Cathy Muñoz

Catherine Nora "Cathy" Muñoz (née Engstrom; born June 23, 1964) is a Republican member of the Alaska House of Representatives, who has since 2008 represented the 4th District. She is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Community & Regional Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair of the Education Committee, and is a member of the Transportation Committee and the Fisheries Special Committee. She also serves on the Corrections, Law, Transportation & Public Facilities Finance Subcommittees, for the 26th Legislature. Muñoz has also been a small business owner since 1988. Muñoz was unopposed for re-election in 2010. Muñoz, is a third-generation members of the Alaska Legislature. Her father, grandfather and grandmother all served in either the territorial or state legislatures.

Past political and government positions include CBJ Assembly: 3 Terms, Chair, CBJ Finance, Chair, CBJ Human, Resources Committee, CBJ liaison to School Board and Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Former Chair, Trails, Working Group, Chair, Affordable Housing and Alternate Member: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Cathy is a fourth-generation Alaskan.

Running Mate: In 2014 Democrat George McGuan ran against Munoz for a seat in the Alaska House of Representatives for district 34. The primary election took place on August 19, 2014. Munoz won 62.4% of the votes and McGuan won 37.6% of the votes in a mainly Republican district. Munoz won another term, the first time she faced opposition in six years.

Gun Control: She voted against restriction on purchasing fire arms. As well as does not believe that there should be background checks required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows. She also votes to allow citizens to carry concealed weapons on them. She believes that there is no need for a license to be required for gun possession. Overall she is a pro gun legislator.

Equal Rights: Munoz votes for same sex marriage and supports the inclusion of gender identity in Alaska's anti-discrimination laws. She is also avid in supporting the inclusion of sexual orientation in Alaska's anti-discrimination laws. In a Juneau Empire article, Munoz said that she supports equal rights but does not think that it should be called marriage. This is because she doesn't want the possibility of churches rights to be infringed upon.

Muñoz and her husband Juan have two children, Mercedes and Matthew. Cathy lives on Lena Loop. She graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School, and received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of the Pacific (United States). Her mother-in-law is Alaskan artist and weaver Rie Muñoz.

Cathy is Episcopal. As a teenager she worked aboard fishing scows and on the slime line. She enjoys fishing in the outer waters near Pelican or around Tenakee Springs with her husband. Cathy worked in the Ad Lib art gallery in downtown Juneau opened by she and her mother Sally, until she decided to run for the legislature in 2008.