox's campaign website (2020)[25]


See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. TJ Cox for Congress, "About TJ," accessed August 16, 2018
  2. Congress.gov, "H.R.1044 - Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2020," accessed March 22, 2024
  3. Congress.gov, "H.R.6800 - The Heroes Act," accessed April 23, 2024
  4. Congress.gov, "H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2019," accessed April 23, 2024
  5. Congress.gov, "H.R.748 - CARES Act," accessed April 23, 2024
  6. Congress.gov, "H.R.5 - Equality Act," accessed April 23, 2024
  7. Congress.gov, "H.R.8 - Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019," accessed April 23, 2024
  8. Congress.gov, "H.R.6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2019," accessed April 27, 2024
  9. Congress.gov, "S.1790 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020," accessed April 27, 2024
  10. Congress.gov, "H.R.6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act," accessed April 24, 2024
  11. Congress.gov, "H.R.1994 - Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019," accessed April 27, 2024
  12. Congress.gov, "H.R.3 - Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act," accessed March 22, 2024
  13. Congress.gov, "H.R.1865 - Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020," accessed April 27, 2024
  14. Congress.gov, "S.1838 - Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019," accessed April 27, 2024
  15. Congress.gov, "H.R.3884 - MORE Act of 2020," accessed April 27, 2024
  16. Congress.gov, "H.R.6074 - Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020," accessed April 27, 2024
  17. Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.31 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019," accessed April 27, 2024
  18. Congress.gov, "S.47 - John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act," accessed April 27, 2024
  19. Congress.gov, "H.R.6395 - William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021," accessed April 27, 2024
  20. Congress.gov, "H.R.6395 - William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021," accessed April 27, 2024
  21. Congress.gov, "S.24 - Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019," accessed April 27, 2024
  22. Congress.gov, "H.Res.755 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors," accessed April 27, 2024
  23. Congress.gov, "H.Res.755 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors," accessed April 27, 2024
  24. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  25. TJ Cox's 2020 campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed Sept. 30, 2020
Political offices
Preceded by
David Valadao (R)
U.S. House, California, District 21
2019-2021
Succeeded by
David Valadao (R)


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