Clara joined the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) in 1983 in Andalusia, the most important agricultural region of Spain. Between 1990 and 1995, she was head of the Andalusian Federation of FECOGA (Gastronomic Federation) in Granada.
She held the positions of Minister of the Interior and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development of the Regional Government of Andalusia from 2008 to 2012.
She was a member of the Andalusian Parliament from 2000 to 2014, serving as Secretary General for Relations with Parliament from 2004 to 2008 in the Regional Ministry of the Presidency of the Regional Government of Andalusia.
From July 2014 to July 2024, she has been a Member of the European Parliament, where she has served as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and spokesperson on agriculture for the Group of European Socialists and Democrats (S&D Group). She has also been a member of the Committee on Fisheries and spokesperson on fisheries for the S&D Group.
Clara will support the Agri-Food and Crop protection teams with the EU Focus Group.