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Attorney Jonathan Gracia — Cameron County Treasurer

Attorney Jonathan Gracia brings more than 25 years of experience in public service, law, judicial administration, economic development, and community leadership to his work on behalf of Cameron County residents. Throughout his career, he has served in municipal, county, state, and federal government settings, giving him a broad understanding of how public institutions operate and how effective leadership can improve the lives of local families.

Gracia’s professional background includes service as a Justice of the Peace, an assistant district attorney, a congressional legislative aide, a municipal economic-development director, and a practicing attorney. He has managed public budgets, secured substantial grant funding, supervised government and law-office employees, prosecuted serious criminal cases, presided over civil and criminal proceedings, and worked directly with elected officials, law-enforcement agencies, local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and members of the public.

His experience across multiple levels of government has helped prepare him to oversee public funds with an emphasis on transparency, efficiency, accountability, and responsible financial stewardship.

Political Career and Public Service

Judicial Service in Cameron County – From 2015 through 2022, Jonathan Gracia served as Judge of Cameron County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2. During his two terms in office, he presided over a wide variety of matters affecting residents, businesses, property owners, tenants, crime victims, and local law-enforcement agencies. As Justice of the Peace, Gracia was responsible for hearing eviction cases, small-claims lawsuits, criminal citations, and inquests. He conducted both bench and jury trials involving civil and criminal matters while overseeing a staff of four assistants. This position required him to manage an active court docket, apply Texas law impartially, maintain efficient court operations, and communicate clearly with litigants who frequently appeared without attorneys.

Legal Practice and Community Representation – In March 2012, Gracia established The Gracia Law Firm, where he has served as the firm’s sole proprietor and lead attorney. Through the firm, he has represented clients throughout Cameron and Willacy counties in criminal-defense, family-law, and civil matters. His legal work has included handling motions to revoke probation, motions to adjudicate guilt, plea proceedings, contested hearings, evidentiary matters, and trials. In addition to representing clients in court, Gracia has overseen a staff serving clients across a multicounty region.

Experience as a Cameron County Prosecutor – Before opening his law firm, Gracia served in the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office from November 2008 until March 2012. He began as a misdemeanor second-chair prosecutor and advanced to misdemeanor first chair before becoming a felony second-chair prosecutor assigned to the 107th District Court. As a misdemeanor prosecutor, Gracia screened cases, made filing decisions, performed legal research, argued protective-order matters and motions to suppress, and prosecuted cases in court. After advancing to a first-chair position, he served as the lead prosecutor in Cameron County Courts at Law Numbers 1 and 2. He also supervised and delegated work to a second-chair prosecutor, an investigator, and a paralegal to help ensure the courts operated effectively. In his felony assignment, Gracia prosecuted serious criminal offenses, including murder, burglary, sexual assault, drug crimes, and aggravated offenses. His responsibilities included presenting cases to grand juries, handling pretrial proceedings, negotiating plea agreements and sentencing recommendations, participating in evidentiary hearings, and consulting with law-enforcement officers, probation officers, victims, and witnesses.

Federal Judicial Experience – While attending law school, Gracia served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Hilda G. Tagle, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, in Brownsville. During the internship, he conducted legal research, worked under deadlines established by judicial clerks, observed federal trials and court proceedings, and drafted an order involving a motion for summary judgment in an employment-discrimination case. This experience allowed him to study federal judicial procedures firsthand and further develop the legal research, writing, and analytical skills that would later support his work as an attorney, prosecutor, and judge.

Congressional and Legislative Service – Earlier in his career, Gracia worked in Washington, D.C., for United States Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz. He served as both a legislative assistant and Special Projects and Grants Director, helping represent the interests of South Texas residents at the federal level. As a legislative assistant, Gracia researched proposed legislation involving education, labor, taxation, civil service, and Social Security. He analyzed how proposed federal policies could affect constituents, prepared written responses to congressional inquiries, and met with elected officials, policymakers, and advocates to discuss issues affecting the district. As Special Projects and Grants Director, Gracia researched federal funding opportunities and prepared letters supporting grant applications for communities and organizations within the congressional district. He also tracked judicial nominations and emergency declarations and served as a liaison to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to help ensure that South Texas concerns were considered in national policy discussions. Gracia additionally helped spearhead the creation of the Singapore Congressional Caucus, an initiative associated with congressional efforts surrounding the United States–Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

Economic Development and Financial Management – From September 2000 through November 2001, Gracia served as the Economic Development Corporation Director for the City of Port Isabel. In that position, he administered the daily operations of the Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation and managed an annual budget of approximately $326,000. Gracia worked to support the expansion and retention of local businesses while serving as a liaison between the city, the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce, and the area’s business community. He also interacted with regional development boards, councils of government, and state and federal agencies. One of his most significant accomplishments in the position was applying for and securing eight grant awards totaling more than $800,000. His work required careful financial planning, grant research, government coordination, budget administration, and documentation.

Public-Policy Research – Gracia began developing his public-policy experience as a research assistant and intern with the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas. There, he researched and analyzed how proposed public-policy initiatives could affect the United States economy and prepared written reports for the organization’s staff. His research also resulted in a published article in the *Valley Morning Star* examining the operation of the Dallas–Fort Worth area’s light-rail system. Jonathan Gracia earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas School of Law in December 2006. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2008 and was admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas in 2011.

Commitment to Cameron County

Gracia’s career has remained closely connected to Cameron County and the surrounding South Texas community. Whether serving as an attorney, prosecutor, judge, congressional staff member, economic-development official, or community advocate, he has worked with residents and organizations addressing legal, economic, governmental, and quality-of-life concerns.

During his previous service as an elected official, Gracia donated more than $80,000 of his salary to nonprofit organizations, educational scholarships, veterans, and other community causes. That record reflects his stated commitment to reinvesting in the families and institutions that serve Cameron County.

As Cameron County Treasurer, Gracia intends to apply his legal, judicial, financial, and governmental experience to the responsible management of county funds. His priorities include promoting transparency in county finances, improving the efficiency of the Treasurer’s Office, maintaining accurate and accessible financial records, and ensuring that public resources are handled with care.

Gracia views the office as a continuation of his career in public service. By combining his experience managing budgets, securing grants, supervising employees, operating a law practice, administering a court, and working at multiple levels of government, he seeks to provide Cameron County residents and local agencies with accountable and dependable financial leadership.

(Source notes: Public records and campaign/official bios indicate Gracia advanced as the Democratic nominee for Cameron County Treasurer in the 2026 primary and is described as a former two-term Justice of the Peace with extensive local government experience.)

For more information, visit: jonathangracia.com