Connie Conway

Connie Marie Conway (born September 25, 1950) is an American politician serving as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in California since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the same position from 2019 to 2021. She has served on the Republican National Committee since 2025.

Early life Conway was born in Bakersfield, California. and California State University, Fresno. Her father, John Conway, served on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors from 1981 until his death in 1991.

Pre-congressional career

From 1988 to 1991, Conway worked as a wellness coordinator at the Kaweah Delta Medical Center. From 1991 to 1994, she worked at Sweet's Home Medical. From 1994 to 2000, Conway worked as a district manager at CorVel Corporation.

Tulare County Board of Supervisors Conway served on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors for eight years. She also chaired the board in 2005 and 2008. Conway also chaired the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, an appointment she received from the governor. The partnership works to improve the economy and quality of life in the San Joaquin Valley by making policy recommendations to the governor. In 2006, Conway served as president of the California State Association of Counties, representing California's 58 counties at the state and federal levels. She later became a director of the National Association of Counties, chaired its membership committee, and worked on its economic development committee.

California State Assembly

Conway entered the 2008 election to succeed termed-out Bill Maze in the California State Assembly. In the primary, she faced two candidates, Rebecca Maze (the incumbent's wife) and Bob Smith, a retired sheriff's deputy, and won.

After her reelection to the Assembly on November 2, 2010, Conway was elected by her Republican colleagues as the Assembly Republican Leader after a closed-door meeting of Assembly Republicans on November 4. She said that outgoing Minority Leader Martin Garrick had voluntarily stepped down, and she had been elected unanimously. Conway was the first woman to serve as GOP assembly leader since 1981.

Under the term limits law in effect in California at the time, Conway was limited to three terms in the Assembly; she stepped down at the end of her third term in 2014.

California State Executive Director of the Farm Services Agency She was appointed by the Trump Administration to serve as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in California from 2019 to 2021.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2022 special

Conway was a candidate in the 2022 special election in California's 22nd congressional district to replace Devin Nunes, who stepped down in January 2022. In the April nonpartisan blanket primary, she advanced to a runoff against Democrat Lourin Hubbard. On June 7, 2022, Conway defeated Hubbard in the runoff election.

Tenure

Conway was sworn in on June 14, 2022. On July 19, Conway voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect the right to same-sex marriage at a federal level. On August 12, Conway voted against the Inflation Reduction Act.

Conway did not seek a full term in November 2022.

Committee assignments

Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Source:

Post-congressional career Return to the Farm Service Agency Conway returned to her position as the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in California in May 2025.

Republican National Committeewoman from California Conway also became a Republican National Committeewoman from California, following the resignation of Harmeet Dhillon.

Personal life Conway is a Roman Catholic.