Rep. Vargas Makes 'Hardest-Working' in Congress List

San Diego, CA — U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, is one of the hardest-working members of Congress, according to a new ranking that comes on the heels of national polls that suggest Americans don’t think much of the job their elected officials are doing in Washington, DC.

The Congressman who sailed to reelection in Tuesday's primary was No. 4 — and the only Californian — on the list of the 25 hardest-working members of Congress released Thursday by Newsmax. 

In April, a Gallup poll showed confidence in Congress in the cellar, around 17 percent, though that was an improvement from a month earlier, when the approval rating sunk to 13 percent. For some context, Congress doesn’t normally fare well in these polls, averaging only 32 percent since Gallup began measuring it in 1974.

Here's what Newsmax had to say about the Congressman who grew up in National City as one of 10 children:

"Former San Diego city councilman and California state legislator Vargas works overtime, Hill staffers say, to maintain close ties to the Obama White House (he and the president were Harvard Law classmates) and to work with Republican colleagues. Vargas recently co-sponsored legislation with Rep. Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) to benefit wounded warriors and is co-chairman of the Congressional Prayer Breakfast with Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.)."

To compile its "hardest-working" list, Newsmax said it interviewed current and former Congress members, as well as constituents. 

Vargas represents the 51st Congressional District, which encompasses the southern portion of San Diego County — including part of the city of San Diego as well as the cities of Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach — all of Imperial County and California’s entire US/Mexico border.  

Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his second term in Congress.  He represented the 40th California State Senate District from 2010-2012, the 79th California State Assembly District from 2000 to 2006 and served on the San Diego City Council from 1993 to 2000.