Oscar De Los Santos

Party: Democratic

State: Arizona

District: 11

Position: House Democratic Leader

Oscar De Los Santos is an internationally recognized leader serving as the youngest Democratic legislative leader in the nation. He is the son of Mexican immigrants and resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

Before entering electoral politics, De Los Santos worked as a 6th grade public school teacher at Champion South Mountain School in Phoenix during the 2015-16 academic year. He also managed public policy for the Association of Arizona Food Banks, where he focused on ending hunger in the state.

As House Democratic Leader, De Los Santos negotiated a historic $17.6 billion state budget and has championed several major initiatives. He fought for and secured a landmark initiative erasing $2 billion in medical debt for one million Arizonans and helped secure $122 million in lifesaving health care for people with developmental disabilities. He also played a key role in reversing Arizona's 1864 abortion law in April 2024.

Throughout his career, De Los Santos has introduced legislation to crack down on corporate landlords driving up rents, outlaw artificial intelligence price fixing, and ban discrimination against LGBT Arizonans.

Education and Political Experience

De Los Santos graduated from the University of Southern California in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He graduated as a Truman Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa, receiving USC's Order of the Laurel and Palm, its highest honor. The Los Angeles City Council honored him as an emerging leader.

Early in his career, he served as an intern to the National Economic Council and the House of Representatives. De Los Santos worked as the youngest Florida field organizer for President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign, helping organize communities to amplify their voices.

He was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2022, representing District 11.