NARAL Pro-Choice California Endorsements

Representative Doris Matsui was born in the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona; her parents had been forced from their homes in the Central Valley and met in the camp. Her family relocated back to the Central Valley, where Matsui was raised. She attended the University of California at Berkeley, where she met her husband, the late Congressman Bob Matsui. After his unexpected passing in 2005, she ran for his seat in a special election, which was then California’s 5th District, and won. The 2010 redistricting shifted her to the present 6th District; regardless, she has won every election since by comfortable margins.

Matsui serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and four subcommittees. Matsui has long campaigned on improving education, supporting green and renewable energies, and expanding access to healthcare. She has criticized the Trump administrations’ attacks on the EPA, and California's own efforts to combat air pollution and maintain CAFE standards. She supports tax incentives for clean energy, including loans for homeowners to retrofit homes and grants to modernize electrical grids.

She is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, and has fought for comprehensive mental health reforms. In 2014, she sponsored and helped pass helped the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which funded community behavioral health clinics in pilot states.

Matsui has also become increasingly outspoken against the Trump administration's fear mongering, and discriminatory immigration and detention policies. After visiting a detention processing center in McAllen, Texas, the Congresswoman wrote an op-ed stating she was “sickened” by the conditions, and called for “wholesale reform” that includes investment in Central American nations, ending the separation of families at the border, and ending the role of private prisons at the border.

Rep. Matsui is challenged by Benjamin Emrad (D), Chris Bish (R), and Sherwood Ellsworthy Haisty, Jr. (R). Matsui stands out as the best progressive choice because of her commitment to progressive values and vision for a healthier, more just and vibrant future.

According to our analysis, Matsui is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
 

Rep. Josh Harder lives in his hometown of Turlock, CA. He is the incumbent, having beat the sitting republican in a tight race in 2018, which helped Democrats to win back control of Congress. According to campaign materials, Harder is running for re-election to protect access to health care, create good-paying jobs, reform our broken immigration system, and to secure and grow his area’s water supply.

In Congress, Rep. Harder has advocated for the needs of the agriculture industry by addressing issues of climate change, and has fought to support California’s farmers. Rep. Harder currently sits on the House Committees on Education and Labor, as well as the Agriculture Committee. Prior to serving in congress, Harder was a business professor at Modesto Junior College. Harder has also passed on his small business knowledge to developing economies through volunteer efforts. While working at Boston Consulting Group, he took a leave of absence to help small farmers in Kenya and Uganda organize for economic cooperation and development.

Rep. Harder is running against Michael “Mike” Barkley (D), Ryan Blevins (D), Bob Elliot (R), Maria Sousa Livengood (R), and Ted Howze (R). According to recent election results, it's difficult for Democrats to win this seat as Rep. Harder did in 2018. His strong progressive track record as well as his recent win in a recently flipped district make him the strongest choice in this race.
 

Congressional Representative and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and is the daughter of Baltimore Democratic Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. She is the incumbent, having represented District 12 in Congress since 1987. She first moved to San Francisco in 1969 and started a Democratic Party club at her home. When she entered politics, it was originally behind the scenes as a fundraiser and recruiter of Democratic candidates. It wasn’t until she turned 47, after her youngest child had left for college, that she ran for office herself in 1987, raising $1 million in seven weeks to win a special election and her first term representing District 12. 

In representing the needs and interests of the 12th Congressional District, Speaker Pelosi has been able to advance policy priorities that have pushed the country in a strongly progressive direction. Speaker Pelosi played a large role in resetting the agenda on LGBTQ+ rights and the AIDS crisis during a time when both were vilified in the national debate. Speaker Pelosi also played a major role in architecting the landmark assault weapons ban that passed in 1994 and was in effect until it expired in 2004. 

Speaker Pelosi is the 52nd Speaker of the House of Representatives. She is the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House and is in her third term in this position. 

Notable legislation passed during her speakership includes the Affordable Care Act -- which she is credited with saving as it appeared to be falling apart in 2009-10 -- the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act. Speaker Pelosi will be remembered for her achievements in breaking down gender barriers on Capitol Hill and paving the way for women leaders to enter negotiations at every level in government.

As she manages her ideologically diverse Democratic caucus in the House, progressives have advanced many substantive, thoughtful critiques of Speaker Pelosi’s leadership. These include her slowness to embrace the impeachment of Donald Trump, her support for impeachment only on the narrowest of grounds, her lack of support for a Green New Deal (or any other proposal) to avoid climate armageddon, and her choice of leadership at the DCCC -- which has actively tried to protect incumbent Democrats from progressive challengers, no matter how abhorrent their records.

Speaker Pelosi is being challenged by Agatha Bacelar (D), Shahid Buttar (D), Tom Gallagher (D), John Dennis (R), and DeAnna Lorraine (R). Ideologically speaking, her Democratic challengers have stronger progressive positions, particularly Shahid Buttar (a self-identified democratic socialist) who has emerged at Pelosi’s most prominent challenger. While we are not recommending Buttar in this guide, we appreciate that he is pushing Speaker Pelosi to be bolder. Perhaps Buttar will succeed Pelosi in 2022, as there have been numerous reports that Speaker Pelosi plans to step down soon.

According to our analysis, despite progressive critiques with which we agree, Speaker Pelosi deserves your vote in 2020 as the strongest choice to maintain Democratic momentum and make real progressive change under a Democratic president in 2021.
 

Representative Lee is from El Paso, TX, and moved to California in 1960. She is the incumbent, having served in Congress since 2013. According to campaign literature, Rep. Lee is running for re-election to continue her fight for everyone’s equal rights and to be the advocate her district needs in Congress.

In Congress, Rep. Lee has advanced initiatives to address issues of poverty and inequality. She was also one of the leading voices of opposition against the authorization for the use of military force following September 11th. Rep. Lee currently sits on the House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on the Budget. Prior to Rep. Lee’s election to Congress, she served in the California State Assembly and State Senate, where she authored over 60 pieces of legislation on issues pertaining to public safety, access to affordable and quality education, LGBT rights, environmental protections, and criminal justice reform.

Rep. Lee is running against Nikka Pitterman (R). Rep. Lee is the best progressive choice because of her legislative track record and her continued efforts to fight for equality for all.

According to our analysis, Rep. Lee is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.

Jackie Speier was born and raised in San Francisco. She has been a lifelong public servant, having first been elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 1980. She won a special primary election for the 14th Congressional District on April 8, 2008 and has run on platforms advocating for gender equity, gun violence prevention, and LGBTQ equality.

Speier began her political career as a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan. While a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan, Speier went on a fact finding mission to investigate the Jonestown settlement, where she sustained five gunshot wounds during the massacre. She has co-sponsored and supported numerous pieces of legislation on gun violence prevention in her time in office since.

Speier has long fought for women’s rights as well as LGBTQ equality. She supports adding LGBTQ protections to ENDA, Title IX protections, gender pay equity, the Equal Rights Amendment, the #MeToo movement, and abortion protections. She has opposed discrimination on the basis of religious protection, and Trump’s Transgender Military Service Ban.

In Congress, Speier also helped secure funding for the district’s CalTrain services, and been active on legislation to address climate change. She supports the Green New Deal and policies to develop renewable energies and make them more accessible.

Jackie Speier is being challenged by Cristos Goodrow (D), Ran S. Petel (R), and Eric Taylor (NPP). Based on our analysis, Speier has consistently been a strong progressive voice in Congress and is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.

Rep. Eshoo was born in Connecticut, and moved to California after high school. She is the incumbent, having served in Congress since 1993; after the 2012 redistricting the district was renumbered from the 14th to the 18th. Her campaign materials highlight her commitment to gun violence prevention, taking action on climate change, protecting the Affordable Care Act, ensuring net neutrality, as well as immigration reform.

In Congress Eshoo has worked to pass legislation to protect individuals with pre-existing conditions, lower prescription drug prices, and authored an op-ed with Rep. Adam Schiff on the need to reduce American dependence on drugs produced overseas. She supports universal healthcare, but has stopped short of supporting Medicare for All, citing concerns about how it would be funded. She has opposed Trump’s immigration policies, including the Muslim ban, detention centers, the border wall, separating families at the border and making it harder for immigrants to obtain public services, like food stamps. She has fought to protect net neutrality, end robocalls, and worked with Rep. Lofgren on new data and privacy protections.

Eshoo is being challenged by Rishi Kumar (D), Bob Goodwyn (L), Richard Fox (R), and Phil Reynolds (R). According to our analysis, Eshoo is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.
 

Representative Salud Carbajal, a veteran, was born in Mexico and emigrated as a child with his family to Arizona and later Oxnard, CA. After high school, Carbajal attended the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) and went on to obtain his Master's Degree in Organizational Management from the Fielding University. Carbajal spent eight years in the United States Marine Corps, including active duty during the 1991 Gulf War.

Carbajal was elected to the 24th District in 2017 after serving on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors for 12 years. According to campaign materials, he is running for reelection on a platform that promotes a robust Central Coast through investments in infrastructure and housing, renewable energy and environmental protections, and workforce development.

Salud serves on the House Committee on Armed Services, the House Committee on Agriculture, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where he was elected to serve as the Vice Chair. As part of his commitment to renewable energy, Salud’s first act in Congress was to introduce the California Clean Coast Act, which would ban future offshore oil and gas drilling on California’s coast. He also secured $1 million for the Santa Barbara Veterans Treatment Courts and has introduced legislation to combat veteran homelessness.

Representative Carbajal is being challenged by Andy Caldwell (R), a conservative radio host, and Kenneth Young (NPP). Based on our analysis, Rep. Salud Carbajal has consistently demonstrated a commitment to progressive issues, from protecting the environment to ensuring DACA protections remain in place.

According to our analysis, Rep. Carbajal is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in this district.
 

Representative Judy Chu was born in Los Angeles and has lived in Monterey Park, CA, for over 33 years. She is the incumbent, having served in Congress since 2009. According to campaign materials, Rep. Chu is running for congress to continue her fight for progress in the San Gabriel Valley.

In Congress, Rep. Chu has worked with the Department of Defense to address military hazing, pushed to successfully declare the San Gabriel Mountains a national monument, and has established two Small Business Development Centers that have helped spur local economic growth. Rep. Chu currently sits on the House Committees on Ways and Means, Small Businesses, as well as sits on two subcommittees, and is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus. Prior to her election to Congress, Rep. Chu served on the Garvey School District School Board, Monterey Park City Council, and in the State Assembly.

Rep. Chu is challenged by Beatrice Cardenas (R), Johnny J. Nalbandian (R), and Christian Daly (NPP). According to recent election results, Democrats usually win this seat. Rep. Chu is the best progressive choice because of her track record of fighting for progress for the San Gabriel Valley and her pledge to continue to do so.
 

Representative Karen Bass is from Los Angeles. She is the incumbent, having served in Congress since 2011. According to campaign materials, she is running for re-election to continue to play a leading role in protecting voting rights, healthcare, jobs, education, criminal justice reform, and standing up to the Trump Administration.

In Congress, she has worked to protect peoples’ voting rights, access to healthcare, jobs, quality education, and to hold those in power accountable. She has also advanced progressive policies and instituted initiatives to help Congress better serve the people. Bass developed the Congressional Council, which provides her constituents with the ability to learn about issues in Congress and how they can become involved in the legislative process. Rep. Bass currently sits on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee, and serves as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Prior to her election to Congress, she served in the State Assembly as the Speaker.

Rep. Bass is being challenged by Errol Webber (R) and Larry Thompson (NPP). Rep. Bass is the best progressive choice because of her proven track record of making government work better for the people it serves.

According to our analysis, Rep. Bass is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.

Representative Gil Cisneros, a veteran, is from Los Angeles. He is the incumbent, having served in Congress since 2019. According to campaign materials, Rep. Cisneros is running for re-election to ensure future generations have the same opportunities that were available to him through the Navy.  

In Congress, Rep. Cisneros has advocated for quality education, stood up to the insurance and pharmaceutical industry to address high healthcare costs, and worked to bring good-paying jobs to his district. He currently sits on the House Committee on Armed Services and the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Prior to his election to Congress, he served in the United States Navy and was an education advocate. 

Rep. Cisneros has progressive education and economic positions. That said, while we have concerns about some votes, like his vote against an amendment that would have allocated $5 million to combat vaccine misinformation.  

Rep. Cisneros is being challenged by Young Kim (R) and Steve Cox (NPP).  Though we do not agree with all of Rep. Cisneros’s votes, his community support and relationships with progressive partners, his progressive votes on healthcare and other issues make him a strong choice in this race.
 

Representative Katie Porter is from Fort Dodge, IA, and now resides in Irvine, CA. She is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2019. According to campaign materials, she is running for re-election to hold Republicans and their special interests in Washington accountable.

In Congress, Rep. Porter has played an instrumental role in advancing reforms that have helped American families have a fair economic opportunity by helping pass legislation to fight against abusive credit card fees. Towards the end of 2019, she gained a position on the Committee on Oversight and Reform due to her expert questioning style in Congressional hearings. She also sits on the Committee on Financial Services where she serves on the Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions, as well as the Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets subcommittees. Prior to Rep. Porter’s election to Congress, she was a law professor at UC Irvine and a consumer rights advocate, where she defended working families against predatory banking practices.

Rep. Porter is running against Greg Raths (R), Don Sedwick (R), Lisa Sparks, Rhonda Furin (R), Christopher J. Gonzales (R), Peggy Huang (R). According to recent election results, it's rare that Democrats win this seat. Porter's ability to flip this seat, her pledge to always put working-class families first, and her relationships with progressive partners, help to build progressive momentum and makes her the strong choice in this race. 

Rep. Harley Rouda has lived in California since 2007 and is a resident of Laguna Beach. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2019. According to campaign materials, Rep. Rouda is running for re-election to be a Congressional representative who is accessible and unifying, and to provide leadership that is puts country over party and service above self.

In Congress, Rep. Rouda has authored legislation to protect vulnerable coastal communities impacted by the climate crisis, ensure fair lending to LGBTQ-owned businesses, and to hold manufacturing polluters accountable for water contamination. He currently serves as Chair of the Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on Environment. Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Rouda worked as a lawyer and was an active supporter of Orange County charities working to address issues including domestic violence and homelessness.

Rep. Rouda is being challenged by John Thomas Schuesler (R), Michelle Steel (R), Richard Mata (AI), Brian Burley (R), and James Brian Griffin (R). According to recent election results, it's rare that Democrats wins this seat, as Rep. Rouda did in 2018. In fact, he is the first Democrat to win since the district was created in 1992.

Rep. Rouda’s track record of fighting for important environmental protections, his work to protect communities under attack, and his strong base in the district he managed to flip in 2018 make him the strongest choice for progressive leadership in this race.
 

Representative Mike Levin was raised in South Orange County and Los Angeles before moving away briefly for university and law school. He has returned to live in Orange County, where he currently represents District 49 in Congress.

Rep. Levin was elected to Congress in 2018 and he has been a champion on issues of sustainability and climate change. He is a member of the Natural Resources and Veterans Affairs Committees, as well as the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. He has sponsored legislation across a broad range of progressive issues, including electoral reforms, protection of voting rights, protection against discrimination, pay equity, and environmental protections. Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Levin was a bold advocate for clean energy and sustainability in Orange County, San Diego, and beyond.

Rep. Levin is being challenged by Brian Maryott (R), a conservative businessman and mayor of San Juan Capistrano. Rep. Levin stands out as a strong progressive voice in Congress who has had significant impact in his first term. According to recent election results, this has been a tough race for Democrats to win, as Levin did in 2018. His strong progressive track record and ability to keep this flipped district make him the strongest choice in this race.
 

Ammar Campa-Najjar was born and raised in San Diego. According to campaign materials he is running to represent District 50 in Congress to fight for real ethics and campaign finance reform, while protecting an individual’s right to personal health, safety, and economic dignity. 

Campa-Najjar has served in a White House position in the Executive Office of the President, at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and at the U.S. Department of Labor, where he led the Office of Public Affairs for the Employment and Training Administration. His first work experience was as a church janitor to help contribute to his family’s economic security. Through his professional experiences, Campa-Najjar has helped to promote the economic growth of more than 4 million Latinx-owned small businesses, expanded aid for farm workers, launched youth summer jobs programs, and advanced veteran employment opportunities. 

This is Campa-Najjar’s second attempt at running for Congressional District 50. In 2018, Campa-Najjar came in second, after what was widely described as an ugly, racist congressional campaign in which Campa-Najjar was smeared by Representative Duncan Hunter, as well as Hunter’s father, a former congressman. Rep. Hunter has since resigned after pleading guilty to conspiracy to misuse campaign funds.

Camapa-Najjar’s campaign has decent childcare, education, and campaign finance reform positions. That said, in this second attempt at running for Congressional District 50, Campa-Najjar has fallen short on advocating for large structural healthcare reform, has said that we would have abstained from voting on impeachment, and has even claimed that he will be a conservative voice for his district. 

Challengers include Brian Jones (R), Carl DeMaio (R), Darrell Issa (R), Helen Horvath (NPP), Henry Ota (NPP), Jose Cortes (Peace and Freedom), Lucinda Jahn (NPP), Marisa Calderon (D), and Nathan Wilkins (R). One notable challenger is former House Congressmember Republican Darrell Issa, who was in office from 2001 to 2019. While in office, Issa played a prominent role in GOP-led investigations of the Obama administration in his role as chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Rep. Issa is currently attracting attention for his troubling campaign advertising strategy, which has been criticized for attempting to use another challenger’s sexual orientation against him. 

According to recent election results, it's very challenging for a Democrat to win this district. Though we disagree with Campa-Najjar’s healthcare and impeachment stances, as well as his self-proclaimed conservative title, in this crowded field, Campa-Najjar stands out as the best choice because of his commitment to public service, his campaign’s comprehensive policy platform, and his proven ability to compete in his district.

According to our analysis, Ammar Campa-Najjar is the strongest choice for Congressional District 50 and deserves your vote.