Valde Garcia was born November 27, 1958. He grew up in Clinton county but came to reside in Howell (in Livingston county). He graduated from Cedarville College, Cedarville, OH, with a bachelor's degree in political science. Sometime after graduation he enlisted in the United States Army. He was on active duty for nine years, being honorably discharged in 1990. As a member of Army Reserve, Garcia was recalled to active duty in 1991 for Operation Desert Storm. Here he served as commander of an infantry training company at Fort Benning, GA. When his tour of duty was completed and before seeking election on his own, Garcia worked as chief of staff and legislative aid for different state senators. He also taught at Laingsburg Christian School and was territory manager for the National Federation of Independent Business.
Valde Garcia was elected the Michigan House of Representatives in 1998 and the Michigan Senate in 2001 where he was the first Hispanic state senator for the state of Michigan. Representing the 22nd district of Michigan (comprised of Livingston, Shiawassee, and the southern part of Ingham counties) Garcia served from 2001 to 2010. While in the Senate, Garcia was a member of various committees, including Appropriations, Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security and Emerging Technologies.
From the guide to the Valde Garcia papers, 1999-2010, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)
