Jimmy Panetta


James Varni Panetta is an American politician from the state of California. A member of the Democratic Party, he is a member of the United States House of Representatives for California's 20th congressional district. The district includes much of California's Central Coast, including Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz, and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Panetta was first elected in 2016, after working as a deputy district attorney for Monterey County. He is the son of former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

Early life and career

Panetta graduated from Carmel High School in Carmel, California. He then attended Monterey Peninsula College and University of California, Davis, graduating with a bachelor's degree in international relations. He then interned at the United States Department of State. Panetta received his J.D. degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. He joined the United States Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer and completed a tour of duty in the War in Afghanistan in 2007 while attached to Joint Special Operations Command, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star. Panetta worked in the Alameda County, California, prosecutor's office and as a deputy district attorney for the District Attorney's office of Monterey County, California.

U.S. House of Representatives

2016 campaign

After incumbent Sam Farr announced in November 2015 that he would not seek reelection to the United States House of Representatives, Panetta announced his candidacy to succeed Farr in California's 20th congressional district in the 2016 election. His father had represented the district from 1977 to 1993.
Panetta defeated Republican Casey Lucius in the November general election.

Tenure

Panetta was sworn into office on January 3, 2017. House Democrats selected Panetta to be a regional whip for Northern California, the Central Coast, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands.
Twice, in 2018 and in 2019, Congressman Panetta introduced a bill commonly stylized as the KITTEN Act, a legislative proposal to curtail certain types of animal testing.

Committee assignments

Source:

Caucus memberships

Panetta is the youngest of three sons born to Leon Panetta, the former United States Secretary of Defense. His wife, Carrie, is a judge on the Monterey County Superior Court. They have two daughters.