No. 47: Capitol Weekly’s Top 100

47. Deborah Gonzalez
When top Republican Assembly staffers Deborah Gonzalez and Richard Mersereau were purged late last year, it came as quite a shock to Capitol watchers.  Both were viewed by Reeps and Dems alike as stars in the Capitol, and both were veterans of the politics and policy wars of the building. But Gonzalez, an attorney who also has a degree in political science, was quickly tapped to be chief of staff to Senate GOP Leader Bob Huff of Diamond Bar, a position similar to her role in the Assembly for the GOP leader in the lower house. Gonzalez has served as chief policy and fiscal director for Assembly GOP Leader Mike Villines, was chief of staff to former Sen. Charles Poochigian and was policy director for former Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle, who later became mayor of Anaheim.

Updated Aug. 25, 2o15