I saw the prospect of serving as labor secretary as a wonderful opportunity to further the policies that I have been fighting for my whole life, and I had to seize it.

Solis ran for the seat won the Democratic primary with 63 percent of the vote against two opponents and then won the 1994 general election with 63 percent of the vote against Republican Dave Boyer's 33 percent. Solis's successor was chosen in a special election in California's 32nd congressional district; Hilda Solis declined to endorse a candidate in the primary (from which her past mentee Judy Chu emerged on top and eventually won the general election). Solis did not become wealthy from her political career; by 2008 Hilda Solis and her husband's main assets consisted of retirement funds and his auto shop valued at under $100000.

She was reelected easily to four subsequent terms. There Hilda Solis focused on workplace safety issues and on strengthening compliance with wage and hour laws.