Rishi Kumar

Rishi Kumar (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California's 16th Congressional District. He lost in the primary on March 5, 2024.

Kumar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Rishi Kumar earned an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1994. Kumar's career experience includes working as a business executive. He has served as an executive board member of the California Democratic Party and a delegate of the California Democratic Party.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Elections

2024

California's 16th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 16

Sam Liccardo defeated Evan Low in the general election for U.S. House California District 16 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Sam Liccardo (D)	58.2	179,583
	Evan Low (D)	41.8	128,893

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 308,476
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 16 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sam Liccardo (D)	21.1	38,492
✔		Evan Low (D)	16.6	30,261
		Joe Simitian (D)	16.6	30,256
		Peter Ohtaki (R)	12.8	23,283
		Peter Dixon (D)	8.1	14,677
		Rishi Kumar (D)	6.8	12,383
	Submit photo	Karl Ryan (R)	6.3	11,563
		Julie Lythcott-Haims (D)	6.2	11,386
		Ahmed Mostafa (D)	3.2	5,814
		Greg Tanaka (D)	1.3	2,421
		Joby Bernstein (D)	0.9	1,652

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 182,188
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Evan Bell (D)
Nickesh Viswanathan (Independent)

Endorsements

To view Kumar's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kumar in this election.

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 16

Incumbent Anna Eshoo defeated Rishi Kumar in the general election for U.S. House California District 16 on November 8, 2022.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Anna Eshoo (D)	57.8	139,235
	Rishi Kumar (D)	42.2	101,772

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 241,007
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 16 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Anna Eshoo (D)	47.9	81,100
✔		Rishi Kumar (D)	15.6	26,438
		Peter Ohtaki (R)	12.6	21,354
		Richard Fox (R)	7.8	13,187
		Ajwang Rading (D)	6.7	11,418
		Greg Tanaka (D)	6.6	11,107
		Benjamin Solomon (R)	1.6	2,659
		John Karl Fredrich (Independent)	1.3	2,120
	Submit photo	Travis Odekirk (D) (Write-in)	0.0	2

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 169,385
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Nathan Brown (R)
Monika Sheldon-London (R)

Endorsements

To view Kumar's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 18

Incumbent Anna Eshoo defeated Rishi Kumar in the general election for U.S. House California District 18 on November 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Anna Eshoo (D)	63.2	217,388
	Rishi Kumar (D)	36.8	126,751

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 344,139
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 18

Incumbent Anna Eshoo and Rishi Kumar defeated Richard Fox, Phil Reynolds, and Bob Goodwyn in the primary for U.S. House California District 18 on March 3, 2020.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Anna Eshoo (D)	61.7	146,225
✔	Rishi Kumar (D)	16.4	38,826
	Richard Fox (R)	12.2	28,863
	Phil Reynolds (R)	7.8	18,600
	Bob Goodwyn (L)	1.9	4,462

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 236,976
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Click here for a list of Kumar's endorsements.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Rishi Kumar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kumar's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

💎 Democrat Rishi Kumar is a Silicon Valley C-suite software executive and mechanical engineer running for U.S. Congress (CA-16). Rishi's willingness to tackle tough challenges and deliver tangible results - such as reducing crime - led to his reelection with the highest vote count in Saratoga's election history.

💎 Only Rishi has already received a historic 42.2% of this district’s votes. In the Nov. 2022 election, he won many cities and precincts in our congressional district against an incumbent who’d been in office for decades (who has now announcement retirement).

💎 Recent polling by Clarity Labs (the same company used by DNC, DCCC, DGA, DSCC, and DAGA) shows Rishi leading this race.

💎 Rishi is NOT a career politician –– he’s worked for over two decades in the private sector, even while he fought for people, first as a community activist, and later as a city councilmember.

💎 Rishi's efforts have successfully reduced crime, taxes, and utility bills, always prioritizing his constituents' needs. He has held various leadership positions, including as an Executive Board member of the California Democratic Party and on the Governor’s University of California Regents Selection Committee.

💎 Only Rishi has a proven record of reducing crime. He lowered home burglaries by 50% in Saratoga, and his approach has become a model for other cities. While others in the race talk about their agenda to fight crime, Rishi has already gotten it done!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

💎 Stop the influence of PAC money and Special Interest Group money in politics . www.RishiKumar.com/BigMoneyinPolitics
💎 Medicare for All and stop the privatization of Medicare RishiKumar.com/Medicare 💎 Protect reproductive rights RishiKumar.com/priorities 💎 Gun Safety RishiKumar.com/priorities
💎 Expand our tech economy, ensure the sustainability of our technology sector and seed innovation and jobs in every corner of the United States RishiKumar.com/tech

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

💎 I will leverage the extraordinary technical and financial resources of the richest, most innovative congressional district in America to act on the issues unaddressed for decades such as Medicare for All, reproductive rights, climate change, and stopping the senseless deaths of our children at school. I will defend our democracy, protect our seniors from the exploitation and privatization of Medicare, reduce crime, homelessness, inflation and the valley exodus.

💎 I will push for a cultural change in Washington with term limits, ban congressional insider trading, establish a collaborative problem-solving approach

💎 AAs the first tech-savvy representative, I will grow our economy, and ensure that our innovation economy thrives !

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Dr. Martin Luther King is someone I have idolized ever since I was a little child. I respect his indomitable spirit and ability to step up and diligently pursue issues and challenges. Dr. King never gave up. His steadfast approach was able to change the world. I try to emulate Dr King's leadership qualities and his zeal to do good in my role as a community activist and elected leader.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Effective accelerationism, or "e/acc," is a modern philosophical movement that adopts a strong pro-technology stance. Unfettered technological advancement, particularly through artificial intelligence, offers solutions to global challenges such as poverty, war, and climate change.

This e/acc movement is imbued with a vision, asserting that rapid development and innovation are essential for human survival and the expansion of consciousness across the universe. Its originators, Guillaume Verdon and Bayeslord, envision it as a catalyst for an unprecedented evolutionary leap in consciousness, potentially birthing advanced life forms.

Eeffective accelerationism has broken into the mainstream in 2023.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

💎 Leadership that is centralized around people is an essential component of maintaining a healthy democracy. It is also something that many of our current leaders are lacking.
💎 A people-centric policy approach is very important. It is time we had fearless leaders who will make citizen-centric choices and do what is best for the American people.

💎 Our elected leaders should not be bought and sold by big money. I will work to remove the influence of big money on American politics.

💎 Corporate greed and Super PACs exert too much influence on our political system. The voices of everyday Americans are not being heard. The American people see our government working only for large contributors and lobbyists, rather than working for them.

Our elected leaders should not be pupated by big money for their personal interests and gain. I will work to remove the big money influence on American politics and restore trust in our democracy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Silicon Valley has never had a tech savvy representative in Congress. What a difference that would make. I do the “cringe binge” every time I watch a congressional tech hearing on national television. You may have seen the spoofs on YouTube. As a tech executive who works in the Big Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning vertical, my plan is to grow our innovation economy to benefit the American people, bridge income inequality, while ensuring that tech companies do not trample upon people’s rights. Visit Rishikumar.com/tech

I'm tired of seeing career politicians who are not aligned with Silicon Valley's innovation economy. There are big changes coming. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in an autonomous world of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology; we must lead the world in technological innovation!

We need to seed Silicon Valley's success in innovation to spread so that America’s working-class families share in the economic prosperity.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of a representative in Congress is to legislate, which includes drafting, debating, and voting on new laws.

But it is more than that. It means working for the people and NEVER selling out. It means solving problems and getting things done!

💎 As Silicon Valley's congressional representative, I will champion our innovation economy and ensure Washington pays attention and provides the funding that we need for the future sustainability of our economy.

💎 I will leverage the extraordinary technical and financial resources of the richest, most innovative congressional district in America to act on the issues unaddressed for decades such as Medicare for All, reproductive rights, climate change, and stopping the senseless deaths of our children at school. I will defend our democracy, protect our seniors from the exploitation and privatization of Medicare, reduce crime, homelessness, inflation and the valley exodus.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Someone who never sold out and got things done! Made a difference in the lives of people.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House of Representatives is a unique institution because its purpose is leadership that puts the country and the people above all. Yet we lack leaders who possess those morals.

Our country today is very polarized and cities are divided as partisan politics dominates the fabric of American society. Some of our neighbors fear a civil war brewing. Our politicians, (along with media, and tech companies who play along) are responsible, ‌as they pander to their political bases or ideologies. We need to come together to solve the challenges that lie ahead. We are NOT the blue states or the red states. We are the United States. Visit RishiKumar.com/Bipartisanship

Our elected leaders should demonstrate a people-centric value system, and work to address the top people-challenges irrespective of their economic status, creed, religion or party. Our leaders have to restore trust in our democracy.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

While some experience is beneficial, it doesn't justify politicians hopping between offices for decades on end.

Americans have been crying out for solutions to healthcare, crime, the economy, unemployment, healthcare, traffic, housing and homelessness. Too many of our elected officials today are career politicians who have grown out of touch with the lives of their constituents. Their desire to serve the people has turned into a comfort with partisan politics.

Term limits & Age Limits will combat corruption by ensuring political turnover. It will bring new energy and new leadership to Washington. It will bring leaders who are interested and invested to get things done.

During my conversations with district residents at their doors, I learned that a vast majority of our residents of all political party and affiliations want maximum age limits and term limits and I completely agree with them, Our California State Legislature provides reasonable term limits in both houses that allow for a representative to gain experience over time but not stay long enough to become stagnant. We should do the same in the United States Congress.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Big Money in politics is subverting the interest of the American people. It is time for change! We can't change a corrupt system by taking its money.

My run is about Ethics-in-Politics: I refuse PAC and Special Interest Group money. I will never change my stance on this. From day one, I’ve said what every elected leader in America needs to say: no corporate PAC money, no special interest group money.

Because our democracy is best when it’s responsive to YOU, the American people. I will always fight for the people.

It's time to embrace fresh ideas and experienced, ethical leadership. America is pushing back against out-of-touch, long-tenured politicians.

Let's send commonsense pragmatism to Washington.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes
But we need term limits and age limits. https://rishikumar.com/termlimits

What are your thoughts on term limits?

https://rishikumar.com/termlimits
💎 Rishi is the only candidate in this race who favors term limits and age limits in Congress and the United States Supreme Court. Rishi also favors an age limit for the President of the United States.
💎 Rishi favors the following: A 6-term (12 years) in the U.S. House, a 3-term (18 years) in the U.S. Senate, and an 18-year term for Supreme Court judges.
💎 Rishi favors a 70 year age limit for the President, Congress and the Supreme Court.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Norman Mineta had a distinguished career as a Congressional representative and public servant, with numerous accomplishments spanning various aspects of public policy, transportation, and civil liberties.

Transportation and Infrastructure: As a member and later as the chair of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, Mineta was instrumental in shaping U.S. transportation policy.

Aviation Security: Mineta also worked on legislation to improve aviation security, an interest that would continue into his later role as Secretary of Transportation.

Technology and Innovation: Representing Silicon Valley, Mineta was a proponent of the technology sector, advocating for policies that supported innovation, research and development.

Bipartisanship: Mineta was known for his bipartisan approach to governance, working across the aisle to achieve legislative goals. This approach helped him to successfully navigate and influence a wide range of policy areas during his tenure in Congress.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Rishi Kumar, councilmember of Saratoga and candidate for U.S. House of Representative CA-16, woke up the morning of Friday, July 22nd, 2022 to find numerous text messages and an inbox full of urgent emails. “Rishi, can you help us? Our Saratoga students are stuck in Prague.” “Rishi, your constituents are asking for your urgent action. Can you shake up Lufthansa please!” “Rishi, we need you to do something!” Lufthansa was not responsive and promising them a flight within "30 days."

Rishi orchestrated a plan and Lufthansa Germany had a sudden 180 degree shift and agreed to a charter flight. It was a tremendous relief for the dozens of Californians thousands of miles from home.

Ron Kirkish via email applauded Rishi’s effort. “This is an example of what our elected leaders and city administration can do [..] and who were elected to represent our city, to help our communities deal with our many problems.”

Arun Venkatachari, whose child was stranded, expressed his thanks. “Great work Rishi for jumping in such a short time and creating a big impact. Glad that we have you working for us!”

Dhiraj Bora who was out in Prague with his family also expressed his thanks. “Thanks for actively helping and drumming the media along with (barrage of) emails. We appreciate that very much. We were actually in Prague so we remember the ‘Blank’ update we had on Friday night. We were absolutely surprised that within 24 hrs the chartered flight was committed by Lufthansa. Without a doubt the pressure that came from the U.S. helped !!!”

David Dier gave a thumbs up to Rishi’s efforts - “Happy to see Rishi on the ground game here”

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that our nation cannot be divided. We are not the blue states or the red states - we are The United States of America!

America is tired of partisan politics and of political rhetoric that are considered sure shot vote banks, shirking away from the core issues that deserve attention.

People want a bipartisan approach to problem solving. If we continue to fight political fire with fire, it will only burn the house down. We need a unifying vision - not divisions - that can guide policies that will serve the interests of our nation and of our people.

The pendulum of political power is always swinging. For laws that will stand the test of time, we should do so in a manner that won’t lead to laws undone whenever power shifts hands. And as we have seen, the presidency tends to oscillate between the two parties.

A bipartisan approach - middle-of-the-road policymaking is desired by a majority of the country. We should choose positive approaches, in comparison to an agenda that stems from creating roadblocks as that is what politics demands. It is a no-brainer to have an American economic model that ensures equal opportunity and social mobility for all Americans.

Our Constitution begins with “We the People” that makes people ensconced firmly on the driver's seat of our country. I will always put the people first and not partisan politics.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I would prioritize the introduction of revenue-raising measures that are both fiscally responsible and efficient, ensuring that any new taxation or fiscal policy is designed to minimize waste and maximize the value provided to taxpayers.

Utilizing this power, I would advocate for legislation that raises funds specifically earmarked for Silicon Valley' s booming economy to foster innovation and to handle the challenges of electricity & internet failure, climate action on the coast.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Conducting hearings to develop policies is a model that can be improved as it has become a forum to make political points.

An example is -
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing on January 31, 2024, featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), its ranking member, called for reforming Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which lets platforms largely avoid liability for content that users post online. The committee has unanimously endorsed several measures that could dramatically alter the act.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Endorsed by hundreds of elected officials, neighborhood leaders, entrepreneurs and community leaders. https://rishikumar.com/endorsements

What committees interest you?

I have a background in STEM and I work in valley software industry. Here are my interest areas:
💎 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence
💎 The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
💎 Science, Space, and Technology

💎 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence: I'm running for Congress because I'm tired of career politicians who don't understand Silicon Valley's innovation industry. We cannot prepare our workforce for an autonomous workplace built upon Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning if our leaders are not familiar with it.

💎 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Silicon Valley powers the economy of California and of the United States. Investing in its infrastructure will pay tremendous dividends to us all. Look up my "21 counties, 21 minutes Mega Silicon Valley vision." We need bold transportation plans.This is America and we can innovate with transportation like no one can. The time is now. I am interested in making a down-payment for our glorious future.

💎 Science, Space, and Technology: This is a committee on which I can contribute valuably. My professional experience in Silicon Valley's software industry as both a business and technology leader puts me in a unique position. This allows me to legislate with percipience for Silicon Valley innovation to not only succeed, but also for the benefits to spread to our working-class families. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in a 21st century world. We cannot allow our nation to lose its place as the technology leader of the world. The very future of American success and economic status is at stake.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and government accountability are very important! https://rishikumar.com/fiscallymoderate

The United States of America has faced decades of increasing budgetary deficits and mismanagement. Our national debt today is $38 trillion. But, neither party has been serious about the deficit. We must bring wealth and job security back to the American people and stop the ballooning national debt.

💎 Promote Economic Growth:
My plan is to grow Silicon Valley’s innovation economy. Serious quality of life issues such as the housing crunch and increasing traffic congestion are causing an exodus of Silicon Valley talent. As a valley high tech executive, I have the perspective of what it takes for Silicon Valley’s economy - the 18th largest in the world - to prosper.

We have to seed Silicon Valley's innovation success to other parts of California and America, so that our working-class families share in the economic prosperity. I will invest in education and mentoring of our youth, and launching Entrepreneurship Incubation Centers to nurture start-ups.

💎 Budget Reform
I will push for comprehensive Budget Reform such as implementing long-term budget plans:

💎 Pull back from American wars:
Since 2001, the U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan have cost American taxpayers $10 trillion. More than 800,000 people have died as a direct result of fighting. It’s time to reevaluate our American policy and push for education and economic empowerment all over the globe.

💎 Redo Trade Agreements:
Our country currently has free trade agreements with countries around the world, and many of these leave us economically disadvantaged. These deals must be re-examined and potentially re-negotiated.

💎 Government Efficiency & Fraud Reduction:
Streamlining government operations to reduce waste and targeting fraud can make government spending more efficient. Fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding. This needs to stop!

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Kumar’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Crime
Crime has gone up in many Silicon Valley cities. We observe an uptick with residential break-ins, car break-ins/thefts, phishing, identity thefts etc. This has created uneasy minds and a sense of discomfort when we are parking our cars or when we head out on our vacations. See the adjacent burglary stat table.

As a councilmember of Saratoga, Rishi has worked hard to reduce crime in his community with a series of innovative measures. Rishi dropped burglaries by 41% from 2016 to 2017. This was the largest year to year drop in the history of Saratoga and the most significant drop compared to any other Silicon Valley city. As a result, Rishi was re-elected to the Saratoga City Council with the most votes in city history. Rishi will ensure that as your congressman, we drop burglaries in your city by replicating Saratoga’s approach and success.

Rishi is cognizant of racial profiling and absolutely does not support this in any shape or form as part of the neighborhood safety protocol and tips. We have put together a handy cheat sheet with the Top 25 Safety Tips how to keep your home safe, tailored to your city. Also, click here to check out Rishi’s modus operandi to reduce burglaries.

As your Congressman, crime in your city will always get my full attention and I will reduce crime in your city, period.

As a councilmember, I fought crime one home, one family, and one neighborhood at a time, and in 2016, my city had the largest year to year drop in not only our city’s history but also when compared to every city in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Fighting crime and making your neighborhood safe was a key component of my local government agenda and is now part of my congressional agenda.

Many of our residents have described having their home burglarized as one of the most unsettling moments of their lives. Some said they couldn’t sleep for months. Your home should be your sanctuary and you should feel safe. EVERY neighborhood deserves this!

Our governor recently called California as looking like a 3rd world country and part of the reason is Prop 47 which made it harder to prosecute thefts as felonies, tying prosecutors and police hands.

I have always believed in taking action:

I continue calling out the fallacies of Prop 47 that have led to the spike in crime and even organized signatures to reverse the Prop 47 outcome. Aspects of Prop 47 need to go!
I organized and held over hundred neighborhood meetings to discuss crime and consider actions we could take, while identifying new leaders in these neighborhoods and empowering them to take charge.
We established a call to action and implemented 25 different crime and safety steps that are deterrents for every home. This document tailored for your city can be downloaded from my website - just enter Safety Tips into the search box.
We developed a playbook for neighborhood collaboration: to formalize Neighborhood Safety Watch Programs, launch annual block parties, install camera systems, and watch out for each other. Our city went from 3 active Neighborhood Watch Programs to over 70 today.
Ultimately, our city decided to fund the neighborhood efforts to organize, and dedicate a staffer whose responsibility is the success of the Neighborhood Safety Watch programs.

Rising crime was a big problem and we developed a strong framework for neighbors to connect, communicate and collaborate that continues to keep our crime rate low today..

Again, my pledge as your Congressman, crime will get my focused attention and I will drop crime in your city, period.

Reproductive Rights
I am pushing for the success of Proposition 1 and the amendment of California’s state constitution to guarantee reproductive freedom in California.
The stripping of women’s rights in the United States is completely un-American. If Roe v. Wade is reversed and the right to an abortion is taken away, this will disrupt our country tremendously.
Roe is not about abortion, but it’s about the right to bodily autonomy and privacy. The right to bodily autonomy is an essential part of our country, without which, the Constitution could be violated even further.

Democracies only work when their leaders work for it. The majority of America believes in a woman’s right to choose, so why are so many representatives opposed?

Codifying Roe v. Wade does not require abortions, but allows women to do what is right for them.

Furthermore, rates of abortions only decrease marginally when they are made inaccessible or illegal. The only thing decreasing is the rate of safe abortions. One of the top causes of death during pregnancy is unsafe abortions.

Out of touch: Loud TV noise takes precedence for Anna Eshoo People of higher socioeconomic status, like many of our elected leaders and Supreme Court Justices, will not lose their access to abortion. If Roe is overturned and states have differing laws, there will still be abortion in America. Wealthy women are more likely to be able to drive to another state or fly to get this medical procedure. Taking away the right to abortion will disproportionately affect poorer women.

Without Medicare for All, abortion becomes an even bigger burden and financial hardship on the poor, along with an already expensive healthcare system. Read more about my support for Medicare for All at https://rishikumar.com/Medicare.

Most European and first-world countries have accessible abortion. If the United States wants to continue to be a champion of democracy and a model for the rest of the world, we must respect the rights of our citizens.

Taking away the right to abortions doesn’t benefit the people. It benefits immoral politicians and hurts women. It divides our country. Let us bring Americans together and let us work on the important challenges for a glorious future. Let us legislate Roe and get it done once and for all.

Medicare for All
With bold leadership and determination we can solve our healthcare challenges. Read: Rishi will fight to reduce healthcare costs and supports Medicare for All, while Eshoo wants to privatize Medicare

The immediate economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating in the United States and has exposed one of the biggest problems facing the American people - the state of American healthcare. For many - 160 million people - health insurance is tied to employment and losing a job may mean losing insurance.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar when asked about affordability of treatment for Covid-19, “ We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can’t control that price because we need the private sector to invest. The priority is to get vaccines and therapeutics. Price controls won’t get us there.” Now, that could become a problem for America.

Healthcare costs have become a significant burden for our working families, more so during the pandemic, and are a major cause of bankruptcies for American families. It is time we explored better, cheaper healthcare options for the American people. As your Congressman, I will push for healthcare reform. I will fight back against burgeoning healthcare costs and rising drug prices. A single payer does not mean that we have a compromised healthcare system; many developed nations of the world have a high quality single payer system. America can too!

Rep. Eshoo does not support Medicare for All - and is not with the 118 Congressional Representatives who today support Medicare for All - including many from the Bay Area.I support Medicare for All (H.R 1384), which would guarantee affordable healthcare to everyone in this country, and the Bring Drug Prices Down Act (H.R 1046), which allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Big Pharma and health lobbyists have penetrated their way into our government. My opponent, Rep. Anna Eshoo, chairs the House Health Subcommittee and is the number one recipient of Pharma money in the United States Congress. I have taken the pledge to never accept any special interest money or PAC money.

Here are a few approaches to reducing the cost of healthcare now

Monitor and regulate rampant annual price hikes by pharmaceutical companies.
Compel payers to pass rebates on to patients.
Optimize our healthcare spending with preventive care and wellness options.
Invest in healthcare analytics and the Electronic Medical Record System.
Commit to fair pricing practices for new drugs that are regulated by 3rd party entities.
Make it easier for our citizens to purchase FDA approved drugs from outside the USA.
Commonsense health policies will alleviate our health burden. I am against bills like AB 890 : While nurse practitioners (NPs) play a key role in California’s health care system, giving them more autonomy without additional training or oversight poses threats, rather than a solution, for our health care system access needs.

Climate, GND & CA Fires
Climate action is my urgent agenda
As a councilmember, I pushed for climate action within our city. Three key examples include:

The adoption of REACH codes
The move to Silicon Valley Clean Energy
The call to action with PG&E’s subversion of the solar industry.

As a climate activist, I have pushed for prudent choices:

I publicly opposed President Biden’s approval of oil drilling in Alaska
I was against the Keystone pipeline
I stood with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in their opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline

Reach Codes
As an elected leader of Saratoga, I pushed for the adoption of innovative local amendments to our building codes, known as "Reach Codes," to spearhead the transition towards healthier, safer, and emissions-free buildings. Recognizing the importance of sustainable development, Saratoga embraced these codes to facilitate the construction of all-electric buildings. This pivotal move marked Saratoga's commitment to climate friendly choices.

Our forward-thinking policy not only paved the way for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions—by approximately 80 to 90% for home energy use—but also offered financial benefits. Homeowners and businesses embarking on new construction projects can now avoid the hefty costs associated with gas infrastructure, potentially saving thousands of dollars in project expenses. Furthermore, I have been a vocal advocate for the electrification of transportation, supporting the community's shift to electric vehicles (EVs) by advancing the new code that facilitates convenient home charging solutions. This initiative reflects Saratoga's broader commitment to clean, electric transportation, aligning with our community's high adoption rates of EVs.

Through this groundbreaking policy, we set a precedent for sustainable urban development and demonstrated our unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and the well-being of our community.

Silicon Valley Clean Energy:
A push for clean electricity was enabled by the move to Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) to help fight climate change and build a cleaner, greener Santa Clara County for everyone. The move to Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) represents a significant stride towards sustainable energy solutions for cities within Santa Clara County. SVCE, a community-owned agency, provides clean, carbon-free electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power to residents and businesses. This transition has yielded several key accomplishments:

Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions: By switching to electricity generated from renewable sources, SVCE has significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy use in its member communities. This shift supports the broader climate goals of reducing carbon footprints and combating climate change.
Stimulating Local and Renewable Energy Projects: SVCE invests in local and regional renewable energy projects, which not only contribute to the generation of clean energy but also promote green jobs and economic growth within the region. This investment helps build a resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure.
Energy Independence: By focusing on local and renewable energy sources, SVCE contributes to reducing dependency on fossil fuels and enhances energy security. This shift towards more sustainable energy sources also mitigates the risks associated with volatile fossil fuel markets.
Consumer Choice and Competitive Rates: SVCE offers residents and businesses the choice of cleaner energy sources at competitive rates. Customers have the option to select plans that suit their energy needs and preferences, including 100% renewable energy options, thus promoting consumer empowerment and engagement in sustainable practices.
Support for Electrification and Energy Efficiency: SVCE has been instrumental in supporting policies and programs that encourage the electrification of buildings and transportation, as well as energy efficiency improvements. These efforts align with the broader goal of reducing energy consumption and lowering emissions from various sectors.

Overall, the move to Silicon Valley Clean Energy has enabled cities within Santa Clara County to make substantial progress towards sustainability goals, showcasing a model for clean, community-focused energy solutions that can be replicated in other regions.

With this move, so many Santa Clara County cities reduced their dependence on fossil fuels by providing carbon free, affordable, and reliable electricity and innovative programs for the SVCE community.

Pushing back on PG&E’s sabotage of solar
In 2022, CPUC drastically cut the rate paid to homeowners for surplus solar power by about 75%, a change that began affecting new solar applicants. This decision has significantly dampened consumer interest in residential solar. Solar energy is pivotal for California's goal to transition to 90% carbon-free electricity by 2035 and 100% by 2045, with solar expected to supply over half of the grid's power by then. Here is what happened: PG&E decided to drastically lower the amount they pay for solar power fed back into the grid to about 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, a big drop from the current 25 to 45 cents. This means if you generate and use the same amount of solar power in a day, you’ll end up paying PG&E more than you save. This could extend the time it takes to benefit from solar from 6-8 years to 12-16 years or even more. This new pricing plan is killing the rooftop solar industry in California. It's essential to strengthen policies that support energy conservation and rooftop solar, and to oppose the CPUC's habit of green-lighting these utilities' rate increase requests without proper evaluation. Details at https://rishikumar.com/pge

Forest Fires
In 2020 - Four million acres, 112 million tons of greenhouse gases, thousands of lightning strikes, 11 million gallons of fire retardant. And 31 lost lives, with more than 100,000 having to evacuate from their homes. This is an exponential increase compared to 2019 when ~100,000 acres burned down in California. Many urban communities today are feeling the threat of evacuation and fire. Our droughts and dry conditions have exacerbated the problem.

Recently, we have seen rollbacks on environmental measures in the United States, and restrictive climate policies weakened around the globe. Now more than ever, we need the Green New Deal. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time. The science is clear: global temperatures continue to rise, and the world is already experiencing more intense hurricanes, deadly heat waves, wildfires, and droughts. We must take a three-pronged approach to the battle against climate change:

Mitigate: We must find ways to reduce the effects of human activities on the environment by seeking cleaner, more efficient energy sources for our homes and businesses. As your Congressman, I will encourage government investment in renewable energy infrastructure and promote energy-efficient manufacturing in business. My high-speed transportation vision for the Silicon Valley Megaregion will provide an eco-friendly alternative to driving, reducing pollution and traffic congestion in the greater Bay Area.
Restore: We must take steps to protect and revitalize green spaces in our community and around the nation. Forests and wetlands not only clean our air and water, but they also provide the most cost-effective solution to quell rising temperatures. To avoid these excessive future expenses, we must act now to restore and protect nature within our communities. A mature tree planted on the south side of a building can reduce cooling and heating costs by 10 to 30%, as well as absorb carbon emissions and provide aesthetic beauty. Planting trees is good, but rather slow climate action. We need to explore rapid and quick acting technology options to restore a livable climate as described here. Planet earth cannot wait anymore.
Advance: We must promote the rise of sustainable clean energy: wind, solar, and biofuels. Silicon Valley is the technological leader of the world; collectively, we must devise bold solutions and lead the world on preventing climate change. We can create millions of jobs in the clean energy sector and bolster our economy, while simultaneously protecting our environment. As your representative, I will be a strong advocate for these changes in our district.

We can’t afford to wait — we must take immediate, bold action to limit the effects of climate change. The United States must lead the world in reaching net-zero emissions by 2035. We must promote and create jobs in a clean-energy economy and build green-energy infrastructure.. I am serious about protecting the environment and that is why I am a vegetarian practitioner with no meat or eggs in my diet. Clean air and water is a basic necessity for all living things. We owe it to our children to take care of our planet.

Open Space
I am committed to being an advocate for California’s natural open spaces and to preserving and protecting our native wildlife. I am against the development of the Cargill Salt Water site property, which was once underwater and part of San Francisco Bay a century ago before it was diked for salt-making. The Stanford development project demands caution, and we have to address mitigation plans with traffic and housing. As a councilmember of Saratoga, I stood firm against a potential 300-room hotel mega development project on a hillside in a high fire hazard zone that would have also disrupted wildlife and vegetation and the very future of our community. The project was ultimately defeated. I was in support of 65 acres of open space preservation with the ribbon cutting of the newest park in Saratoga - the Quarry Park. Read my views on the Los Gatos North 40 project here.

I believe that we need managed housing growth in Silicon Valley. I am not in favor of policies like Senate Bill 50 or Senate Bill 35, which preempt local control for housing developments. There have been cases in Silicon Valley where development was planned on hillsides and a high fire risk zone. This will not only put our environment in jeopardy, the wildlife but also our people. The Mega Silicon Valley vision plan, “21 Counties in 21 Minutes” is a better approach to solve Silicon Valley’s housing and traffic challenges, while preserving our quality of life allowing for economic expansion.

PG&E
During my campaign, I've encountered many people at their doors who express deep frustration over escalating utility bills from PG&E and a lack of accountability from the CPUC. PG&E is now the most expensive electric utility company in our country! The rising bill is a problem, but what's going on with the net new revenue for PG&E? Homeowners are even dismayed by the lengthy delays in getting new lines installed by PG&E, highlighting poor management within the company.

In late 2022, the state Public Utilities Commission drastically cut the rate paid to homeowners for surplus solar power by about 75%, a change that began affecting new solar applicants. This decision has significantly dampened consumer interest in residential solar. Solar energy is pivotal for California's goal to transition to 90% carbon-free electricity by 2035 and 100% by 2045, with solar expected to supply over half of the grid's power by then. Here is what happened: PG&E decided to drastically lower the amount they pay for solar power fed back into the grid to about 3 cents per kilowatt-hour, a big drop from the current 25 to 45 cents. This means if you generate and use the same amount of solar power in a day, you’ll end up paying PG&E more than you save. This could extend the time it takes to benefit from solar from 6-8 years to 12-16 years or even more. This new pricing plan is killing the rooftop solar industry in California. It's essential to strengthen policies that support energy conservation and rooftop solar, and to oppose the CPUC's habit of green-lighting these utilities' rate increase requests without proper evaluation.

Furthermore, the unreasonable rate hike proposals from PG&E disproportionately impact Californians, who are already burdened with high costs. The proposed income-based charge undermines efforts to save energy, benefitting high energy users to the detriment of smaller, efficient homes and the working class. This injustice must end.

I am committed to overturning the income-based fixed charge for utility customers and revitalizing the solar industry with incentives that address climate change effectively.

PG&E should be municipalized
Public safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) have become a PR nightmare for PG&E while creating a huge question mark and concerns for residents. The blackouts have impacted lives adversely while the economic impact is staggering! Our citizens are also asking ‘What gusty wind?’ Is this an example of a monopoly and crony capitalism? We grant PG&E a monopoly status at the cost of being governed by the people. I believe they can be governed better!

I am concerned with the investor-owned utilities' profit mandates, their continued under-investment in their electric grid, and their reliance on old fossil fuel plants. The answer is to go with the public utility model and municipalization. It is time for a massive public takeover so that we can prioritize citizen benefit over profit.

As a councilmember of Saratoga, California, I proposed the municipalization of San Jose Water Company, which supplies water to a million residents covering the cities of San Jose, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Campbell. Their profits have skyrocketed with exploitative rate increases. I have been pushing back on the numerous rate increase proposals of San Jose Water Company since 2016 and we have already rejected, reduced, and suspended a total of 10 water rate increases.

PG&E’s failure to maintain their power lines, which contributed to the wildfires seen across the state, resulted in the power company’s decision to institute the blackouts in 2019. PG&E’s infrastructure has been deteriorating. The San Bruno explosion should have been a wake up call. The Paradise fire was a disaster. What is PG&E’s plan? Shifting the costs from utilities to communities in highly inequitable ways is not acceptable. They should develop a good maintenance plan by deploying some of the latest IOT monitoring systems in place. News reports of PG&E choosing to divert money from infrastructure initiatives to boost corporate profits and to pay executives even more is concerning to many. Sacramento quietly recertified PG&E as a "safe" company - despite officials making the utility company responsible for the wildfires. Even more egregious, California spent $9.6 million on private attorneys who wrote a law protecting PG&E’s profits. State records reveal the law firm had represented PG&E for years.

We need to move forward quickly and find a long term viable solution to address the woes of California’s electricity challenges. The time is now! Sign these petitions below. As your congressman, I will always put the people first, protect you and ensure that our system works for you.

Clean Money in Politics
Read my policy overview on Big Money in Politics here.
Corporations and Super PACs exert far too much influence on our political system. The voices of companies and organizations with large sums overshadow the voices of American people. Our government is controlled by large contributors and lobbyists who are able to influence decisions for their benefit aiding or blocking legislation, rather than working for everyday individuals who cannot sway policy with millions of dollars. The power of big money can be seen in all aspects of politics including gun control, pharmaceuticals and health care, and education costs, hindering progress and harming Americans. Our elected leaders should not be bought by big money and cannot continue to work for a small sect of the United States with a disproportionate amount of political influence.

Unlike Representative Anna Eshoo who was unable to honor her 1988 pledge to challenge the sacred cows, I have taken a pledge to refuse Special Interest money and PAC campaign contributions. Although Eshoo has publicly stated that the Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, “cast a dark shadow over our democracy by bringing us dangerously closer to an electoral system where the voices of average Americans are easily drowned out by special interests,” she has chosen to accept PAC money and special interest group money anyway. I am dismayed by the A-rating to Rep. Eshoo from Against Citizens United when she continues to play into and benefit from the system.

This co-option of the political system in order to benefit the private sector is perfectly legal thanks to the Citizens United decision made by the Supreme Court. But money is not free speech, and it definitely is not votes or public opinion. In office I will work tirelessly to remove the undue power of big money and lobbyists, work to end Citizens United, and restore the focus on American governance back to the American public, where it should be.

Fiscal Stability
A Comprehensive Fiscal Stabilization Plan is designed to tackle three critical economic challenges: reducing the deficit, controlling inflation, and ensuring fiscal moderation derived by keeping taxes low and government spending optimized. By implementing targeted fiscal policies, it aims to cut excessive government spending and optimize revenue streams, directly addressing budgetary imbalances. Concurrently, it employs monetary measures to stabilize prices and prevent the erosion of purchasing power. This plan also focuses on sustainable economic growth, avoiding short-term fixes in favor of long-term stability. Ultimately, it fosters a balanced economic environment where fiscal health and low inflation support broad-based prosperity.

Read my policy on inflation
Read my policy on the deficit
Read my policy on fiscal moderation
Read my policy on SALT deduction

Defending our Democracy
I will always fight to protect our Democracy. My response, if anyone violates the constitution through decisions and actions, will be unequivocal and determined. Upholding the Constitution is the bedrock principle of our democracy, and any breach (by anyone) must be met with rigorous accountability. I will advocate for and support all necessary legal and congressional measures to address the violation promptly and effectively. This includes, but is not limited to, supporting investigations, endorsing appropriate legislative responses, and, if warranted, backing impeachment proceedings. My commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law is unwavering, and I pledge to work tirelessly to ensure that all actions taken by those in the highest offices of our land are in full compliance with our foundational principles. Protecting our democracy and maintaining the integrity of our Constitution will always be my utmost priority.

In Congress, I will fiercely protect our democracy, safeguard voting rights, protect the integrity of our elections and purge dark money from our political system. Here is my agenda to protect our democracy:

Push for free and fair elections on all fronts.
Ensure voting is easily accessible while ensuring deceased voters and voters who moved have been taken off the voter rolls, mitigating any attempts at voter fraud.
Allow a Voting Day public holiday and allow for a vote-by-mail electoral process.
Stop the dark tainted money of corporate interests from influencing elections and subverting our democracy.
End Citizens United.
Continue the support of efforts like Proposition 18 in 2020, to allow 17 year-olds to register to vote if they were 18 years old by the general election.
Continue the support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, HR 1, the For the People Act, and the Protecting Our Democracy Act.

Coast

I will find solutions for the coastal challenges of climate and coastal protection, failing electricity grid, erosion, sea-level rise, fire safety, fire insurance, a robust transportation system that includes fortification and an upgrade of Highway 92 with federal investment, and durable broadband.
I will push for a smarter urban plan, "stop the paving of paradise" to preserve and protect our coastal resources from massive high-density development without requisite infrastructure.
I am appalled at the under-performing schools on the coast; I will push to enhance learning and improve standards to ensure the success of every child from our district.

As a passionate environmentalist who loves visiting California’s beaches with my family, I’ll stop the ill-conceived high-density housing push directed at our coastal cities and beaches that have steamrolled development projects like the San Pedro Mountain and Pedro Point Field projects into your peaceful little town.

Our beaches, parks and coastlines must be protected and a smarter approach to preserving our coastal resources for our children is essential. Additionally, I will stop any oil drilling off the San Mateo County coast. I support the dark sky initiative that will reduce light pollution and decrease energy consumption.

I will push for no development projects at the Half Moon Bay airport - we need it available for senior emergency services. I will push for an immediate report and remediation regarding leaded fuel levels of the HMB Airport surrounding area.

I will dedicate myself to raising the standard of public schools on the coast - to improve both test results and opportunities. The pandemic has greatly impacted learning. I will work to ensure the success of every child from our coastal district.

I will move to curtail crime on the Coast- especially by bad actors who use Hwy 1 for the purpose. I have a track record for crime reduction, dropping burglaries in my city by 50%, a historic reduction that was bigger than any other San Mateo or Santa Clara County city that year.

As a Saratoga councilmember, we preserved 65 acres of open spaces and protected wildlife on an abandoned quarry with the opening of the new Quarry Park (picture below), with beautiful recreational trails meeting the Pacific Ocean, I also stopped a 300-room hotel mega development project on a hillside in a high fire hazard zone, that would have severely disrupted our wildlife, trees, and neighborhoods.

As your Congressional Representative, I’ll always fight for coastal communities. I’ve met thousands of our coastal community neighbors and I will always champion your causes. I will be honored to have your vote on March 5th, 2024.

Help me fight for you and the coast - make your contribution here

Project Protect Paradise

Pacifica's Rockaway Quarry Project
Five years ago Pacifica’s Quarry development failed by a 68% vote.

But, the Pacifica city council is considering a reclamation plan for the Pacifica Quarry - a total of 86.2 acres - submitted by Bayland Soil Pacifica LLC. Public comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) closed on April 4th and may precede a housing development application. An approved quarry reclamation plan will allow the former quarry to be reclaimed as required by Title 9, Chapter 2 of the Pacifica Municipal Code.

Documents created by National Park Service and Caltrans have revealed the Rockaway Quarry may have been the site of a Native American village. See the explanation here.

Meeting with the coastal communities
What I learned at these meetings were that fire & emergency preparedness, as well as emergency communication, are two hot topics. I heard that insurance companies have canceled many homeowners' fire insurances in the area, given what happened at Paradise. That is a huge problem! In order to ensure that those who need Fire Insurance the most are protected, we must adopt a model similar to that of the CEA for Fire Insurance. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ought to provide fire-insurance directly to consumers. This way, we maximize coverage and provide certainty to California families. The California FAIR Plan will insure any property, though many property owners prefer a private market alternative due to coverage options and cost support. I support ASSEMBLY BILL 2167 and SENATE BILL 292. Assembly Bill (AB) 2167 would make it easier for insurers to write more insurance policies, but both AB 2167 and SB 292 have died on the floor. We need to push these bills to be signed into law and expand on what we achieve. As your congressman, I will push for a State of California Fire Insurance, just like the earthquake plan our state offers today. We also need to establish an emergency communication plan to bring in urgent help during landslides, earthquakes, fire etc. Our neighbors just cannot be left in the lurch.

PG&E Power Shutoffs
Public safety power shutoffs have become a PR nightmare for PG&E while creating a huge question mark and concerns for residents. The blackouts have impacted lives adversely while the economic impact is staggering! Our citizens are also asking ‘What gusty wind?’ Is this an example of a monopoly and crony capitalism? We grant PG&E a monopoly status at the cost of being governed by the people. I believe they can be governed better!

I am concerned with the investor-owned utilities' profit mandates, their continued under-investment in their electric grid, and their reliance on old fossil fuel plants. The answer is to go with the public utility model and municipalization. It is time for a massive public takeover so that we can prioritize citizen benefit over profit.

As the current councilmember of Saratoga, California, I have proposed the municipalization of San Jose Water Company, which supplies water to a million Silicon Valley residents covering the cities of San Jose, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Campbell. I have been pushing back on the numerous rate increase proposals of San Jose Water Company since January 2017 and we have already rejected, reduced, and suspended a total of 9 water rate increases.

PG&E’s failure to maintain their power lines, which contributes to the wildfires seen across the state, resulting in the power company’s decision to institute the blackouts. PG&E’s infrastructure has been deteriorating. The San Bruno explosion should have been a wake up call. The Paradise fire was a disaster. What is PG&E’s plan? Shifting the costs from utilities to communities in highly inequitable ways is not acceptable. They should develop a good maintenance plan by deploying some of the latest IOT monitoring systems in place. News reports of PG&E choosing to divert money from infrastructure initiatives to boost corporate profits and to pay executives even more is concerning to many. Sacramento quietly recertified PG&E as a "safe" company - despite officials making the utility company responsible for the wildfires. Even more egregious, California spent $9.6 million on private attorneys who wrote a law protecting PG&E’s profits. State records reveal the law firm had represented PG&E for years. As your congressman, I will always put the people first, protect you and ensure that our system works for you.

A comprehensive policy that encompasses improved living conditions, fair wages, workplace safety, worker education, healthcare and legal support
Rishi Kumar was at the “One Year Remembrance Anniversary” to commemorate the victims of the January 2023 Half Moon Bay shooting incident. “This was a tragedy that shook our community. And a tragedy that should NEVER occur again in our community. We have to continue addressing the challenges faced by farmworkers in Half Moon Bay and the county with a comprehensive policy that encompasses oversight, improved living conditions, fair wages, workplace safety, education, healthcare, and legal support.”

Safe and Affordable Housing: Accelerate and expand the development of safe, affordable housing for farmworkers and their families. This includes solicitation and the efficient utilization of public and private grant funding for the construction of new housing. The design should focus on sustainable and comfortable living spaces, ensuring access to basic amenities like insulation and clean running water.

Fair Wages: Implement strict enforcement of minimum wage laws, with regular audits of farm operations. Wages for farmworkers should be reviewed and adjusted to reflect the cost of living and labor intensity, and to end any form of exploitation.

Workplace Safety and Health Regulations: Strengthen the frequency and breadth of enforcement of workplace safety standards in collaboration with CAL/OSHA. The newly established San Mateo County’s Office of Labor Standard Enforcement should help. The high number of violations indicates a need for more rigorous monitoring, regular reporting to county supervisors and compliance with safety regulations. This includes regular inspections, worker safety training programs in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese, and strict penalties for violations. Availability of on-site mobile medical clinics and psychological counseling for workers should also be provided.

Legal Framework for Farmworker Immigration: Advocate for a robust legal framework at the federal level to address the specific needs of farmworker immigration. This includes pathways for legal employment and protection from exploitation and abuse. Availability of on-site mobile legal clinics for workers with basic legal issues will also help these workers to thrive in their new community.

County Task Force and Compliance: Continue funding the county’s task force initiative, which ensures that farms are in compliance with local and state housing regulations. This task force should also focus on broader issues such as labor rights and worker welfare.

Community Engagement and Support: Launch community programs to support the integration of farmworkers into the local community, offering access to healthcare, education, and legal assistance. There should be tutoring services in Spanish and Mandarin for students and English language training for both adults and children. These programs should aim to bring farmworkers out of the shadows and into the community as respected and valued members.

Agricultural Industry Support: While ensuring the rights and welfare of farmworkers, we must continue to support the growth of San Mateo County’s $100 million agricultural sector. This includes providing financial incentives for farms that demonstrate exemplary compliance with labor and safety standards. To ensure a thriving farming industry, we have to understand the challenges imposed by fruits and vegetables import.

Oversight, Public Awareness, and Advocacy: Launch public awareness campaigns to highlight the contributions of farmworkers to the local economy. Advocate for policy changes at higher government levels to support farmworker welfare and closely track the impact of these policies.”

Through these measures, Rishi seeks to create a sustainable and ethical agricultural economy in Half Moon Bay that respects and supports its workforce, while contributing to the overall health and prosperity of San Mateo County.”

Our Tech Economy
Democratic Candidate for the United States Congress CD-16 Rishi Kumar issued the following statement on his congressional agenda on the Silicon Valley innovation economy:

"I’m running for Congress because I’m tired of seeing career politicians who don’t understand Silicon Valley’s innovation economy. Serious quality of life issues such as the housing crunch and increasing traffic congestion are causing an exodus of Silicon Valley talent. As a valley high tech executive, I have the perspective of what it takes for Silicon Valley’s economy - the 19th largest in the world - to prosper."

"We must prepare the next generation to succeed in an autonomous world. We cannot fall behind with emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Silicon Valley must lead the world in technological innovation!"

"We need to seed Silicon Valley's innovation success to other parts of California and America, so that our working-class families share in the economic prosperity. As your next congressman, I will implement the "21 minutes to 21 counties" Mega Silicon Valley vision plan to address our tough challenges. I will host monthly roundtable with valley CEOs to ensure Silicon Valley's continued success. I will invest in education and mentoring of our youth, and launching Entrepreneurship Incubation Centers to nurture start-ups. I have already launched youth Lego Robotics and Entrepreneurship programs, and served on the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation panel for K-12."

"Restoring Net Neutrality is crucial to a sustainable Silicon Valley Innovation culture. Data privacy and online security is a growing American concern. I support efforts such as The California Consumer Privacy Act that went live Jan 1, 2020, and the EU's General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679. I strongly support the Internet Bill of Rights."

"I have the experience and knowledge to partner with our tech leaders to develop synergies for future success. I am prepared to champion the needs of Silicon Valley in Washington."

Antitrust Hearing, Flaunting Tech Illiteracy
Congress missed another opportunity to call out Big Tech. Due to their ineptness with tech, they allowed the executives to deflect from the real problems with ease.

In July 2020, Congress had a historic opportunity to have an educated discussion with the CEOs of the four biggest tech companies of America, Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook. As usual, an alarming number of Representatives rehashed out of touch questions, doing nothing more than reinforcing their illiteracy with technology.

When it comes to complex subject matter, members of Congress have repeatedly squandered the opportunity to address the core challenges. They rely upon aides who are equally unaware of the complexity of tech issues, and we see congressional leaders reading uncomfortably from papers that seemingly does not make sense or turns into fodder for late night laughter. The blind leading the blind? Yes, we can do better!

As a hi-tech executive, I am fully aware of how complicated even the most basic forms of technology can be. But I can’t say the same for many of our current members of Congress. Instead of asking these CEOs the right questions and requesting a corrective course, some members of Congress brought up irrelevant personal stories about their experiences which clearly demonstrates their bravado, but leaving them exposed.

Our economy clearly depends upon technology, as it establishes America in a position of global power and economic might. America deserves to be represented by those who are well-versed in the impacts of technology — it only becomes more complex every year. But only if our elected officials are technologically literate. Cybersecurity, Net Neutrality, a clean tech economy or green innovation, block chain innovation or even a new digital currency, hinges upon America’s success with tech.

Google’s search algorithm has come into question at this last hearing as it relates to partisan politics, but none of the members of Congress were able to articulate a legitimate argument on this point. Here’s what I would do differently. I would question Google’s CEO on the potential existence of a fact checking machine (AI/ML engines) that could evaluate search results. This way, fake news would not be able to spread and alter public perception. Conservatives could also feel assured knowing that they are not being actively restricted by a specific company.

Silicon Valley, the technological capital of the world, deserves to be represented by someone who gets tech. How much better would Silicon Valley be if their representative was just as well-versed in their technology? Don’t you think we deserve better? Do we have faith in these congressional leaders of today?

Vote for a Representative who will make you proud to live in Silicon Valley. Here is my plan to expand our innovation economy and address the Silicon’s Valley issues of today.

BROADBAND is the INFORMATION HIGHWAY of the 21st century
The Internet Economy
The national competitiveness of countries today is largely based on the knowledge economy which is heavily dependent on quick and easy access to information widely available on the information superhighway. Thus, in the “digital age”, access to the Internet is often a key determinant of educational and economic opportunities. The information economy has created unprecedented opportunities to create innovative and sustainable ways of working and living. Education, basic healthcare, entertainment and even various government services can be more efficiently and equitably delivered through the network.

The Internet has thus spawned rich and growing economic opportunities with collaboration across nations, cultures and time zones to deliver innovative education, entertainment, healthcare that has transformed the global economy. It has created open markets, boosted global productivity, generated employment and improved global living standards.

Tragically, this open access for growth and development is denied to large swathes of the population by what is popularly known as the “digital divide”. Digital divide or the lack of equitable access to the Internet is most pronounced for lower income families, single‐parent households, seniors, rural, native populations, and people with physical or mental challenges. These populations often do not have equitable access to either the Internet or the devices that connect to the Internet or lack the skills to effectively utilize the applications or knowledge that is widely available. Therefore, the digital economy has created a new underclass comprising people that already face many obstacles and the gap is growing rapidly. The present pandemic with its changing nature of economic activities has severely restricted the economic opportunities for this population.

Challenges for The United States
While the United States has always been a leader in the innovation of internet technologies, it lags in providing universal access to broadband services to large parts of the population i.e. there exist a very serious “digital divide” that denies access to global opportunities to many parts of the population.

Internet access in The USA is provided by a category of telecom carrier called Internet Service Providers or ISP. There is a high cost of entry for a new service provider resulting in dominance by oligopolies. The investment required for widespread deployment of broadband infrastructure is capital intensive and risky proposition in a rapidly changing technological environment that has evolved from telephone lines to ISDN, cable, DSL, fiber optics to the newest broadband wireless access technologies, in a relatively short span of time. The uncertainty, oligopoly nature of the business resulting in reduced competition, has resulted in the US lagging many developed (and developing) nations in long term planning and investment in the internet infrastructure. These lagging indicators are even more evident in rural, remote and opportunity (and economically) challenged areas of the country. An oligopoly has low incentive to invest in the infrastructure of these communities.

The “digital divide” has been severely exposed by the global pandemic - lack of broadband internet has restricted access to education, economic opportunities, healthcare and government services for the population on the “wrong side of the digital divide”.

A Public Policy for Universal Access
In a globalized competitive marketplace, the United States can ill afford to remain a laggard in broadband access. The need of the hour is to build a national infrastructure for the 21st century economy that provides fast and easy access to information to compete effectively for opportunities in the global marketplace. Broadband access is no longer a luxury but a necessity for education, healthcare, entertainment and economic opportunities in a competitive global market.

Rishi Kumar wants to make broadband services universally available to all citizens of the United States. While upfront capital expenditure is significant for short term focussed private enterprises, it is significantly lower than what has been made for the public utilities like electricity and water that have universal reach. In addition, Internet technologies evolve relatively rapidly (“years not decades”) and proactive investments are required to stay globally competitive. These dynamics are not conducive for private investment that are focused on short term profits. The internet is the “information superhighway” of the 21st century and America cannot afford to fail its population in making this advantage available to every American.

Rishi Kumar believes public investment in broadband for universal access will result in significantly higher returns for the nation as a whole by opening up new economic opportunities for our people - by bridging the digital divide. The basic broadband service must not only be universal and affordable but it must be robust enough to support social and economic applications essential to all communities thriving. This should not only benefit the urban areas but also the underserved rural areas including providing access to education, healthcare and government services. There exists as yet untapped innovation opportunities in farm and rural sectors with emerging IoT technologies that are presently held back by absence of universal broadband in rural areas.

Rishi Kumar believes public investment in universal broadband, delivered in the model of a public service utility, will open up unprecedented opportunities and provide exceptional RoI. Rishi intends to make broadband internet available to every American irrespective of their location or economic status. Broadband services must be universal and as easily available as electricity and water to every American everywhere. To that end, I propose building the Information Superhighway in the model of the very successful Interstate Highway system in the United States.. That model is in fact, widely used in buildout of internet infrastructure in many countries with great success.

Implementing the Plan
I propose a publicly funded build out of a national fiber optic infrastructure that will make fiber access accessible and affordable to every American in every home, school and business. The infrastructure will be leased to multiple service providers (public or private) who can offer customized and localised services tuned to the specific needs of the demography and opportunities. Multiple providers will provide a rich mix of applications over this shared public infrastructure opening up vistas for incredible innovation and expanding economic opportunities. Eventually the infrastructure would be turned over to each state to manage. I believe that the investment will be rapidly recouped by the increased innovation and economic opportunities - positioning America as a world superpower for decades. It will also bridge the “digital divide” and provide unprecedented educational and economic opportunities for the historically disadvantaged population. Internet will be as easily accessible and available 24x7, just like electricity and water.

Establishing Innovation Hubs
Silicon Valley is pivotal to the success of both California and the country as a whole due to its role as a global hub for innovation and technology. However, we are now dealing with sustainability challenges and an exodus of workers and companies. Addressing these issues is vital if we’re to ensure long-term environmental health and resource availability, crucial for maintaining Silicon Valley's position as a leader in global technology and innovation.

The federal land at the USGS Menlo Park campus and Moffett Field provides opportunities to help us strengthen the economies of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Making judicious use of these sites will create new jobs and secure the sustainability of our innovation economy.

With respect to Moffett Field, we must account for the long-term effects of climate change. This means developing a plan to mitigate the effects of rising sea levels, such as allocating acreage to open space. Beyond this, we should dedicate some portion of the land to affordable housing for teachers, fire fighters, and police officers. These workers provide essential services, and they are the backbone of our economy. Ideally, we would fund this through a public-private partnership. Tech companies have an important role to play here, since they have long benefited from Silicon Valley’s ecosystem and will also benefit enormously from an investment in affordable housing.

I strongly support the development of initiatives at these sites like the planned Berkeley Space R&D Center and launching Innovation Centers of Excellence. These centers focus on cutting-edge research in areas such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, transportation, climate and biotech that promote both startup and innovation culture. Partnering students with world-class academics and successful entrepreneurs in this way will provide the intellectual seeding that can drive Silicon Valley forward into the next decade and beyond. The idea is to develop a center to nurture and train young innovators, a strategy that has not traditionally been a focus in Silicon Valley.

Establishing such Innovation Centers of Excellence with incentives for startups will attract jobs and innovators from across the United States. This critical investment in our long-term future will ensure the sustainability and growth Silicon Valley needs to continue to be the undisputed global leader in technology and innovation.

Section 230
Section 230 is outdated and Big Tech should no longer be allowed to hide behind Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Corporations can be both profitable and good global citizens. Strategically removing the liability protections of Section 230 will compel platforms to take content moderation more seriously and do more to protect their end users from illegal activities and disinformation. In addition, we should introduce provisions that hold platforms accountable for proprietary algorithms that promote or amplify harmful content. This is not about 'big government' regulating technology; rather, it's about Congress rolling back some of the legal protections it granted in the 1990s. We must work together to foster a safer and more positive online world that incentivizes responsible behavior and protects the public.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a full committee hearing on January 31, 2024, featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), its ranking member, called for reforming Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which lets platforms largely avoid liability for content that users post online. The committee has unanimously endorsed several measures that could dramatically alter the act.

As a tech executive, I have the experience necessary to develop policies that will protect our privacy while addressing the enormous issues raised by online platforms.

It’s no secret that social media platforms have dramatically impacted the mental health of our youth. In Washington, I’ll push for the implementation of measures proven to mitigate that harm. This includes ’take-a-break’ features built into applications themselves and the active regulation of algorithms to ensure that they don’t promote or amplify harmful content.

Details
Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act protects online platforms from liability due to third-party content. That is, if someone posts something harmful or purposefully incorrect on an online platform such as Facebook or TikTok, the platform cannot be held liable for any harm the post might cause. As a result, platforms have little financial incentive to engage in robust content moderation or to alter their algorithms to minimize the “siloing” that often leads users—especially teens—to dangerous or simply one-sided content.

Rolling back the protective cover of Section 230 is a necessary first step. Developing a new framework that preserves the dynamism of tech innovation while also putting sensible guardrails in place is a complex task that requires us to balance free speech and consumer protections. We must incentivize innovation, but there must also be accountability. Here are some potential approaches to reform:

Clarify the Scope of Immunity: Amend Section 230 to define the precise types of content for which platforms can be sued. This might involve specifying categories of content that are not protected by free speech, such as child endangerment or fraud.
Accountability for Algorithms: Introduce provisions that hold platforms accountable for the algorithms they employ. Those that promote or amplify harmful content would have to be altered. This would encourage platforms to develop more responsible content moderation practices.
Transparency Requirements: Mandate greater transparency from platforms regarding their content moderation policies and decisions. This could involve regular reporting on content removals, demonetization, and account suspensions.
Exception for Civil Rights Violations: Create exceptions to Section 230 protections in cases of proven civil rights violations, making platforms more accountable for content that leads to real-world harm.
Platform Size and Capacity: Tailor the level of immunity based on the size and capacity of the platform. Smaller platforms might receive more protection to encourage innovation and competition, while larger platforms with more resources might have more responsibility.
User Empowerment: Implement measures to engage users in content moderation. This might involve allowing users to have more control over the content they see or providing more options to dispute moderation decisions.
Legal Incentives for Responsible Moderation: Create legal incentives for platforms to moderate content, such as granting regulatory “safe harbors” for platforms that adhere to best practices in content moderation.
Regular Review and Adaptation: Ensure that the legislation includes provisions for regular review and adaptation, acknowledging the rapidly evolving nature of digital technology and social media.

It’s crucial to approach any reform of Section 230 in a thoughtful manner. At stake are critical issues of free speech, the role of tech companies in public discourse, and the fight against online harm. Any reforms would need to consider very carefully the potential consequences for both internet users and platforms.

Net Neutrality
I believe that all internet traffic should be treated in an equitable manner without penalizing or prioritizing traffic from any specific domain name, service provider or publisher. Thus, I spoke against the FCC repeal of Net Neutrality when it was first announced. Just like free speech, Net Neutrality allows our world to express and have an equal opportunity voice online. Restoring Net Neutrality is the core foundation for sustainable Silicon Valley innovation culture and our startup economy. Internet billing would become more complex if providers were allowed to charge for vital services, like online banking or entertainment. We have to have a level playing field for upstarts to challenge the status quo, and Net Neutrality is a key enabler of that. The very future of startup innovation is contingent upon the protection of Net Neutrality.

As the bedrock for the Silicon Valley innovation culture and it’s continued economic success, the restoration of Net Neutrality is crucial in today's day and age. Fair and equitable network rates will lift up startups and small businesses that challenge the status quo for the better, and I will work to protect them in Congress.

Data Privacy
In 2018 alone, accumulated worldwide data grew to over 44 trillion gigabytes, and became a $42 billion industry.* With the Big Data industry growing faster than ever, privacy concerns are growing just as fast, and rightfully so.

The privacy of data and online security is also a growing American concern. I support efforts such as The California Consumer Privacy Act that went live on Jan 1, 2020. I support laws such as The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union. I strongly support the Internet Bill of Rights that includes greater transparency along with opt-in for data collection practices and timely notification if a company holding personal data suffers a hack. We should also consider reforming The Communications Decency Act Section 230 and ensure that social media tools present data with responsibility and are often aided by AI/ML engines to ensure the integrity of information.

Just recently, Congress renewed the Patriot Act to continue its warrantless data collection of the American public. I support the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 reform to outline a consumer’s entitlement to transparency and timely notification of data collection.

Our government should be helping us quell infringements and breaches of our trust. Innovation and growing efficiency within the internet age should not be a trade off for losing our privacy.

Simplifying America’s Tax System
America’s tax system needs a do over. Our tax code is complicated and filled with a plethora of deductions and exclusions. The stress level goes up during tax season and many rely on an accountant or a financial team to file their taxes. In surveys about what people find cumbersome about taxes, many find issues with the complexity of the system, rather than having to pay what they owe.

Government is meant to work for the people right? Unlike many other countries, we make people administer their own benefits through the tax code.

We can simplify the filling process.

Several countries utilize a return-free system for taxpayers. For example, in Sweden, you can see your tax forms already filled in and approve them on your cell phone Wow! Isn’t that a strange concept? Citizens have the power to review their tax statement and agree or request an amendment.

Can America’s IRS make the process simple too?

During the pandemic EIDL and PPP loan application and disbursement process for businesses, I was appalled to see the complexity of paperwork and the middlemen involved. All the data is already available with the IRS, so why not simplify it, make the calculation on behalf of the business, and allow them to accept or reject the disbursement.

This problem is right up Silicon Valley’s alley. We can fix it once and for all and free Americans from the burden of a painful process.

California’s Solar Industry needs support from CPUC
California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) is failing Californians by gutting the state’s solar program. The big utilities — Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sempra Energy — are pushing the policy change. Clearly, the utilities — and their unions — see the growth of personal solar systems as a potential threat to their financial future.

Rishi is against CPUC’s attempt to kill off much of the rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) industry in California. Rishi is against CPUC’s move to slash solar incentives for customers of investor-owned utilities. CPUC is working for these utility companies when they are facilitating a back-door effort to get middle- and working-class homeowners to pay the damage costs of explosions, blowouts and fire damage caused by the utilities themselves.

NEM 3.0 is a controversial proposal from the CPUC that would introduce some massive changes to net metering for solar customers of the three major electric utilities in the state.

The credit for energy that residential solar owners put back into the grid would be slashed to a wholesale rate of about $0.04 per kWh. On top of slashing net metering rates, the NEM 3.0 proposal adds a new fixed monthly charge for solar owners of $8 per kW installed on their roof. It means that someone with a 10 kW system has to pay $80 per month to their electric utility just to stay connected to the grid and send back electricity at a new lower rate.

The new proposal, which is currently being reviewed by CPUC, has been slammed by solar companies and environmental groups for discouraging a shift to residential solar, while the three major electric utilities – – have voiced their support for the proposal. Naturally!

Sign this petition and have your say.

Artificial Intelligence
Executive Summary
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful and pervasive technology with the potential to reshape the way we work and live. Recognizing the far-reaching impact of AI, governments around the world are increasingly considering regulatory frameworks to govern its development, deployment, and use. This paper provides a concise overview of the opportunities presented by AI (especially within Silicon Valley) and proposes regulatory guardrails for its development and implementation.

AI Opportunities
AI has already begun to revolutionize the way we live and work. In healthcare, it promises to enhance diagnostics and personalize patient care. It will help us to combat climate change by optimizing energy use, accelerate the development of renewable energy sources, and enhance environmental monitoring and protection. In education, AI can tailor curricula to individual needs, provide effective virtual tutoring, and even automate much of the time-consuming work teachers now devote to grading. In transportation, AI can also optimize traffic flow and design safer air traffic systems. In the sciences, AI allows teams to analyze massive data sets in little time, speeding the pace of discovery.

AI and the Silicon Valley Economy
In Silicon Valley, the development of increasingly sophisticated AI automation frameworks will soon drive our economy. Like semiconductors and the Internet, AI promises to create tremendous economic opportunities for our region. The stakes are high: Goldman Sachs estimates that generative AI alone will add $7 trillion to global GDP over the next decade. We cannot afford to let other regions and nations take the lead from us on AI development. Our economic future depends upon maintaining our role as the primary engine for AI development.

The Need for Guardrails
The raw power of AI means that we cannot develop and implement it without effective guardrails. AI must reflect our social values. We must establish firm guidelines, for example, to ensure that we collect source data in an ethical manner and that AI frameworks do not exacerbate existing forms of discrimination. Guardrails are also necessary if AI frameworks are to be sufficiently safe, robust, and resilient to mitigate risks to public safety. Finally, we must ensure that we define clear guidelines for the responsible collection, storage, and use of personal data in AI applications.

Recommendations for Guardrails
The dynamic nature of AI development makes it difficult for regulators to keep pace with emerging technologies. For this reason, we must adopt flexible regulatory frameworks that accommodate innovation while addressing potential risks, such as the monopolization of AI development and access by a handful of large corporations. These guardrails must also be globally standardized to avoid fragmentation and ensure consistency. Striking a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring responsible AI use is a delicate task. Regulations must encourage technological progress while addressing the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI.

Conclusion
Government regulation of AI reflects a growing recognition of the need to balance innovation with ethical considerations and societal well-being. Striking the right regulatory balance is essential to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating potential risks. This is of particular importance in Silicon Valley, given that our future economic growth depends on maintaining our leadership role with respect to AI. In the end, governments, working with industry stakeholders and the public, play a pivotal role in shaping a responsible and sustainable future for AI development and deployment.

Stop San Jose Water Co.
Rishi’s success pushing back
Rishi Kumar was very concerned to find San Jose Water Company’s (SJWC) profit balloon in a drought year, from a baseline of $22M to $52M - see the table below - based on surcharges, while citizens conserved water. The water bills had skyrocketed. Later, Rishi’s frustration grew when San Jose Water filed for another surcharge due to “undercollection” as their customers had conserved water in a drought. Many such citizen complaints turned Rishi into a water activist. So far, Rishi has led efforts to either reject, reduce or suspend 9 San Jose Water rate increase proposals.

Rishi’s engagement with SJWC’s water rate hike issue began in August 2016 with hosting a community meeting between citizens, San Jose Water Company and Santa Clara Valley Water District, when a spike in water bill was first observed. Rishi’s modus operandi to push back SJWC’s rate increases was soon established; file protests directed at the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) - the decision making authority - for every rate increase proposal that was presented. A water information page (www.RishiKumar.com/water) was established for this explicit purpose. A simple protest framework had been established - a winning formula - that was replicated again and again, A mobile app was rolled out in the Apple and Android platform to make protests easier, sending thousands of protest letters to CPUC and Office of Rate Payers Advocate (ORA). Here is the story so far.

CPUC’s W5228 Resolution denied in part AL 548-W
CPUC rejected AL 534
CPUC rejected AL 532
CPUC issued an Order Instituting Investigation (OII) of the merger of SJWC with Connecticut Water. July 2018
A.17.04-001 ROE filing SJWC was approved at 8.3% instead of the 10.8% ROE requested by San Jose Water Company
CPUC investigates San Jose Water's billing practices (9/2018). Thanks to W Rates for leading charge in this effort
AL 512 ($11.47M recovery) was withdrawn by SJWC - no reason stated. This had been earlier suspended by CPUC
AL 510 was rejected
AL 501 (3.65%) was rejected by CPUC.
The drought mandate was effectively removed by the Santa Clara Valley Water district board (January 2017). San Jose Water had to remove the drought surcharges soon aft

How can we send our protests to CPUC?
With the growing population of Silicon Valley, availability of water has become a source of concern. Communities of Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Campbell and San Jose are experiencing significant angst due to the increasing water bills first created during the drought years (2013-2016) with surcharges (penalties) in place. Below are the mechanics of the push back against San Jose Water Company's rate increases that Rishi has led, collaborating with some of the other elected leaders. For the news coverage, click here.

Join the Water Oversight Committee

1 Join the Water Oversight Committee. We need your help.

2 Subscribe to the Water Oversight Committee emails and stay connected with the latest.

Send Your Protest Emails to CPUC:

Option A: Download the app

Send your Protest Emails in less than a minute. Push a button and protest.

Apple iOS Phones

1. Go to App Store and Search for Silicon Valley Water

2. Download and Open

3. Fill the form with your info and hit “Click to send email"

4. Review the email and send. The email is delivered to CPUC

Option B: Copy, Paste and send your email

Click here for easy copy&paste text and send this email now!

Veterans
My Five-Point Plan As a candidate for US Congress, I have a five-point plan to increase health access and other benefits for our military veterans:

1. Enhanced Healthcare Access

Expand VA healthcare facilities and services, ensuring easy access for all veterans, including those in rural areas.
Implement telehealth services for veterans, facilitating remote consultations and treatments.
Prioritize mental health services, offering counseling, therapy, and support groups for PTSD and other service-related mental health issues.

2. Education and Employment Assistance

Strengthen the GI Bill, providing broader educational opportunities and covering more educational expenses.
Develop targeted employment programs, including job training and placement services, specifically designed for veterans' skills and experiences.
Foster partnerships with the private sector to create more job opportunities for veterans.

3. Housing and Homelessness Prevention

Increase funding for veteran-specific housing programs, focusing on affordable housing solutions.
Implement robust support systems for homeless veterans, including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and long-term assistance.
Provide financial assistance and counseling to prevent homelessness among veterans.

4. Family and Community Support

Offer counseling and support services for veterans’ family members, acknowledging their sacrifices and needs.
Encourage community involvement programs that integrate veterans into community activities and networks.
Establish recognition programs to honor the service of veterans and increase public awareness of their contributions.

5. Policy Implementation and Oversight

Create a standing committee to oversee the implementation of these initiatives, ensuring effectiveness and efficiency.
Regularly review and update policies based on veterans' evolving needs and feedback.
Guarantee transparency and accountability in all programs and services provided to veterans.
This policy is committed to honoring the sacrifice of our veterans by providing them with the support and resources they need to return to civilian life, ensure their health, promote their well-being, and guarantee their dignity.

As your member of Congress, I will do everything I can to ensure that our veterans receive the care and support they need!

Gun Reform
Rishi wants to stop the meaningless deaths
It's not mental illness or broken families - America has a huge problem and it's senseless deaths, little children dying and it's shattering communities nationwide. And it is like Groundhog Day!

Thoughts and prayers aren't enough, they never were. It's time to take action and pass commonsense gun reform. With overall rates of violence increasing across the country, increased measures must be taken. There are more firearms than citizens of the United States. Nearly every European country and ally of the US has both lower rates of gun violence and stricter laws. It is essential to the safety of our country, NOW! I will push for the following:

Universal Background Checks: A check for all gun sales and transfers, including private transactions and sales at gun shows, to prevent firearms from being sold to individuals who are legally prohibited from owning them, such as felons or those with a history of domestic violence. Assault Weapons Ban: We have to reinstate the ban on assault weapons, which was in effect from 1994 to 2004. This would include prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines that hold more than a certain number of rounds, aiming to reduce the lethality of mass shootings. Red Flag Laws: Also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), these laws allow family members or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. The goal is to prevent tragedies before they occur by intervening when warning signs of violence are present. We need a way out of this madness. It is time we stopped the sale of assault weapons in the United States.

It is a bipartisan effort - we should come together as elected leaders to decrease the violence at home.

Rishi's Agenda
Rishi's political agenda has always been to find real solutions for your tough challenges - not half-baked, ill-conceived political posturing. Unenforceable laws with little relevance beyond the buried archives they are contained within do not just signify political grandstanding, but political failure.

Clean money is Rishi’s driving agenda: Rishi will NEVER accept money from Pharma,the NRA, or any other gun systems manufacturer. On the city council, he has always rejected money from real-estate developers. Rishi’s intention is meaningful problem-solving and never about “activity for the sake of activity” - a mantra which he has repeated numerous times when analyzing policies and outcomes at city council meetings.

Universal Background Checks: This involves requiring a background check for all gun sales and transfers, including private transactions and sales at gun shows, to prevent firearms from being sold to individuals who are legally prohibited from owning them, such as felons or those with a history of domestic violence.

Assault Weapons Ban: We have to reinstate the ban on assault weapons, which was in effect from 1994 to 2004. Let's prohibit the sale, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to reduce the lethality of mass shootings.

Red Flag Laws: Also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), these laws allow family members or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. The goal is to prevent tragedies before they occur by intervening when warning signs of violence are present.

Rishi is a Pacifist
Rishi is a pacifist who regularly visits Buddhist monasteries, advocates for veganism, and believes in peaceful coexistence, always willing to fight for peace. When Foster City was culling wild geese, he was the first elected leader to speak up against it - “It is inhumane and I protest vehemently against the geese cull. Seriously - the city is going to break their neck? This is not a solution or an option in this day and age. I am against goose cruelty and for peaceful coexistence with wildlife”.

Women in the Workplace

I get things done! I pushed for California Prop. 1 (2022) and in Congress, I will push to legislate Roe vs. Wade once and for all!
I will enforce the right to equal pay across all industries
I was among the first to demand the recall of Judge Persky for the light sentence of a sexual assault case. Voters overwhelmingly supported the recall.
I'll define Silicon Valley's corporate culture and end the 'bro' culture to ensure women have equal rights. This wasn't Eshoo's agenda for decades.

Today, women still earn just 82 cents to every dollar a man makes. America is currently ranked 49th in the world in terms of gender equality. We’re also the only industrialized country without paid family leave.

Yes - we can do better! My policy paper on this topic is here

Strong, intelligent, vibrant and empowered women have a huge hand in supporting me.

My wife, Seema does the political tango with me, my partner in this journey and inspires me every day with her wisdom, her spirit, and her accomplishments, both as a Senior Director of Product Marketing for a global tech company, and as a scholar, who earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University. Without her love and support, I would not be able to take on the difficult challenge of running for any office, let alone United States Congress or in succeeding with my community objectives. Her leadership and innovation during this run, are a source of huge strength and a differentiator for our campaign team.

As a feminist, I empower ALL women and girls in our society, and I will help ensure that all women have the ability to reach their potential without facing discriminatory attitudes, laws or socio-economic structures. In Congress, I will work to break the glass ceiling — I will fight to close the wage and promotion gap, fight for better opportunities in STEM for women, and fight to ensure that women universally get paid maternity leave.

Protecting Sexual Assault Victims: We need to make sure that our government stands up strong for the rights of sexual assault victims, and I support all necessary steps to curbing sexual assault. I was one of the first people to call for the recall of Judge Aaron Persky, whose awful verdict allowed rapist Brock Turner to get away with the heinous assault he committed with a light sentence.

women

Seniors and Youth
I bring a track record of fighting for the right policies when it comes to senior healthcare:

I am committed to negotiating and reducing all Medicare drug prices
I will expand Medicare to include vision & dental and reduce your healthcare paperwork
I'll end the financial exploitation and misdiagnosis of seniors. I’ll stop the privatization of Medicare and protect seniors from Wall Street profiteers. Explanation at RishiKumar.com/medicare
I will advocate for benefits for those caring for a senior parent

Senior Citizens & Ageism in the Workforce
Unlike my opponent, I will not support the privatization of Medicare via ACO REACH that jeopardizes senior-healthcare, putting them at the mercy of Wall Street decision makers, and increasing their cost. Unlike my opponent, I support patent reform measures that would curtail patent monopolies allowing less expensive alternatives to be sold and reducing the price of your healthcare.

Find my senior policy statement here. As a city councilmember, I voted in favor of Saratoga’s designation as an “Age Friendly City.” I raised much needed for the Saratoga Senior Center by launching a Saratoga’s got Talent Annual competition, that brought the youth together to help our seniors. I will continue to support our seniors in Congress. I will adopt a long-term-care policy to address the largest unfunded need of the Baby Boom Generation as they age. I will roll out federal policies and programs through the lens of combating against ageism to prevent age-based discrimination in the workplace. I will support updating the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow benefits to help those caring for an older relative.

Youth Empowerment
Find my education policy here. Youth empowerment is one of my top priorities. I have faith in our youth and have led strong efforts to empower the next generation. It’s important to give the bright young minds of today a steady platform to explore new opportunities and find their voices.

My policy agenda for the youth includes protecting them from the negative effects of social media, preserving their privacy and, as part of the accountability, evaluate Section 230 that protects platforms from lawsuits related to third-party content. Today, the social media platforms have become a mental health issue for teenagers. I will push for features within these applications that include ’take-a-break’ or conduct research on the ways teenagers interact or get influenced with the social media platforms and even asking for access to algorithms, and the negative impact of such algorithms that expose our teenagers to the wrong kind of influence. More eyeballs, more dollars - does not ensure the physical and emotional health of teenagers.

I launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, training, educating and empowering thousands of disadvantaged students. We were able to implement this pathway to empowerment and learning through STEM in many low-income areas of San Jose. I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming. As a member of the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative, we rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California, to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in many disadvantaged communities.

As your Congressman, I will work to make education available for the masses - especially for our youth from disadvantaged communities. I support the expansion of early childhood education programs to give the best possible start to all children. My education plan includes vocational programs and innovation centers of excellence funded by the public sector.

My summer internship program for students is in its 6th year and has already empowered hundreds of Bay Area students. Our program allows students to dive deeper into the realm of politics and explore fulfilling community work, while discovering a path for leadership.

As your congressman, I will go beyond surface-level photo ops and enact real change for our youth. I will push efforts across the nation to empower the next generation. Youth across America should discover a dynamic path to success via real opportunities.

Education & STEM
See my views on affirmative action and educational disparity here.

As an immigrant and an engineer, I understand the value of education as the fundamental component of American success. Yet, education in the United States lags behind many countries of the world. Despite bold ambitions and a whopping 1.4 trillion dollars in taxpayer funding over four decades, the Department of Education has struggled to produce veritable improvements in America’s K-12 systems. At a time when schools have become partisan battlegrounds and inequalities persist, we need to develop a better approach. California’s public school education ranking today is 41 out of the 50 states.

We need a focused approach to bolster our educational offering - the very future of America’s competitiveness in the global world is at stake. We need to enhance our education system to teach our students everything they need to find a place in the local economy, to help bridge the income inequality with economic opportunities, while shirking a divisive curriculum. America needs to define a future where we come together as one - teaming and winning! America also needs an educational plan in a Covid-19 world - or any other future pandemic - to keep our schools open, functional and educating our children, while obviating any health challenges. We also need to push for a Broadband Expansion to ensure that no child is left behind – the new 4 r’s being Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Routers. Sociologists have pointed out that academic achievements correlate to stable family structures. Instilling strong emphasis on family values. And we need to educate the family as a whole, not just the students.

Education is the opportunity to bridge the income inequality gap and address the root cause of some of our woes of today. 46% of Americans believe that K-12 STEM Education in the US is below average. We have to fix that after all Silicon Valley is the innovation capital of the world with plentiful jobs available for the right type of talent.

Educational programs have been a cornerstone to my work in the community: I launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, training, educating and empowering thousands of disadvantaged students. By teaming up with San Jose's Mayor Sam Liccardo, we were able to implement this pathway to empowerment and learning through STEM in many disadvantaged areas of San Jose. I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming.

I was honored to be nominated to the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative. We rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California. This program is set to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in many disadvantaged communities.

As your Congressman, I will work to make education available for the masses - especially for our youth from disadvantaged communities. I support the expansion of early childhood education programs to give the best possible start to all children. I will continue promoting STEM and entrepreneurship education opportunities for our youth. I will work to expand vocational, career & technical education, while making public colleges much more affordable, considering every option to make college education free and accessible.

I will propose programs that will provide an opportunity for our high school graduates to be productive in the American workforce to address the needs of our local economy. I will launch Silicon Valley Innovation Centers of Excellence focused on the latest technological innovation, that will provide a platform for Silicon Valley youth to collaborate, and effectively create an ecosystem of industry experts, professors, teachers and students. Additionally, I am committed to ensuring that all schools receive the necessary funding for special education, and I am in favor of increasing federal funding for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.

Stop the Wars
America’s defense spending is greater than the next 10 countries combined. We should cut our bloated defense budget, not increase. The new wars are going to be an economic warfare, biowarfare, bioterrorism. America needs to be prepared! Our defense strategy has to evolve, focused upon protecting America and not upon regime change wars. We need to actively pull back from bases all over the world, develop a pandemic preparedness plan and be ready for the economic warfare of the future; protect ourselves from bioterrorism and biowarfare.

Here is Rishi's stand on the Russian-Ukraine situation.

A contrast of two Democrats, Rishi Kumar and Rep. Anna Eshoo
Anna Eshoo Rep. Anna Eshoo has supported the following U.S wars.

Libya (2011)
Afghanistan (2003)
War on Terror (2001)
Balkan Wars
Somalia (1995)

$6.3Trillion have gone towards war since 2000. These dollars would be better spent at home and to prioritize the needs of our country. Our failed foreign policy must end and we must get our brothers and sisters out of harm’s way by withdrawing America from ongoing conflicts.

Uptick in Military: Rep. Anna Eshoo voted YES for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. Spend: President Trump has deployed 15,000 U.S Troops into the Middle East over the last 8 month. Congress just approved a $738 billion military budget, a $22 billion increase over last year. That is a whopping $130 billion increase in the last 3 years. Is this spending justified? Yes, Rep. Anna Eshoo supported this budget increase. Did you know 40 House Democrats voted NO?

Rishi Kumar
Not All Democrats are the same. As your congressman...

I will NOT support regime change wars. Bringing America to the brink of war is not necessary considering the challenges we face here throughout America's communities. That’s why it’s so important , now more than ever, for our country that we stand together for peace now.
I will seek to limit the Presidential use of force without congressional approval.
I would not support increases in the military budget when we have crucial domestic challenges that need to be addressed.
I will maintain a stance of keeping Americans safe, out of war, and putting the money to work in America.
I will vote to block any federal funding for military action taken for wars without congressional approval.

NOTE: I do commend Rep. Eshoo for not supporting the war with Iraq and intervention in Yemen and Syria

There is no victory in endless war and I will do my utmost.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Congress-has-been-missing-in-action-on-war-and-15021774.php

Term & Age Limits

Rishi favors term limits in Congress and the United States Supreme Court
Our California State Legislature provides reasonable term limits in both houses that allow for a representative to gain experience over time but not stay long enough to become stagnant. We should do the same in the United States Congress.

COVID-19 is an unprecedented pandemic that threatens modern American society, and without new energy and new leadership, we will fail to break from the tight grip special interests have on our government. This was a topic of discussion at my recent policy discussion with Rep. Eshoo at the League of Women Voters Candidates Forum. Watch the video here.

While the COVID-19 crisis may be recent, we have had the means to lessen its impact for years. Americans have been crying out for solutions to healthcare, the economy, unemployment, healthcare, traffic, housing and homelessness. Too many of our elected officials today are career politicians who have grown out of touch with the lives of their constituents. Their desire to serve the people has turned into a comfort with partisan politics.

Did you know that Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is in her 30th year in office? In 30 years, she has rolled out only 4 policy bills that became law. Two bills renamed a post office and federal building. Another redesignated a month as National Scleroderma Awareness Month and the 4th modified provisions to determine payments at children’s hospital. Not good!

Our California State Legislature provides reasonable term limits in both houses that allow for a representative to gain experience over time but not stay long enough to become stagnant. We should do the same in the United States Congress. Term limits will alleviate corruption by ensuring political turnover. It will bring a new energy and new leadership to Washington interested and invested to get things done. That is why I proposed a lifetime term limit - two terms - for our city council.

See https://www.termlimits.com/rishi-kumar-pledges-to-support-term-limits-on-congress/.

I bring a new vision for Silicon Valley and solutions to our challenges. I have a proven track record of working hard for the people of Silicon Valley, as a tech executive, as an engineer, as an elected leader, as a community organizer/volunteer, and as an activist. I am keenly interested to solve problems with a pragmatic, results-driven approach.

Rep. Eshoo was elected before the Internet. Since then, there have been incredible transformations that have happened right here in the Valley. How is the economy going to handle the automation with AI/ML? What about the pandemic – how is America going to handle the stress over the next few years imposed upon every dimension? How about getting America pandemic prepared with healthcare technology such as telemedicine, health analytics, EMR systems? We need energetic in-tune leaders who can tackle the problems Americans face today. We need regular Americans with real world experience — people who care about their communities.

My campaign is a grassroots campaign fueled by everyday people within our district. So, when the COVID-19 crisis hit, I decided to suspend my campaign and focus on helping our neighbors. We called 86,000 seniors helping them stay quarantined by helping them with groceries and medications. We launched the Neighborhood Pandemic Preparedness Team which identified neighborhood leaders and ensured that volunteer help was easily accessible to all. Hundreds of our volunteers helped thousands of neighbors.

In 1998, Rep. Eshoo’s campaign video claimed she would challenge the “sacred cows of Washington.” 30 years later, she has all but become one. She has failed to create lasting change, failed to stand up to the establishment, and failed to codify the pandemic plan that she claimed to have been working on for 15 years.

America is at an inflection point, and with the right choices, we can set our country back on track. I will never accept money from corrupt special interest groups to ensure I will represent your interests, not special interests. I am ready to serve you with integrity.

I would be honored to have your vote.

Watch the video of the recent candidate's forum here.

Voting questions? Visit RishiKumar.com/vote

Immigration
President Biden’s reelection is in peril due to the immigration crisis. Nationally we see major ironclad Democratic cities like Chicago and New York saying enough is enough. We need a legal immigration framework that is transparent. I came to this country as an Immigrant - student visa with 2 suitcases and I found my way through graduate school following a legal process. I am proud to call Saratoga a home today and believe Immigrants have been a strong asset to this country. But we can’t have an unregulated border. We do things legally and we should not be promoting anything illegal at all. It’s the White House imperative on hand and we need to have it fixed yesterday. The Senate much hyped $118 billion border bill, dead on arrival in the House. The border is a flashpoint in the 2024 presidential race and reelection hinges upon a fix. Nothing's imminent though...

Immigrants are the strength of this country. It sickens me to see the human rights violations committed against them at the border, the atrocities of detention camps, and the cruel separation of families that follows deportation. Hearing of unconsented medical procedures upon migrant women in ICE detention centers is shocking! I will do my very best to prevent such abominations from occurring in our country. At the same time, we cannot create a crisis situation at the border as people attempt to jump the border illegally, with hundreds dying tragically during this process.

First and foremost, I will fight to protect immigrant rights in our justice system, and will help engrain them into our economy under an equitable and fair standing. To make immigration more effective, I will strive to address any ongoing issues with our H-1B visa program to restore it to its original intent, protecting all workers from systemic abuses by profit-driven companies, and increasing the pool of talented and high-skilled foreign workers that will further America’s economic success.

We also need to help immigrants take essential steps towards becoming permanent residents. Immigrants are beneficial both socially and economically to America; we need immigration visa reform, including HR 1044, that will increase opportunities for qualified individuals to achieve permanent residency and citizenship in a timely manner.

LGBTQIA+ Rights
Rishi Kumar, candidate for United States Congress CA-16, has a strong track record of speaking up for civil rights and defending disadvantaged communities in Silicon Valley. In a recent statement, Rishi said,

“I strongly oppose any form of hate against any group including LGBTQIA+... My policies in Congress will be driven by the philosophy that every group strengthens and improves our society. I will always work hard to protect our disadvantaged and discriminated community.”

With the drastic change in White House administrations, the LGBTQIA+ community has been left in purgatory, having rights granted and snatched away from them one by one.

State-level bills such as HB2 require that people use the bathrooms that match their sex as assigned at birth.

Real people are feeling the weight of discrimination every single day. School-aged children are forced to confront this injustice in all facets of their life, whether it be using the bathroom or attending gym class. It is time to shift permanently in the right direction.

I support the legal protection of LGBTQ+ people against hate crimes and violence.

I support Customer Non-Discrimination Act to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The original Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, national origin, etc., but did not include discrimination based on sex.

I support the Equality Act - non-discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ people across areas such as employment, housing, credit, education and public services.

I also support investing in entrepreneurs from the LGBTQIA+ community.

LGBTQIA+ protection and equality are being challenged everyday, and we must stop this endless game that causes their rights to change with every new administration.

Civil Liberties
Rishi Kumar has a strong track record of speaking up for civil rights and defending disadvantaged and minority communities. The history of systemic racism is older than our nation, and it continues to manifest itself in modern day society.

“I believe in a diverse and pluralistic American society that follows the principles of the First Amendment. I believe that the multi-cultural melting pot makes America stronger, successful, and vibrant. I will strongly oppose any form of hate against any group including LGBTQ and Black Lives. My policies in Congress will be driven by the philosophy that every group strengthens and improves our society. I will always work hard to protect our disadvantaged and discriminated community.

As your Congressman, I will work to ensure that the United States remains cohesive and our diversity of thoughts leads to unity and not division. My upbringing as a Hindu follows the Gandhian “Hinduism is a philosophy of life”, and the all-inclusive Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one connected family) approach. Leading with the ‘One Connected Family’ as my guiding principle, I have worked very hard to make Saratoga a strong, close-knit, and collaborative community that brings all our neighbors together to elevate the happiness index of Saratoga while collaborating to solve some of the toughest challenges. I follow the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, respecting and embracing differences, and nonviolent conflict resolution - both as a creed and strategy. My upbringing was as a Hindu, my K-12 education was in a Jesuit school and I regularly visited the church on campus, while also visiting mosques, synagogues and gurudwaras with an openness based on the accepting culture of Bombay where I grew up.

I strongly oppose any form of hate against any group, religions, or communities. I am against phobia such as ChristoPhobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Sikhphobia, Hispanophobia, or Hinduphobia. My policies in Congress will be driven by the philosophy that every group and religious entity strengthens and improves our society.”

Disability Rights
Disability rights are human rights. My plan as your Congressional Representative is to expand healthcare, increase employment opportunities, and improve educational options for those that are with special needs. Every child deserves a good education–students with disabilities are no exception. I support the Students Safe Act, to ensure that no student with disabilities would ever be subjected to seclusion or physical restraint. I will also push to fund social services and suicide prevention efforts to support adolescents facing mental health crises. I will be dedicated to improving the landmark American Disabilities Act and will influence issues important to those with disabilities. I will be responsive and elevate voices from the disability community, crafting effective legislation to address their needs.

Housing and Transportation
For far too long, Silicon Valley has had little vision and we have resorted to short-term thinking to address our underlying challenges. We needed a plan based on sound principles of urban planning, that would account for housing, traffic, jobs, water/sewer, schools, and fire safety.

Now the very future and sustainability of Silicon Valley is at stake. For example, we should have pushed for the investment in mass transit here to address our traffic challenges. Investments for cutting-edge mass transportation projects should happen here and not the “High Speed Rail to nowhere.” For far too long, we have duct taped mass transportation systems that fall short and a travesty of a system called the Light Rail bleeds taxpayer dollars. It should be shut down. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), which manages the county's road and transit network, is one of the nation’s most inefficient organizations, losing about $9.30 per rider. The VTA rail system is currently used by fewer than 5% of area commuters. Any plan to fix Silicon Valley transportation must be part of a larger transportation plan for Northern and Central California. My approach involves developing public-private partnerships that can more quickly and efficiently develop our transportation infrastructure, and at lower risk to the taxpayer. My policy paper on this topic is at RishiKumar.com/traffic

The Historic California Land Grab
Our governor rightfully said, “California looks like a third-world country.” We suffer record crime, a declining education system, and runaway inflation, while draconian mandates like SB-9 facilitate a historical California land grab thanks to the nexus between our politicians and land developers. I am tired of politicians making empty promises like affordable housing, only to profit the land developers. They promise progress but only give us crumbs.

It is time we had someone who will actually keep their word, fight for the people and will NEVER sell out. We need to be smarter, more strategic about our investments and housing policies - we need a well thought out affordable housing plan, not just haphazard lot splitting, and a city-state partnership like this one for production must be part of the solution - not the preemption of local control. We need to explore options to fund low-income housing construction similar to the redevelopment agencies of the past, and launch new affordable cities. I believe in adding housing around transit stations but not violating the urban planning principles to maintain the charm, character and quality of life. I will fight the poorly planned housing push that preempts local control while ignoring the need for truly affordable housing, displaces small businesses, disregards any infrastructure plan for traffic, parking, water, sewers, environment and wildlife risks. Visit my managed growth vision plan to create true affordable housing and expand our economy.

The Problem With Bay Area Transportation and Housing
Over 168,000 Bay Area commuters and millions of local drivers are stuck every day in Silicon Valley traffic. Commutes are only getting longer and more frustrating, and our available public transportation is woefully inadequate. Billions have been wasted on the ill-conceived Bullet Train that is going nowhere, and our elected leaders have not been able to offer a solution for our traffic woes. Meanwhile, housing prices are going through the roof, and fewer people are able to afford homes in Silicon Valley within close proximity to their workplace. We need innovative measures to tackle these two issues simultaneously.

Bringing Transportation Into The 21st Century
My vision is for a cutting-edge, tunnel-enclosed high-speed transportation system with innovative, cutting-edge transportation solutions that would bring 12.2 million people living in the 21 counties of the Northern California Megaregion within a short commute of Silicon Valley jobs; and affordable homes within 21 minutes of Silicon Valley workers. Operating at average speeds of 600 mph, such a system could cross the 150 miles between Yuba City and San Jose in under 15 minutes.

For parents commuting to San Jose, this would mean they could finally have time to walk their child to school in the morning and be back in time to help with their child’s homework before dinner.

The entire Northern California Megaregion would become part of a Mega Silicon Valley innovation economy, experiencing increased opportunity, retaining talent, and providing affordable housing options for all.

Visit my managed growth vision plan to create true affordable housing and expand our economy. Here is my plan for our homeless population.

Homelessness
Addressing homelessness is a key component of my agenda. The homelessness in California exceeds that of the other 49 states combined. We need to find sustainable solutions to ensure we address this. I have treated every homeless person with respect. There was a time when I got a call from Felton about a homeless person who was lost and struggling. I contacted my local sheriff team, and they were able to team up with sheriff and police units to find and successfully assist the person.

As an immigrant who came into this country with just a few hundred dollars and an American dream, I believe that I have to give back to this country, a country that embraced me and provided me unbound opportunities. There is a reason why my campaign started in the poorest part of San Jose. There are folks in Silicon Valley who have been left behind, don’t have a voice, and income inequality has widened every year. The artists, the musicians and the gig economy workers are feeling the pressure; many have been pushed out due to rising home prices. I have a plan to address this issue with the Mega Silicon Valley plan. Visit RishiKumar.com/traffic

I have organized activities to help the homeless with food drives, jackets, and helping out the homeless shelters. I have supported the efforts of for profit and nonprofit ventures to train our homeless population and get them to join the Silicon Valley workforce. I am keenly invested in addressing the root cause. It begins with education. I launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, benefitting thousands of disadvantaged students. By teaming up with San Jose's Mayor Sam Liccardo, we were able to implement this pathway to empowerment and learning through STEM in many low-income areas of San Jose.

I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming. As a member of the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative, we rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California, to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in disadvantaged areas of Silicon Valley.

Working in kitchenHere is our approach to reduce homelessness. The most important criteria for any social program is to strengthen people’s ability to take responsibility for themselves. Employment must be at the center of any strategy to reduce poverty and increase economic mobility. We can break the cycle of poverty and dependence one family at a time.

Therapy: Mental illness, alcohol and other drugs, domestic violence, individual, group and family counseling, case management
Classes: Budgeting, parenting, healthy relationships, breaking habits, positive thinking, role modeling, high school, exercise, and meditation
Hands on Employment Training: Career placement
Preschool programs/school readiness: Developmental screenings and early intervention services, literacy programs and phys-ed.
Productive and Sustained Support: Tap into peoples’ and organizations’ established skills to provide the kind of long-term support that shelters and unhoused people need.

One of the primary ways we can solve this drug and addiction crisis is by strengthening people’s ability to recover and applying a data-driven focused strategy. Employment opportunities and education for addicts are instrumental if we hope to deal with this issue. My detailed solutions include therapy, classes, and aiding career development.

Providing therapy for drug addicts is a way that we can help those struggling mental health issues to take a step away from controlled substances. Education from the beginning is an important step. Although drug education provides small reductions in drug use, every single reduction is important. Rather than viewing from a criminal justice lens, the current state of affairs dictates a need for a public health lens. The drug crisis was declared a public health emergency nearly 5 years ago, but no sweeping action has been taken since. Providing mandatory drug prevention education in public schools needs to be implemented if we hope to curb the usage of drugs. Finally, providing career-based technical education is important to helping ‌ rehabilitate addicts. Addiction is correlated with a low level of education, likely preventing access to career opportunities. As an immigrant who came to this country with just a few hundred dollars and an American dream, I know the value of hard work. Providing people with the opportunity to escape their downward spiral is the only ethical solution to this issue.

Innovative approaches have been implemented in many countries around the world and with great benefit. It's time for the United States to take serious action on this issue and work to curb the rampant drug use.

I will make use of this platform. After my first 2 years, I intend to tell you a positive story of how we have impacted the homelessness challenge of California and Silicon Valley.

Crypto Policy
Executive Summary
America’s future with crypto is currently on shaky ground and the crypto vertical has been operating with ambiguity for far too long. Lack of regulatory clarity is problematic, but our politicians are disbelievers in this digital model and have an overt enforcement stance, while policies proposed so far in Washington are flawed and ill-conceived. This paper analyzes a policy framework that would position America’s success with crypto, while striking a balance between regulation, enforcement, consumer protection, transparency and innovation. Given the recent push to monitor cryptocurrency companies after the November 2022 collapse of FTX, defining a regulatory crypto framework will help accelerate American innovation and lead charge for the rest of the world. The urgency is for America’s need to balance freedom of financial innovation with the threat of fraud, and strike that balance of investor protection, investor innovation and investor freedom.

Introduction
Digital money is coming and the future of banking, financing and trade is going to be digital - token based and block chain based. Undoubtedly, U.S. should lead in establishing the policy framework and a global institution for trade and governance for this digital money. These policies have to strike a balance between regulation, enforcement, consumer protection, transparency and innovation.

The internet today has evolved into a platform where commerce happens seamlessly across national borders. America now competes for geopolitical powers and global digital governance as nothing is a given – the world does not necessarily need to follow America’s path. A global digital currency push has naturally led to innovation globally in every corner of the globe. The Bitcoin protocol has allowed digital money to be exchanged safely on the internet leading to new forms of digital money, each with their own protocols.

Crypto’s legitimacy is in the fact that a free society wants to use it and Washington cannot be like an ostrich with the head in the sand. Unfortunately, America has fallen behind. Congress is filled with naysayers, behind time and way behind the technology, and they are now choosing to make political points over the ongoing crypto industry bloodbath of 2022. It is unfortunate that America’s congressional leaders still don’t cannot differentiate between a token, a Bitcoin or Stablecoin, and are far out from constructing a policy that will allowAmerica to demonstrate leadership in this space. Let alone leadership, America is in real danger of being left behind without a seat on the table.

Today, Crypto is seeing similar challenges that America grappled with during the free banking era (1837 to 1863) when banking fraud led to many economic crises - which ultimately led to comprehensive regulation and changes. Today’s digital economy is an altogether different ballgame; regulations that apply to banking cannot possibly be picked up and applied as is to the crypto world, but it needs to be constructed carefully and…

America needs a well-defined policy. Here are a few focus areas for such a policy:

The Cryptoasset Policy Focus
We need regulators that will apply force of law to enforce good conduct without stifling innovation.

Protect retail and institutional investors, customer assets and create financial stability. Consumers need to be protected from pump & dump schemes, and predatory advertisements.
Mitigate and protect the banking industry from crypto-asset risk, along with contagion risk within the crypto-asset sector. Track and counter illegal illicit financing and money laundering, along with fraud and manipulation.
Innovate and forge a path for U.S. leadership in the global financial system and economic competitiveness.
Develop a clear demarcation of roles between SEC and CFTC with the various cryptoassets and based on how the industry is evolving. As we know, SEC’s oversight is on the retail markets and CFTC is focused on derivatives and the institutional investor market. But can the state banking take charge in providing oversight for other types of markets as they evolve?
Federal regulators should now become frontline regulators, not relying on centralized monopolies for the regulatory data. The centralized traditional approach of the past has granted monopolies and has relied on them to flag discrepancies after the fact. If we embrace the decentralized model we can move away from over-reliance on centralizers who are required to report the activities. With the decentralized nodes on the blockchain model, we can build agile, adaptive software algorithms that will still provide the transparency without relying on centralized monopolistic reporting, but flag dissonance before it explodes in our face via analytics and data.

Proposed and upcoming regulations
Here are a few regulations that are in the works:

S.4760 - Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act (DCCPA) of 2022 aka the SBF bill. Senators Stabenow, Boozman, Booker, and Thune introduced the bill and have referred it to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. The purpose of this bill is to amend the Commodity Exchange Act to provide the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction to oversee the spot digital commodity market, Given Sam Bankman-Fried’s influence over this bill, it should be abandoned.
Bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Roger Marshall, The Digital Asset Anti Money Laundering Act should also be abandoned. This bill is intended to curb the use of digital assets for money laundering and to counter the financing of terrorism, but imposes sweeping surveillance and registration requirements on almost all participants in blockchain networks. The proposal would turn blockchains into permissioned ledgers surveilled by centralized gatekeepers. The entities who are part of the crypto ecosystem would need to register as money service businesses including miners, validators, nodes, both custodial and "self-hosted" cryptocurrency wallet providers, along with network players involved with network protocols. They would all need to collect the personal information of every person who uses their software and file reports with the government. Blockchain technology imports the privacy protections of cash into the online world and is about our first amendment and free speech. We need to stop the near-total surveillance regime for blockchain transactions.
Expected legislation from the Senate Banking Committee: The Committee composed of 24 senators, 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans, is led by Chairman Sherrod Brown (D, OH) and Ranking Member Pat Toomey (R-PA). But given the leadership stance of this committee, we can’t possibly expect good outcomes.

"Crypto doesn’t get a free pass because it’s bright and shiny….We want them (the Treasury, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission) to do what they need to do…maybe banning…. The fact is crypto is a garden of snakes.” - Sen. Sherrod Brown, Senate banking chairman

Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member Patrick McHenry (R-NC) and Secretary Yellen’s department of treasury are exploring a bipartisan bill focused on stablecoin regulations. More stablecoin regulations like The Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, The Stablecoin Trust Act are in the works.

Congress needs a change of attitude "It’s fairly clear that we’ve been taking an enforcement-first approach in an area where we should be taking a regulatory-first approach. I think we’ve got the balance wrong right now.” - Hester Peirce, Commissioner of the U.S. SEC and Crypto Mom

The regulation-by-enforcement approach of the U.S. SEC when it comes to crypto has been called into question by industry representatives, policymakers, and crypto consumers alike. The SEC continues to elevate its own quest for power over sound policy. Commissioner Peirce has called it out on multiple occasions publicly.

“I encourage my colleagues to understand Sam Bankman-Fried’s con for what it is — a failure of centralization, a failure of business ethics and a crime. It is not a failure of technology.” - Congressman Tom Emmer

“I'm very comfortable with making sure that people can include Bitcoin in their retirement funds because it's just different than other cryptocurrencies.” - Pro-crypto Senator Cynthia Lummis

“The digital dollar is bigger than any one issue and is about who owns the future. A digital dollar is far more than a federal benefits distribution mechanism, it is core digital architecture for our financial system.” - Chris Giancarlo, Chairman emeritus of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, author of “Cryptodad: The fight for the future of money,” and founder of the Digital Dollar Project running the CFDC pilot

One size does not fit all
The policy construct should be based on a piecemeal customized approach:

CBDC
Stablecoin
Exchanges
Bitcoin

A CBDC policy is the urgent imperative
We need a regulatory framework for CFDC: As per the White House fact sheet "Recognizing the potential benefits and risks of a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), encourage the Federal Reserve to continue CBDC research, evaluation and call for the creation of a Treasury-led group to support the Fed. Reserve’s efforts.”

We should follow the recommendation from the Digital Dollar Project whose objective is to advance the exploration of a United States Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). that would evaluate the implementation and management of CBDC within the American economy. This pilot, called Project Lithium, explores how tokenized securities and a wholesale CBDC could operate within the U.S. settlement infrastructure leveraging distributed ledger technology (DLT). The pilot included Bank of America, Citi, Nomura, Northern Trust, State Street, Virtu Financial and Wells Fargo.

With CBDC, international transactional costs could shrink, and costs fall dramatically, by using distributed ledger technology. As per the Digital Dollar Project report - see image below - 112 countries of the world have already embarked upon a CBDC project. CBDCs are run by a permissioned blockchain network - a limited number of gatekeepers decides who can access, use and govern the blockchain.

China has pulled ahead with e-CNY, also known as the digital yuan - a digitized version of China's legal currency, the renminbi (RMB). It is issued by China's central bank, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) with the pitfalls of surveillance and censorship. This is the reason why there is a sense of urgency to maintain innovation leadership in America. We can not afford to let some other country like China get ahead in the game and threaten the dominance of the US dollar.

With CBDC, will USD’s share in global payments increase even more? Federal Reserve’s Governor Christopher Waller has claimed that this may not be necessary to protect the dollar’s privileged status. But what if e-CNY becomes the dominant currency in Asia and the Middle East and in other third world countries of the world? Each country would in theory have its own currency, but the foundation of the technology would be Chinese Yuan. Europe is working on the digital Euro that will go live in 2025.

More than 60 economies have come up with their own versions of smartphone-based, real-time, retail-payment systems. But the government does not want to be left out of the nation's money to be left entirely to the private sector, thus authorities have or will come up with a digital alternative for their legal tender. India has started testing of CBDC too, keeping it as anonymous as the currency note and all the relevant laws applicable to currency would be applicable to the digital currency, Thus, CBDC needs to be designed in such a way that prevents government surveillance of our personal finances and transactions we are involved with.

Stablecoins
Stablecoins are cryptoassets with their value pegged to an external asset, such as a fiat currency. Stablecoins as a means of payments should be considered within the boundaries of the cryptoasset policy referenced above.

Since Stablecoin is a means of payment, it is not regulated by CFTC or SEC.

The President’s Working Group on Financial Markets (PWG), joined by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), released a report on stablecoins that is a good starting point.

Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the bipartisan bill, the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act that would empower various agencies with responsibility for regulating cryptoassets and also contains stablecoin provisions.

The Stablecoin TRUST Act (April 2022, Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) ) would allow institutions to be licensed as a money transmitting business, a national limited payment stablecoin issuer, or an Insured Depository Institution (IDI). The Stablecoin TRUST Act would provide authority to license, supervise, examine and regulate national limited payment stablecoin issuers. The bill would require stablecoin issuers to maintain assets with a market value equal to at least 100% of the outstanding value of the stablecoins.”

The biggest disadvantage of Stablecoins is the possibility of surveillance and lack of privacy protection.

Exchanges
The SEC has not put together a formal plan to regulate crypto exchanges. America’s crypto exchanges should play with the same rules as non-crypto marketplaces and brokers. If FTX US exchange was regulated by the CFTC and SEC, might FTX US, perhaps their one million customers may have been protected. The inclusion of crypto exchanges under the money transmitter framework is flawed and needs to be corrected. The money transmitter approach is never going to be strict as a Federal securities watchdog.

Canada is a model to consider where crypto exchanges have to register with the Ontario Securities Commission, and are then provided insurance for failed broker-dealers.

The current exchange model in the U.S. has to protect retail customers from losing all their funds like Mt Gox, or FTX US.

Bitcoin deserves special treatment
Can the bitcoin protocol be the foundation for capital formation (issued by an enterprise or a corporate entity)? The answer is - yes! Which means SEC has a role with bitcoin for capital formation. Bitcoin does provide the foundation for privacy and protection unlike Stablecoin.

If bitcoin is set up as a commodity (like oil, iron ore, soybean, wheat, corn, minerals) means CFTC has a role in regulating it.

If bitcoin is used for smart contracts, it could be a role for state banking regulators.

It really depends on the function - not everything is a security that should be regulated by the SEC.

America’s failure to allow Bitcoin investments in the early days led to American investment going overseas. This can be avoided with a proactive Bitcoin approach.

SEC should allow an exchange traded product (ETP) to track the price of bitcoin and trade on American exchanges - which is currently permitted in many countries around the globe. The SEC's rejection cites concerns about market manipulation and the lack of a surveillance-sharing agreement between a “regulated market of significant size” and a regulated exchange. It seems that the SEC is applying more rigor to crypto assets and has denied spot bitcoin ETPs. SEC continues to deny bitcoin spot ETFs while approving several bitcoin future-based ETFs.

America definitely needs a better national Bitcoin strategy. Bitcoin has merits and should be treated separately - not clubbed with the rest of the crypto ecosystem. The sooner BTC finds acceptance in the mainstream, the sooner Washington will yield the way for BTC to thrive. If Bitcoin is to succeed, it must become an easy, fast medium of exchange than the options today. Which means the feds investing in innovation in this area, to build out an extensive network of nodes across the globe to facilitate these Bitcoin payments.

Bitcoin may have price volatility, but it is still a dream for many countries of the world where place your money could easily lose half its value in a year. Bitcoin has a future and America should not be caught with another sputnik moment.^[4]

”

—Rishi Kumar’s campaign website (2024)^[5]

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 9, 2022

Rishi Kumar completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kumar's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

It is an honor to be back again running in this race. In the November 2020 election, we won 127,000 votes, more than any other challenger in the last 30 years against the incumbent. We are back for a win! Our August polling shows my opponent's support has sunk to just 35% - there are no republicans in this race. Our neighbors are calling for new blood and for the torch to be passed. We can’t address our challenges today if we keep sending the same people back who have failed for decades. Here are reasons to vote for Rishi Kumar:

☆ I am the only candidate in this race who is running an Ethics-in-Politics campaign and who has taken a pledge to accept no corporate campaign money.
☆ I'm the only one fighting for the people with a  getting-things-done bipartisan approach.
☆ I’m the only tech savvy candidate - a critical skill for Silicon Valley representation.
☆ I was honored to be reelected with the most votes in 64 years of my city for delivering results.  I have rejected 9 of San Jose Water’s rate increases.
I will be honored to have your vote by Nov 8.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

★ As the first tech-savvy representative from this district, I will grow our economy, bring American jobs back to restore our supply chain integrity and ensure that our innovation economy thrives as the world's innovation hub..America needs leaders with integrity. I operate at the behest of the People and no one else. Here are my priorities https://rishikumar.com/priorities With 127,000 votes received in the November 2020 election, I’m back to win. I am ready to step in, take charge and get things done to address the pending challenges of America and our district. I’m the only candidate running an ethics-in-politics, corporate money free campaign.
.★ I will leverage the extraordinary technical and financial resources of the richest, most innovative congressional district in America to act on our burning issues. I'm the only candidate in this race who fights to reduce drug prices, who protects Medicare for seniors - pushes to expand it - and who supports Medicare for All. https://rishikumar.com/medicare I will champion reproductive rights, climate change, and stopping the senseless deaths of our children at school. I will defend our democracy, reduce crime, inflation and the exodus. I'll establish an additional congressional office at the coastside to prioritize the coastal issues. I will get more done in my first two years than you have seen done in decades, and NEVER sell out.
.★ I will push for a cleanup of Washington with term limits, ban congressional insider trading, establish a collaborative problem-solving approach, not divisive partisan politics, with a people-centric agenda, not lobbyist-centric. Check out my stories as a maverick at RishiKumar.com

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My policy priorities are summarized at www.RishiKumar.com/priorities

☆ Purge dark money from American politics: I will always reject tainted PAC & Special Interest Group money and will fight to overturn Citizens United that allows the insertion of Super PAC money into American politics. Time for politicians to serve the people and not the lobbyists. 

☆ Protect Women’s Reproductive Rights: I will legislate Roe and get it done once and for all. RBG once said that Congress should have acted to enshrine women’s equal justice under law decades ago. It tragically didn’t, and we should question those in Congress who failed.

☆ Diligent action with climate and coastal protection. Visit www. RishiKumar.com/Climate  and RishiKumar.com/coast I will establish another congressional office on the coast.

☆ Fiscal responsibility, reduce America’s deficit and expand the economy: It is essential that  the nation’s deficit is reduced through new fiscal approaches grounded in economic principles.  I am against tax & spend. We need to alleviate this energy crisis by actively encouraging and innovating with new energy sources to grab market share. 

☆ Stop the exodus: We need a plan to address the valley’s challenges with rising crime, housing, traffic, and homelessness. I sincerely believe that the push for high-density housing is flawed without a managed growth plan. These policies do not address infrastructure support such as water, sewers, roads, schools and recurring droughts.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Dr. Martin Luther King is someone I have idolized ever since I was a little child. I respect his indomitable spirit and ability to step up and diligently pursue issues and challenges. Dr. King never gave up. His steadfast approach was able to change the world. I try to emulate Dr King's leadership qualities and his zeal to do good in my role as a community activist and elected leader.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leadership that is centralized around people is an essential component of maintaining a healthy democracy. It is also something that many of our current leaders are lacking. A people-centric policy approach is very important.

Our elected leaders should not be bought and sold by big money. I will work to remove the influence of big money on American politics. It is time we had fearless leaders who will make citizen-centric choices and do what is best for the American people. Corporate greed and Super PACs exert too much influence on our political system. The voices of everyday Americans are not being heard. The American people see our government working only for large contributors and lobbyists, rather than working for them. Our elected leaders should not be pupated by big money for their personal interests and gain. I will work to remove the big money influence on American politics and restore trust in our democracy.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Silicon Valley has never had a tech savvy representative in Congress. What a difference that would make. I do the “cringe binge” every time I watch a congressional tech hearing on national television. You may have seen the spoofs on YouTube. As a tech executive who works in the Big Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning vertical, my plan is to grow our innovation economy to benefit the American people, bridge income inequality, while ensuring that tech companies do not trample upon people’s rights. Visit Rishikumar.com/tech

I'm tired of seeing career politicians who are not aligned with Silicon Valley's innovation economy. There are big changes coming. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in an autonomous world of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology; we must lead the world in technological innovation!
We need to seed Silicon Valley's success in innovation to spread so that America’s working-class families share in the economic prosperity.

I will partner with our tech leaders to develop synergies for Silicon Valley's sustained success.

What is your favorite book? Why?

“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. The ability to be in the essence of the moment, and do your best at this moment, has defined what I do. The present moment is where we can truly take charge in creating a positive impact upon the world, by connecting with the inner self and doing good. Quieting the world and the resultant focus is very uplifting and powerful. This is a daily practice for me and that is why “The Power of Now” continues to be my favorite book.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Silicon Valley has never had a tech savvy representative in Congress. What a difference that would make. I do the “cringe binge” every time I watch a congressional tech hearing on national television. You may have seen the spoofs on YouTube. As a tech executive who works in the Big Data, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning vertical, my plan is to grow our innovation economy to benefit the American people, bridge income inequality, while ensuring that tech companies do not trample upon people’s rights. Visit Rishikumar.com/tech

I'm tired of seeing career politicians who are not aligned with Silicon Valley's innovation economy. There are big changes coming. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in an autonomous world of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology; we must lead the world in technological innovation!
We need to seed Silicon Valley's success in innovation to spread so that America’s working-class families share in the economic prosperity.

I will partner with our tech leaders to develop synergies for Silicon Valley's sustained success.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I have a background in STEM and I work in the AI/ML software industry
1 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence
2 The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
3 Science, Space, and Technology

(1) Task Force on Artificial Intelligence: I'm running for Congress because I'm tired of career politicians who don't understand Silicon Valley's innovation industry. We cannot prepare our workforce for an autonomous workplace built upon Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning if our leaders are not familiar with it.

(2) Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Silicon Valley powers the economy of California and of the United States. Investing in its infrastructure will pay tremendous dividends to us all. Look up my "21 counties, 21 minutes Mega Silicon Valley vision." We need bold transportation plans.This is America and we can innovate with transportation like no one can. The time is now. I am interested in making a down-payment for a glorious future.

(3) Science, Space, and Technology: This is a committee on which I can contribute valuably. My professional experience in Silicon Valley's software industry as both a business and technology leader puts me in a unique position. This allows me to legislate with percipience for Silicon Valley innovation to not only succeed, but also for the benefits to spread to our working-class families. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in a 21st century world. We cannot allow our nation to lose its place as the technology leader of the world. The very future of American success and economic status is at stake.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Visit https://rishikumar.com/termlimits
Our Founding Fathers feared the creation of a permanent political class that existed parallel to, rather than enmeshed within, American society. Several lawmakers have brought back the old idea of congressional term limits on Capitol Hill through a constitutional amendment limiting the number of times a legislator can run for re-election to the same office.
What do we have today? American politics is chock-full of career politicians who stay in office for decades, while treating their office as "business as usual" and sometimes even fiefdoms. We need to hit the reset button every few years, just like we do in the California Assembly and Senate, along with most city council positions nationwide.
We need new talent from our nation. We need regular Americans with real world experience that is more important than experience in government or politics. We need energetic leaders who can solve the big issues of American society today.
Term limits provide accountability, alleviate any corruption issues by ensuring political turnover, and deliver new leadership and new energy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Kumar submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on October 6, 2022.

May 9 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I will never sell out! I will always fight for YOUR interests, never special interests.

I am pro-choice and I will champion Medicare for All.

In the November 2020 election, we won 127,000 votes, which is more than any other challenger in the last 30 years against the incumbent. We are back for a win in 2022.

Three reasons to vote for Rishi Kumar for U.S. House of Representatives, District 16

☆ My run is about Ethics in Politics: Clean Money and Term Limits 
☆ I will champion Pro-choice and Medicare for All 
☆ I bring a Getting-Things-Done approach to public service.

Three things you should know about me:

☆ City Councilmember of Saratoga re-elected with the most votes in 64 years of the city’s  election history
☆ A Silicon Valley hi-tech executive in the Big Data, AI/ML, Analytics industry
☆ A Mechanical Engineer by education, who enjoys dabbling in art. My wife Seema and I enjoy singing karaoke songs.

Visit RishiKumar.com/AboutRishi to learn more about me - this page is available in 11 languages

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

☆ My Congressional run is about ethics in politics. I will NEVER sell out. America needs leaders with integrity. I operate at the behest of the People and no one else. I will always reject PAC, Big Pharma, and Special Interest Group money. On the city council, I rejected campaign money from land-developers.
☆ I have taken the “Term Limits Pledge.” When I am knocking on doors in the district, I constantly hear, “We need new blood in political service.” People are tired of politicians who stay too long and do very little. https://RishiKumar.com/termlimits
☆ I fight for the people and always win! I will tackle your tough challenges that have not been addressed for decades. In Congress, my agenda will focus on tackling the urgent challenges affecting the people. https://RishiKumar.com/AboutRishi

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

For a summary of my priorities, visit RishiKumar.com/Priorities

As your Congressman, I will:

☆ Purge tainted money: I will always reject tainted PAC & Special Interest Group money and will fight to overturn Citizens United that allows the insertion of Super PAC money into American politics. Time for a new way forward where politicians serve the people and not the lobbyists. www.RishiKumar.com/BigMoneyInPolitics

☆ Champion Medicare for All and protect Women’s Reproductive Rights: I will legislate Roe v. Wade, push back against burgeoning healthcare costs, and fight the rising drug prices.

☆ Diligent action with climate and coastal protection. Visit www. RishiKumar.com/Climate.

Coastal residents urgently need a California fire insurance plan to help homeowners whose insurance has been canceled - I will push for it.

Here is my fire safety plan for the coast: www.RishiKumar.com/FireSafety.

Some of our coastal neighborhoods have flooded frequently for decades. The threat of debris flow is real. I won’t ignore the Coast and have already made many trips there meeting with hundreds of neighbors on topics such as the Rockaway Quarry in Pacifica.
Visit www.RishiKumar.com/Coast for details

☆ Fiscal responsibility, reduce deficit and expand the economy

☆ Stop the exodus: Address the housing, transportation and California's issues with crime and homelessness

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Dr. Martin Luther King is someone I have idolized ever since I was a little child. I respect his indomitable spirit and ability to step up and diligently pursue issues and challenges. Dr. King never gave up. His steadfast approach was able to change the world. I try to emulate Dr King's leadership qualities and his zeal to do good in my role as a community activist and elected leader.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Leadership that is centralized around people is an essential component of maintaining a healthy democracy. It is also something that many of our current leaders are lacking. A people-centric policy approach is very important.

Our elected leaders should not be bought and sold by big money. I will work to remove the influence of big money on American politics. It is time we had fearless leaders who will make citizen-centric choices and do what is best for the American people. Corporate greed and Super PACs exert too much influence on our political system. The voices of everyday Americans are not being heard. The American people see our government working only for large contributors and lobbyists, rather than working for them. Our elected leaders should not be pupated by big money for their personal interests and gain. I will work to remove the big money influence on American politics and restore trust in our democracy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

As a congressional leader, I would like to accomplish the following:

☆ Purge the dark tainted money from politics that is subverting the agenda of Americans

☆  Impose Term Limits in Washington

☆ Legislate Pro-choice and 

☆ Pass Medicare for All 

☆ Establish a strong ethics and a Getting-Things-Done approach to public service

What is your favorite book? Why?

“The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. The ability to be in the essence of the moment, and do your best at this moment, has defined what I do. The present moment is where we can truly take charge in creating a positive impact upon the world, by connecting with the inner self and doing good. Quieting the world and the resultant focus is very uplifting and powerful. This is a daily practice for me and that is why “The Power of Now” continues to be my favorite book.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House of Representatives is a unique institution because its purpose is leadership that puts the country and the people above all. Yet we lack leaders who possess those morals.

Our country today is very polarized and cities are divided as partisan politics dominates the fabric of American society. Some of our neighbors fear a civil war brewing. Our politicians, (along with media, and tech companies who play along) are responsible, ‌as they pander to their political bases or ideologies. We need to come together to solve the challenges that lie ahead. We are NOT the blue states or the red states. We are the United States. Visit RishiKumar.com/Bipartisanship

Our elected leaders should demonstrate a people-centric value system, and work to address the top people-challenges irrespective of their economic status, creed, religion or party. Our leaders have to restore trust in our democracy. I was re-elected with the most votes in the history of Saratoga's city council because I stepped up and addressed the tough challenges facing the people.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I have a background in STEM and I work in the AI/ML software industry
1 Task Force on Artificial Intelligence
2 The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
3 Science, Space, and Technology

(1) Task Force on Artificial Intelligence: I'm running for Congress because I'm tired of career politicians who don't understand Silicon Valley's innovation industry. We cannot prepare our workforce for an autonomous workplace built upon Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning if our leaders are not familiar with it.

(2) Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Silicon Valley powers the economy of California and of the United States. Investing in its infrastructure will pay tremendous dividends to us all. Look up my "21 counties, 21 minutes Mega Silicon Valley vision." We need bold transportation plans.This is America and we can innovate with transportation like no one can. The time is now. I am interested in making a down-payment for a glorious future.

(3) Science, Space, and Technology: This is a committee on which I can contribute valuably. My professional experience in Silicon Valley's software industry as both a business and technology leader puts me in a unique position. This allows me to legislate with percipience for Silicon Valley innovation to not only succeed, but also for the benefits to spread to our working-class families. We must prepare the next generation to succeed in a 21st century world. We cannot allow our nation to lose its place as the technology leader of the world. The very future of American success and economic status is at stake.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Visit https://rishikumar.com/termlimits
Our Founding Fathers feared the creation of a permanent political class that existed parallel to, rather than enmeshed within, American society. Several lawmakers have brought back the old idea of congressional term limits on Capitol Hill through a constitutional amendment limiting the number of times a legislator can run for re-election to the same office.
What do we have today? American politics is chock-full of career politicians who stay in office for decades, while treating their office as "business as usual" and sometimes even fiefdoms. We need to hit the reset button every few years, just like we do in the California Assembly and Senate, along with most city council positions nationwide.
We need new talent from our nation. We need regular Americans with real world experience that is more important than experience in government or politics. We need energetic leaders who can solve the big issues of American society today.
Term limits provide accountability, alleviate any corruption issues by ensuring political turnover, and deliver new leadership and new energy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Kumar submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on May 9, 2022.

Campaign website

Kumar's campaign website stated the following:

“

PRO-CHOICE

I am pushing for the success of Proposition 1 and the amendment of California’s state constitution to guarantee reproductive freedom in California.

The stripping of women’s rights in the United States is completely un-American. If Roe v. Wade is reversed and the right to an abortion is taken away, this will disrupt our country tremendously.

Roe is not about abortion, but it’s about the right to bodily autonomy and privacy. The right to bodily autonomy is an essential part of our country, without which, the Constitution could be violated even further.

Democracies only work when their leaders work for it. The majority of America believes in a woman’s right to choose, so why are so many representatives opposed?

Codifying Roe v. Wade does not require abortions, but allows women to do what is right for them.

Furthermore, rates of abortions only decrease marginally when they are made inaccessible or illegal. The only thing decreasing is the rate of safe abortions. One of the top causes of death during pregnancy is unsafe abortions.

People of higher socioeconomic status, like many of our elected leaders and Supreme Court Justices, will not lose their access to abortion. If Roe is overturned and states have differing laws, there will still be abortion in America. Wealthy women are more likely to be able to drive to another state or fly to get this medical procedure. Taking away the right to abortion will disproportionately affect poorer women.

Without Medicare for All, abortion becomes an even bigger burden and financial hardship on the poor, along with an already expensive healthcare system. Read more about my support for Medicare for All at https://rishikumar.com/Medicare.

Most European and first-world countries have accessible abortion. If the United States wants to continue to be a champion of democracy and a model for the rest of the world, we must respect the rights of our citizens.

Taking away the right to abortions doesn’t benefit the people. It benefits immoral politicians and hurts women. It divides our country. Let us bring Americans together and let us work on the important challenges for a glorious future. Let us legislate Roe and get it done once and for all.

#Abortion #Pro-Choice #ProChoice #Pro-life #ProLife #Reproductive_Rights

BURGLARIES AND SAFETY

During my first term on the Saratoga City Council, I focused upon reducing crime in our city. By rolling out a series of innovative measures through my Neighborhood Safety Watch Program, I was successful in reducing burglaries by 41% - see adjacent table. This was the largest year to year drop in the history of Saratoga and the most significant drop compared to any other Silicon Valley city. As a result, I was re-elected to the Saratoga City Council with the most votes in city history.

Working with neighborhoods, holding hundreds of neighborhood meetings, we identified new neighborhood leaders who took charge. Residential burglaries and car break-ins have become a common occurrence. We observe an uptick with residential break-ins, car break-ins/thefts, phishing, identity thefts etc. This has created uneasy minds and a sense of discomfort when we are parking our cars or when we head out on our vacations.

As your Congressman, I will continue to fight crime in every city, delivering federal resources and collaborating actively with our local elected officials and law-enforcement.

As a person of color, I am cognizant of racial profiling and absolutely does not support this in any shape or form as part of the neighborhood safety protocols. This was part of our discussion at every neighborhood meeting conducted in my community.

Crime has gone up in many Silicon Valley cities. We observe an uptick with residential break-ins, car break-ins/thefts, phishing, identity thefts etc. This has created uneasy minds and a sense of discomfort when we are parking our cars or when we head out on our vacations. See the adjacent burglary stat table.

As a councilmember of Saratoga, Rishi has worked hard to reduce crime in his community with a series of innovative measures. Rishi dropped burglaries by 41% from 2016 to 2017. This was the largest year to year drop in the history of Saratoga and the most significant drop compared to any other Silicon Valley city. As a result, Rishi was re-elected to the Saratoga City Council with the most votes in city history. Rishi will ensure that as your congressman, he will make sure that we together drop burglaries in every city by replicating the success of Saratoga.

Rishi is cognizant of racial profiling and absolutely does not support this in any shape or form as part of the neighborhood safety protocol and tips. We have put together a handy cheat sheet with the Top 25 Safety Tips how to keep your home safe, tailored to your city:

HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION

The Historic California Land Grab

Our governor rightfully said, “California looks like a third-world country.” We suffer record crime, a declining education system, and runaway inflation, while draconian mandates like SB-9 facilitate a historical California land grab thanks to the nexus between our politicians and land developers. I am tired of politicians making empty promises like affordable housing, only to profit the land developers. They promise progress but only give us crumbs.

It is time we had someone who will actually keep their word, fight for the people and will NEVER sell out. We need to be smarter, more strategic about our investments and housing policies - we need a well thought out affordable housing plan, not just haphazard lot splitting, and a city-state partnership like this one for production must be part of the solution - not the preemption of local control. We need to explore options to fund low-income housing construction similar to the redevelopment agencies of the past, and launch new affordable cities. I will fight the poorly planned housing push that preempts local control while ignoring the need for truly affordable housing, displaces small businesses, disregards any infrastructure plan for traffic, parking, water, sewers, environment and wildlife risks. Visit my managed growth vision plan to create true affordable housing and expand our economy.

The Problem With Bay Area Transportation and Housing

Over 168,000 Bay Area commuters and millions of local drivers are stuck every day in Silicon Valley traffic. Commutes are only getting longer and more frustrating, and our available public transportation is woefully inadequate. Billions have been wasted on the ill-conceived Bullet Train that is going nowhere, and our elected leaders have not been able to offer a solution for our traffic woes. Meanwhile, housing prices are going through the roof, and fewer people are able to afford homes in Silicon Valley within close proximity to their workplace. We need innovative measures to tackle these two issues simultaneously.

Bringing Transportation Into The 21st Century

My vision is for a cutting-edge, tunnel-enclosed high-speed transportation system with cutting-edge technology such as the hyperloop technology that would bring 12.2 million people living in the 21 counties of the Northern California Megaregion within a short commute of Silicon Valley jobs; and affordable homes within 21 minutes of Silicon Valley workers. Operating at average speeds of 600 mph (top speed 760), the zero greenhouse gas, and noise-free hyperloop system could cross the 150 miles between Yuba City and San Jose in under 15 minutes.

For parents commuting to San Jose, this would mean they could finally have time to walk their child to school in the morning, then hop on the Hyperloop for work, and be back in time to help with their child’s homework before dinner.

The entire Northern California Megaregion would become part of a Mega Silicon Valley innovation economy, experiencing increased opportunity, retaining talent, and providing affordable housing options for all.

MODERATE FISCAL POLICY

America has faced decades of increasing budgetary deficits and mismanagement. Our national debt is at $30 trillion as of March 17th, 2022, and in the last 20 years, the federal government has taken steps that have worsened the fiscal health of this country. Our government has funded decades of costly wars and enacted disastrous trade agreements, such as NAFTA, that have resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Read more about my moderate fiscal policy here.

We can no longer afford to allow such detrimental policies. Our top fiscal priority must be bringing wealth and job security back to the American people and to stop the ballooning national debt. My platform will end costly foreign wars, halt tax increases, renegotiate disadvantageous trade deals, and optimize the public sector to better adapt to technological changes to the public sector.

My fiscal responsibility includes a “no tax increase” approach and fiscal responsibility “cheaper, faster, better” to the public sector. We must leverage industry standard tools to make our government more efficient. Why should game-changing technology only be applied in the private sector? We can improve government efficiency by employing a data-driven approach to public-sector decision making and spending. By harnessing the power that data can provide, we can optimize our policy decisions, service delivery, bureaucracy and ability to innovate. Without increasing the burden on everyday Americans, employing private sector strategies in the public sector, we can provide more for our people.

INNOVATION ECONOMY

Read my policy overview with Silicon Valley Tech here.

My professional experience in Silicon Valley’s software industry as a business and technology leader has provided me an inside view of Silicon Valley’s innovation economy. In order to grow this economy, address the challenges that wear it down, and create increased gains for our middle and working class, America needs someone who does not share the technological illiteracy of the current political establishment.

Rep Eshoo is out of touch with Tech: Under Rep. Eshoo’s watch, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook harnessed private citizen data illegally for nefarious purposes. Facebook is in our congressional district, and Silicon Valley voters deserve a representative who understands when to step in to protect the people from a misaligned tech mission.

Stopping the Silicon Valley flight: A net average of 165 residents left Silicon Valley each month in 2017 — up sharply from the 42 per month who left in 2016, a sharp reversal from 2015, when the region gained a net 24,000. One of my plans to revitalize Silicon Valley in the post Covid-19 world is the 21 Counties in 21 Minutes plan to connect the Northern California Megaregion. My 21 Counties in 21 Minutes plan is the type of vision that America needs to keep pace with our ever-changing technological landscape. By using public transport to bring other counties into range of the innovation hubs of Silicon Valley, we can increase the amount of viable housing in the region, lower housing costs and make California more attractive to skilled labor. This initiative would give more Americans the chance to improve their earnings without being forced into exorbitant housing prices or lengthy commutes. The answer to California’s public transportation problems does not lie with funneling millions of taxpayer dollars into an inefficient system. Instead we should turn to the same technological advancements that brought Silicon Valley into prominence.

On the other hand, incumbent Anna Eshoo has no coherent plan for lowering housing costs or helping the innovation economy of Silicon Valley. She has spent over a decade with piecemeal approaches, no vision, which has only proven itself to be inadequate for the needs of Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley needs a new generation of politicians who are well versed with tech, and keenly interested to solve the big challenges. When voting this November, remember my knowledge of our Innovation Economy makes me the most qualified candidate in this election.

Data Privacy

I support efforts such as The California Consumer Privacy Act that went live on Jan 1, 2020. I support laws such as The General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union. I strongly support the Internet Bill of Rights that includes greater transparency along with opt-in for data collection practices and timely notification.

Net Neutrality

I believe that all internet traffic should be treated in an equitable manner without penalising or prioritising traffic from any specific domain name, service provider or publisher. We have to have a level playing field for upstarts to challenge the status quo, and Net Neutrality is a key enabler of that. The very future of startup innovation is contingent upon the protection of Net Neutrality.

EDUCATION

As an immigrant and an engineer, I understand the value of education as the fundamental component of American success. Yet, education in the United States lags behind many countries of the world. California’s public school education ranking today is 41 out of the 50 states. We need a focused approach to bolster our educational offering - the very future of America’s competitiveness in the global world is at stake. We need to enhance our education system to teach our students everything they need to find a place in the local economy, to help bridge the income inequality with economic opportunities, while shirking a divisive curriculum. America needs to define a future where we come together as one - teaming and winning! America also needs an educational plan in a Covid-19 world - or any other future pandemic - to keep our schools open, functional and educating our children, while obviating any health challenges. We also need to push for a Broadband Expansion to ensure that no child is left behind – the new 4 r’s being Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Routers. Sociologists have pointed out that academic achievements correlate to stable family structures. Instilling strong emphasis on family values. And we need to educate the family as a whole, not just the students.

Education is the opportunity to bridge the income inequality gap and address the root cause of some of our woes of today. 46% of Americans believe that K-12 STEM Education in the US is below average. We have to fix that after all Silicon Valley is the innovation capital of the world with plentiful jobs available for the right type of talent.

Educational programs have been a cornerstone to my work in the community: I launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, training, educating and empowering thousands of disadvantaged students. By teaming up with San Jose's Mayor Sam Liccardo, we were able to implement this pathway to empowerment and learning through STEM in many disadvantaged areas of San Jose. I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming.

I was honored to be nominated to the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative. We rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California. This program is set to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in many disadvantaged communities.

As your Congressman, I will work to make education available for the masses - especially for our youth from disadvantaged communities. I support the expansion of early childhood education programs to give the best possible start to all children. I will continue promoting STEM and entrepreneurship education opportunities for our youth. I will work to expand vocational, career & technical education, while making public colleges much more affordable, considering every option to make college education free and accessible.

I will propose programs that will provide an opportunity for our high school graduates to be productive in the American workforce to address the needs of our local economy. I will launch Silicon Valley Innovation Centers of Excellence focused on the latest technological innovation, that will provide a platform for Silicon Valley youth to collaborate, and effectively create an ecosystem of industry experts, professors, teachers and students. Additionally, I am committed to ensuring that all schools receive the necessary funding for special education, and I am in favor of increasing federal funding for the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act.

BIG MONEY IN POLITICS

Read my policy overview on Big Money in Politics here.

Corporations and Super PACs exert far too much influence on our political system. The voices of companies and organizations with large sums overshadow the voices of American people. Our government is controlled by large contributors and lobbyists who are able to influence decisions for their benefit aiding or blocking legislation, rather than working for everyday individuals who cannot sway policy with millions of dollars. The power of big money can be seen in all aspects of politics including gun control, pharmaceuticals and health care, and education costs, hindering progress and harming Americans. Our elected leaders should not be bought by big money and cannot continue to work for a small sect of the United States with a disproportionate amount of political influence.

Unlike Representative Anna Eshoo who was unable to honor her 1988 pledge to challenge the sacred cows, I have taken a pledge to refuse Special Interest money and PAC campaign contributions. Although Eshoo has publicly stated that the Supreme Court decision Citizens United v. FEC, “cast a dark shadow over our democracy by bringing us dangerously closer to an electoral system where the voices of average Americans are easily drowned out by special interests,” she has chosen to accept PAC money and special interest group money anyway. I am dismayed by the A-rating to Rep. Eshoo from Against Citizens United when she continues to play into and benefit from the system.

This co-option of the political system in order to benefit the private sector is perfectly legal thanks to the Citizens United decision made by the Supreme Court. But money is not free speech, and it definitely is not votes or public opinion. In office I will work tirelessly to remove the undue power of big money and lobbyists, work to end Citizens United, and restore the focus on American governance back to the American public, where it should be.

HEALTHCARE

With bold leadership and determination we can solve our healthcare challenges.

Read: Rishi will fight to reduce healthcare costs and supports Medicare for All

The immediate economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating in the United States and has exposed one of the biggest problems facing the American people - the state of American healthcare. For many - 160 million people - health insurance is tied to employment and losing a job may mean losing insurance.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar when asked about affordability of treatment for Covid-19, “ We would want to ensure that we work to make it affordable, but we can’t control that price because we need the private sector to invest. The priority is to get vaccines and therapeutics. Price controls won’t get us there.” Now, that could become a problem for America.

Healthcare costs have become a significant burden for our working families, more so during the pandemic, and are a major cause of bankruptcies for American families. It is time we explored better, cheaper healthcare options for the American people. As your Congressman, I will push for healthcare reform. I will fight back against burgeoning healthcare costs and rising drug prices. A single payer does not mean that we have a compromised healthcare system; many developed nations of the world have a high quality single payer system. America can too!

Rep. Eshoo does not support Medicare for All - and is not with the 118 Congressional Representatives who today support Medicare for All - including many from the Bay Area.I support Medicare for All (H.R 1384), which would guarantee affordable healthcare to everyone in this country, and the Bring Drug Prices Down Act (H.R 1046), which allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

Big Pharma and health lobbyists have penetrated their way into our government. My opponent, Rep. Anna Eshoo, chairs the House Health Subcommittee and is the number one recipient of Pharma money in the United States Congress. I have taken the pledge to never accept any special interest money or PAC money.

We need fearless leaders like Rep. Porter in Congress. Not Rep. Eshoo, who has raised the price of our healthcare

Here are a few approaches to reducing the cost of healthcare now

Monitor and regulate rampant annual price hikes by pharmaceutical companies.
Compel payers to pass rebates on to patients.
Optimize our healthcare spending with preventive care and wellness options.
Invest in healthcare analytics and the Electronic Medical Record System.
Commit to fair pricing practices for new drugs that are regulated by 3rd party entities.
Make it easier for our citizens to purchase FDA approved drugs from outside the USA.
Commonsense health policies will alleviate our health burden. I am against bills like AB 890 : While nurse practitioners (NPs) play a key role in California’s health care system, giving them more autonomy without additional training or oversight poses threats, rather than a solution, for our health care system access needs.

WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Today, women still earn just 82 cents to every dollar a man makes. America is currently ranked 49th in the world in terms of gender equality. We’re also the only industrialized country without paid family leave.

Yes - we can do better! My policy paper on this topic is here

Strong, intelligent, vibrant and empowered women have a huge hand in supporting me.

My wife, Seema does the political tango with me, my partner in this journey and inspires me every day with her wisdom, her spirit, and her accomplishments, both as a Senior Director of Product Marketing for a global tech company, and as a scholar, who earned a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University. Without her love and support, I would not be able to take on the difficult challenge of running for any office, let alone United States Congress or in succeeding with my community objectives. Her leadership and innovation during this run, are a source of huge strength and a differentiator for our campaign team.

As a feminist, I empower ALL women and girls in our society, and I will help ensure that all women have the ability to reach their potential without facing discriminatory attitudes, laws or socio-economic structures. In Congress, I will work to break the glass ceiling — I will fight to close the wage and promotion gap, fight for better opportunities in STEM for women, and fight to ensure that women universally get paid maternity leave.

Protecting Sexual Assault Victims: We need to make sure that our government stands up strong for the rights of sexual assault victims, and I support all neccesary steps to curbing sexual assault. I was one of the first people to call for the recall of Judge Aaron Persky, whose awful verdict allowed rapist Brock Turner to get away with the heinous assault he committed with a light sentence. Rep. Anna Eshoo, on the other hand, opposed the recall of Aaron Perksy. Furthermore, she voted against HR 1960 in 2013 which makes it easier to punish sexual assaulters in the military, and provides for protection and counseling for assault victims. These positions are a step in the wrong direction for gender equality.

YOUTH AND SENIORS

Youth Empowerment

Find my education policy here. Youth empowerment is one of my top priorities. I have faith in our youth and have led strong efforts to empower the next generation. It’s important to give the bright young minds of today a steady platform to explore new opportunities and find their voices.

My policy agenda for the youth includes protecting them from the negative effects of social media, preserving their privacy and, as part of the accountability, evaluate Section 230 that protects platforms from lawsuits related to third-party content. Today, the social media platforms have become a mental health issue for teenagers. I will push for features within these applications that include ’take-a-break’ or conduct research on the ways teenagers interact or get influenced with the social media platforms and even asking for access to algorithms, and the negative impact of such algorithms that expose our teenagers to the wrong kind of influence. More eyeballs, more dollars - does not ensure the physical and emotional health of teenagers.

I launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, training, educating and empowering thousands of disadvantaged students. By teaming up with San Jose's Mayor Sam Liccardo, we were able to implement this pathway to empowerment and learning through STEM in many low-income areas of San Jose. I have also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years to teach robotic design and programming. As a member of the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative, we rolled out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California, to go-live in 2022. If we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family's income level, we can begin to level the playing field in many disadvantaged communities.

As your Congressman, I will work to make education available for the masses - especially for our youth from disadvantaged communities. I support the expansion of early childhood education programs to give the best possible start to all children. My education plan includes vocational programs and innovation centers of excellence funded by the public sector.

My summer internship program for students is in its 6th year and has already empowered hundreds of Bay Area students. Our program allows students to dive deeper into the realm of politics and explore fulfilling community work, while discovering a path for leadership.

As your congressman, I will go beyond surface-level photo ops and enact real change for our youth. I will push efforts across the nation to empower the next generation. Youth across America should discover a dynamic path to success via real opportunities.

Senior Citizens & Ageism in the Workforce

Find my senior policy statement here.

As a city councilmember, I voted in favor of Saratoga’s designation as an “Age Friendly City.” I raised much needed for the Saratoga Senior Center by launching a Saratoga’s got Talent Annual competition, that brought the youth together to help our seniors. I will continue to support our seniors in Congress. I will adopt a long-term-care policy to address the largest unfunded need of the Baby Boom Generation as they age. I will roll out federal policies and programs through the lens of combating against ageism to prevent age-based discrimination in the workplace. I will support updating the Family and Medical Leave Act to allow benefits to help those caring for an older relative.

CA FIRES & CLIMATE CHANGE

Here is my policy overview on climate change.

Here is my policy overview on prevention of California fires.

Watch the 2020 debate - on the climate change topic

In 2020 - Four million acres, 112 million tons of greenhouse gases, thousands of lightning strikes, 11 million gallons of fire retardant. And 31 lost lives, with more than 100,000 having to evacuate from their homes. This is an exponential increase compared to 2019 when ~100,000 acres burned down in California. Many urban communities today are feeling the threat of evacuation and fire. Our droughts and dry conditions have exacerbated the problem.

Watch the 2020 debate - on the climate change topic

Recently, we have seen rollbacks on environmental measures in the United States, and restrictive climate policies weakened around the globe. Now more than ever, we need the Green New Deal. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time. The science is clear: global temperatures continue to rise, and the world is already experiencing more intense hurricanes, deadly heat waves, wildfires, and droughts. We must take a three-pronged approach to the battle against climate change:

Mitigate: We must find ways to reduce the effects of human activities on the environment by seeking cleaner, more efficient energy sources for our homes and businesses. As your Congressman, I will encourage government investment in renewable energy infrastructure and promote energy-efficient manufacturing in business. My high-speed transportation vision for the Silicon Valley Megaregion will provide an eco-friendly alternative to driving, reducing pollution and traffic congestion in the greater Bay Area.
Restore: We must take steps to protect and revitalize green spaces in our community and around the nation. Forests and wetlands not only clean our air and water, but they also provide the most cost-effective solution to quell rising temperatures. To avoid these excessive future expenses, we must act now to restore and protect nature within our communities. A mature tree planted on the south side of a building can reduce cooling and heating costs by 10 to 30%, as well as absorb carbon emissions and provide aesthetic beauty. Planting trees is good, but rather slow climate action. We need to explore rapid and quick acting technology options to restore a livable climate as described here. Planet earth cannot wait anymore.
Advance: We must promote the rise of sustainable clean energy: wind, solar, and biofuels. Silicon Valley is the technological leader of the world; collectively, we must devise bold solutions and lead the world on preventing climate change. We can create millions of jobs in the clean energy sector and bolster our economy, while simultaneously protecting our environment. As your representative, I will be a strong advocate for these changes in our district.

We can’t afford to wait — we must take immediate, bold action to limit the effects of climate change. The United States must lead the world in reaching net-zero emissions by 2035. We must promote and create jobs in a clean-energy economy and build green-energy infrastructure.. I am serious about protecting the environment and that is why I am a vegetarian practitioner with no meat or eggs in my diet. Clean air and water is a basic necessity for all living things. We owe it to our children to take care of our planet.

Open Space

I am committed to being an advocate for California’s natural open spaces and to preserving and protecting our native wildlife. I am against the development of the Cargill Salt Water site property, which was once underwater and part of San Francisco Bay a century ago before it was diked for salt-making. The Stanford development project demands caution, and we have to address mitigation plans with traffic and housing. As a councilmember of Saratoga, I stood firm against a potential 300-room hotel mega development project on a hillside in a high fire hazard zone that would have also disrupted wildlife and vegetation and the very future of our community. The project was ultimately defeated. I was in support of 65 acres of open space preservation with the ribbon cutting of the newest park in Saratoga - the Quarry Park. Read my views on the Los Gatos North 40 project here.

I believe that we need managed housing growth in Silicon Valley. I am not in favor of policies like Senate Bill 50 or Senate Bill 35, which preempt local control for housing developments. There have been cases in Silicon Valley where development was planned on hillsides and a high fire risk zone. This will not only put our environment in jeopardy, the wildlife but also our people. The Mega Silicon Valley vision plan, “21 Counties in 21 Minutes” is a better approach to solve Silicon Valley’s housing and traffic challenges, while preserving our quality of life allowing for economic expansion.

COVID-19 CHALLENGES

Here you will find the details of my pandemic policy

Here is our Covid-19 info page, developed during the early days of the pandemic. Do not miss the newsletter which has a senior section, a family fun section, including online education links, even a shelter-in-place coding video archives.

Here are the video archives of “Reality Check with Rishi” - a daily video cast held between March 2020 - May 2020 Covid-19 has challenged America in unprecedented ways, and America desperately needs a new kind of patriot to address the complexities of a post-Covid-19 world. By bringing problem-solving and a people-centric mindset to Congress, I will advocate for the everyday American and ensure no one is left behind in this new reality that is emerging.

Here is my plan:

Pro-Future: I will invest in housing, transportation, health-care (with Medicare for All), and combating climate change with a GND. I will bring a new data-driven technologically-literate mindset to problem solving.

Pro-Economy: I will prioritize growing Silicon Valley’s vibrant economy, creating jobs and opportunities in the post-Covid-19 world. I will develop a self-reliant supply chain, bring manufacturing back, protect American intellectual property, and reduce our dependency on China.

Pro-You: America’s pandemic response was a colossal failure and I will ensure that it never happens again. I support a new way forward that avoids necessary partisanship and prioritizes common sense solutions, so that we are always making decisions for the future success of America and our citizens. I will chart a course for a future even more glorious than our past.

IMMIGRATION

Immigrants are the strength of this country. It sickens me to see the human rights violations committed against them at the border, the atrocities of detention camps, and the cruel separation of families that follows deportation. Hearing of unconsented medical procedures upon migrant women in ICE detention centers is shocking! I will do my very best to prevent such abominations from occurring in our country.

First and foremost, I will fight to protect immigrant rights in our justice system, and will help engrain them into our economy under an equitable and fair standing. To make immigration more effective, I will strive to address any ongoing issues with our H-1B visa program to restore it to its original intent, protecting all workers from systemic abuses by profit-driven companies, and increasing the pool of talented and high-skilled foreign workers that will further America’s economic success.

We also need to help immigrants take essential steps towards becoming permanent residents. Immigrants are beneficial both socially and economically to America; we need immigration visa reform, including HR 1044, that will increase opportunities for qualified individuals to achieve permanent residency and citizenship in a timely manner.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Rishi Kumar has a strong track record of speaking up for civil rights and defending disadvantaged and minority communities. The history of systemic racism is older than our nation, and it continues to manifest itself in modern day society.

“I believe in a diverse and pluralistic American society that follows the principles of the First Amendment. I believe that the multi-cultural melting pot makes America stronger, successful, and vibrant. I will strongly oppose any form of hate against any group including LGBTQ and Black Lives. My policies in Congress will be driven by the philosophy that every group strengthens and improves our society. I will always work hard to protect our disadvantaged and discriminated community.

As your Congressman, I will work to ensure that the United States remains cohesive and our diversity of thoughts leads to unity and not division. My upbringing as a Hindu follows the Gandhian “Hinduism is a philosophy of life”, and the all-inclusive Vasudaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one connected family) approach. Leading with the ‘One Connected Family’ as my guiding principle, I have worked very hard to make Saratoga a strong, close-knit, and collaborative community that brings all our neighbors together to elevate the happiness index of Saratoga while collaborating to solve some of the toughest challenges. I follow the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, respecting and embracing differences, and nonviolent conflict resolution - both as a creed and strategy. My upbringing was as a Hindu, my K-12 education was in a Jesuit school and I regularly visited the church on campus, while also visiting mosques, synagogues and gurudwaras with an openness based on the accepting culture of Bombay where I grew up.

I strongly oppose any form of hate against any group, religions, or communities. I am against phobia such as ChristoPhobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Sikhphobia, Hispanophobia, or Hinduphobia. My policies in Congress will be driven by the philosophy that every group and religious entity strengthens and improves our society.”

WATER INFRASTRUCTURE

As a council member of Saratoga, I led the Water Oversight Committee efforts to combat the San Jose Water Company from unnecessary rate increases - find the summary here. As your congressman, I will continue to protect the people of Silicon Valley from artificially high water rates. We must build a future plan to address the growing population needs of the Bay Area. An infrastructure plan has to be in place.

Click here to get a summary of Rishi’s efforts to push back on San Jose Water Company’s rate increases

California’s water problem fix

Rishi Kumar is committed to address the water challenges of California, particularly Silicon Valley. It is very important that Silicon Valley has a sustainable urban community given that the American economy hinges upon Silicon Valley’s success

Currently, California lacks the tools to enforce sturdy oversight and management over the use of water. Many of the submitted plans ever since the introduction of the 1983 Urban Water Management Planning Act have neglected the importance of supply and demand. Their approach also lacks incentives for conservation. Regulation should be as narrowly tailored as possible as centralized water policies can easily overlook the intricate, regionalized needs of the state. Submitting plans to the California Department of Water Resources should be required instead of voluntary. The plans should permit “local entities to control extractions from the groundwater basin.” This will help us directly tackle the continuous droughts that affect the safety of Californians. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, we must implement “water adequacy screening for new development” which would ensure housing growth simultaneously. For long-term water planning, we must implement sustainable policies and look to new sources of water supply such as “underground storage, recycling, and desalination.” We must also improve California’s groundwater management as some parts of the state struggle with full groundwater utilization, leading to problems of overdraft (averaging between 1 and 2 million acre-feet per year, according to the Water Education Foundation) that are associated with higher energy costs, toxicity, and land subsidence. This can be accomplished by reauthorizing the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in order to distinguish between surface water and private property rights as well as to require details about how much water an individual can pump.

Potential Projects

Here are the projects that I am advocating for on behalf of the future sustainability of Silicon Valley

Finish retrofitting and expand capacity of the Anderson Dam
Expand Los Vaqueros Reservoir under Contra Costa Water District’s Proposal
Expand Pachecho Reservoir from 5,500 to 140,000 acre feet
Accelerate the Temperance Flat Project on the San Joaquin River
California should reignite project discussions regarding the damming of rivers, which would result in more than 1,000 reservoirs. California should re-evaluate the benefits of boosting water flows for fish and creating recreational opportunities such as boating
Call for the active collaboration of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Santa Clara Valley Water District, and East Bay Municipal Utility District to come up with a master plan to ensure the future sustainability of Silicon Valley
Push the Santa Clara Valley Water district to build a new Pacheco Pass reservoir in collaboration with the San Benito County Water District

QUALITY OF LIFE

The quality of life in the Bay Area is uniquely impacted by issues such as increasing water rates, rising crime, growing traffic congestion, raging fires, lack of fire insurance, and unaffordable housing with growing homelessness. Many of our communities still face the challenge of accessibility to the internet as an education, innovation tool and even as a citizen safety requirement. Broadband needs to become a utility, as it is a critical tool for getting ahead in the 21st century and for America’s position as a global power. We also need to address our challenges with air traffic noise and preserve our beautiful, natural open spaces. I have a clearly proven track record as an elected leader in lowering crime rates and halting the increasing water bills. As your Representative, I will address these quality of life issues and more, championing Silicon Valley’s cause in Washington. Silicon Valley is the 19th largest economy of the world and our very future hinges upon addressing these challenges and the future sustainability of our innovation economy.

Read the Tale of Two Candidates to see the contrast between Rishi Kumar’s and Rep. Eshoo’s policies.

Wellness and Happiness

America’s work-driven culture has led us to become a nation that rarely has time for rest, and stressful work conditions are taking a toll upon our people. Here in Silicon Valley, it has become increasingly difficult to strike a healthy work/life balance. In order to combat the negative impacts of high-stress levels on our health, I will work toward incorporating policies to encourage healthier stress-free living that includes boosting our arts - ensuring that artists, musicians will find a place in our economy. My programs will include promoting cooperation and collaboration amongst our fellow citizens with mutual respect and trust. We should make it easier for Americans to make healthy choices in life and prevent unhealthy products from harming American lives. I have pushed to prevent products like Roundup weed killer from being sprayed in our parks. We must ban toxins masked as food products and promote truthful labeling on our produce, in order for Americans to make informed, healthier choices for them and their families.^[4]

”

—Rishi Kumar's campaign website (2022)^[6]^[7]

2020

Note: Kumar submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on October 21, 2020. Note: Kumar submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on February 18, 2020. Note: Kumar submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on January 2, 2020

Campaign finance summary

Ballotpedia Logo Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Rishi Kumar campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House California District 16	Lost primary	$318,179	$315,757
2022	U.S. House California District 16	Lost general	$747,661	$752,584
2020	U.S. House California District 18	Lost general	$777,037	$697,543
Grand total			$1,842,877	$1,765,885
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Kumar lives in Saratoga, California with his wife, Seema, and two children.^[8]

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

U.S. House California District 16

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 2, 2019
↑ Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, "About Rishi Kumar," accessed May 16, 2022
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2022
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Rishi Kumar, “Priorities,” accessed February 12, 2024
↑ Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, “Priorities,” accessed May 10, 2022
↑ Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, “Priorities: Pro-Choice,” accessed September 13, 2022
↑ Megan Brown, "Email communication with Megan Brown," September 3, 2020

[show]

California's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Alex Padilla (D)

Adam Schiff (D)

Representatives

District 1

Doug LaMalfa (R)

District 2

Jared Huffman (D)

District 3

Kevin Kiley (R)

District 4

Mike Thompson (D)

District 5

Tom McClintock (R)

District 6

Ami Bera (D)

District 7

Doris Matsui (D)

District 8

John Garamendi (D)

District 9

Josh Harder (D)

District 10

Mark DeSaulnier (D)

District 11

Nancy Pelosi (D)

District 12

Lateefah Simon (D)

District 13

Adam Gray (D)

District 14

Eric Swalwell (D)

District 15

Kevin Mullin (D)

District 16

Sam Liccardo (D)

District 17

Ro Khanna (D)

District 18

Zoe Lofgren (D)

District 19

Jimmy Panetta (D)

District 20

Vince Fong (R)

District 21

Jim Costa (D)

District 22

David Valadao (R)

District 23

Jay Obernolte (R)

District 24

Salud Carbajal (D)

District 25

Raul Ruiz (D)

District 26

Julia Brownley (D)

District 27

George Whitesides (D)

District 28

Judy Chu (D)

District 29

Luz Rivas (D)

District 30

Laura Friedman (D)

District 31

Gil Cisneros (D)

District 32

Brad Sherman (D)

District 33

Pete Aguilar (D)

District 34

Jimmy Gomez (D)

District 35

Norma Torres (D)

District 36

Ted Lieu (D)

District 37

Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D)

District 38

Linda Sánchez (D)

District 39

Mark Takano (D)

District 40

Young Kim (R)

District 41

Ken Calvert (R)

District 42

Robert Garcia (D)

District 43

Maxine Waters (D)

District 44

Nanette Barragán (D)

District 45

Derek Tran (D)

District 46

Lou Correa (D)

District 47

Dave Min (D)

District 48

Darrell Issa (R)

District 49

Mike Levin (D)

District 50

Scott Peters (D)

District 51

Sara Jacobs (D)

District 52

Juan Vargas (D)

Democratic Party (45)

Republican Party (9)

[bio-1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 2, 2019

[bio2-2] Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, "About Rishi Kumar," accessed May 16, 2022

[3] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2022

[quotedisclaimer-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[5] Rishi Kumar, “Priorities,” accessed February 12, 2024

[6] Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, “Priorities,” accessed May 10, 2022

[7] Rishi Kumar for Congress 2022, “Priorities: Pro-Choice,” accessed September 13, 2022

[8] Megan Brown, "Email communication with Megan Brown," September 3, 2020

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Rishi Kumar

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 16

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 16

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 18

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 18

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign website

2022

Video for Ballotpedia

Campaign website

2020

Campaign finance summary

Personal

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