Dennis Cardoza

Dennis A. Cardoza (born March 31, 1959) is the U.S. Representative for California's 18th congressional district, serving since 2003. The district takes in a large swath of the Central Valley, from Stockton to Fresno. He is a member of the Democratic Party. On October 20th, 2011 he announced he would retire from Congress at the end of 2012. He first won election to Congress after defeating former Congressman Gary Condit in the March 2002 Democratic Party primary election. Cardoza was born in Merced, California, of Portuguese ancestry. He grew up in Atwater, California and graduated from Atwater High School. He was educated at the California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock, California then transferred to University of Maryland,...