Jerry McNerney Gerald M . " Jerry " McNerney ( born June 18 , 1951 ) is an engineer , energy specialist , and the U . S . Representative for , serving in Congress since 2007 . He is a member of the Democratic Party . The district includes parts of San Joaquin County , East Contra Costa County , and southern Sacramento County . McNerney holds a Ph . D in mathematics . Early life , education , and business career . McNerney was born in Albuquerque , New Mexico , the son of Rosemary ( née Tischhauser ) and Col . John E . McNerney . His ancestry is Irish and Swiss . He attended St . Joseph ' s Military Academy in Hays , Kansas , and , for two years , the United States Military Academy at West Point . After leaving West Point in 1971 in protest of U . S . involvement in the Vietnam War , he enrolled at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque , where he received Bachelor ' s and Master ' s degrees and , in 1981 , a Ph . D . in Mathematics , with a doctoral dissertation in differential geometry . McNerney served several years as a contractor to Sandia National Laboratories at Kirtland Air Force Base on national security programs . In 1985 , he accepted a senior engineering position with U . S . Windpower ( Kenetech ) . In 1994 , he began working as an energy consultant for PG & E , FloWind , The Electric Power Research Institute , and other utility companies . Before being elected to Congress , Jerry served as the CEO of a 2004 start - up company manufacturing wind turbines , named HAWT Power ( Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Power ) . A 1992 article that he co - authored in an IEEE journal is a good example of his writings during this period . U . S . House of Representatives . Elections . McNerney has said that he was inspired to run for Congress by his son Michael , who in response to the attacks of September 11 sought and received a commission in the Air Force . Michael suggested that his father serve his country by running for Congress . McNerney first ran for Congress against Richard Pombo in California ' s 11th congressional district in the 2004 House elections . He entered the race two weeks before the primary election as a write - in candidate . He qualified to be a write - in candidate for the March 2004 primary by one signature . Having no primary opponent , he won the primary and qualified for the November general election ballot as the Democratic nominee . He lost the November general election , 61 % - 39 % . McNerney launched his 2006 campaign early in the fall of 2005 . In June 2006 he won the Democratic primary with 52 . 8 % of the vote , defeating Steve Filson , who had been endorsed by the DCCC , and Stevan Thomas . In late July , Republicans Pete McCloskey and Tom Benigno ( both of whom ran in the Republican primary against Pombo ) endorsed McNerney . In September , analysis of the campaign was changed from " Republican safe " to " Republican favored " due to the emergence of McNerney ' s campaign . The report noted " a [ GOP ] party spokesman says it ' s because they want to win decisively but others speculate that internal polling has delivered bad news for the incumbent . " On October 3 , 2006 , a poll commissioned by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund was released with McNerney leading Pombo 48 percent to 46 percent . Based on these events , in early October , " CQPolitics . com " changed their rating of this race from " Republican Favored " to " Leans Republican " On November 7 , 2006 , McNerney defeated Pombo 53 % - 47 % . McNerney won re - election 55 % to 45 % over Republican nominee Dean Andal . McNerney won re - election 48 % - 47 % , defeating Republican nominee David Harmer . McNerney announced in late July 2011 that he would move to San Joaquin County in order to run in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District , comprising parts of San Joaquin County , East Contra Costa County , and southern Sacramento County . In 2007 , McNerney voted against legislation that would have prevented the DEA from enforcing prohibition in the twelve states ( including California ) which allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes . Tenure . In 2013 , McNerney introduced the Methamphetamine Education , Treatment and Hope ( METH ) Act to modernize and expand programs that combat methamphetamine abuse by expanding treatment for addicts , particularly mothers or pregnant women , and provide grants to provide substance abuse and mental health services in rural areas . Jerry McNerney voted for 2008 ’ s $ 700 billion rescue package for the financial markets , acknowledging that “ his district opposed the bailout but he felt it was best for the economy . ” McNerney authored a provision of the bill permanently raising the lending limit for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans . He voted for the September 2008 jobs and energy stimulus package and to regulate the subprime mortgage market , modify bankruptcy rules with the aim of reducing foreclosure rates , and to ban abusive credit practices and enhance consumer disclosure . McNerney voted in favor of legislation allowing employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation . In 2009 , McNerney voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and voted against its repeal the next year . McNerney has frequently opposed free trade agreements , voting against CAFTA , GATT , and the U . S . - Peru free trade agreement . McNerney is a proponent of renewable energy . He voted to reduce carbon emissions . He has voted for tax incentives for renewable energy and for allowing states to impose stricter emissions standards . He opposes drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf . Personal life . Since 1990 , McNerney and Mary , his wife , have lived and raised their children in Pleasanton , California . Their older son , Michael , is a reserve officer in the U . S . Air Force , joining soon after the September 11 attacks . His daughter Windy is a graduate student in Psychology at the University of Notre Dame . His younger son , Greg , is a Biophysics Ph . D working for Intel Corporation as an Engineer in Oregon .