Reelect Congressional Representative Ro Khanna to keep CD-17 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Khanna’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-17 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Khanna has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Sierra Club, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood, as well as publications like the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and the Oakland Tribune, and labor unions, like the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United, California Labor Federation, and SEIU. He is also endorsed by federal, state, and local elected officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Padilla, and many mayors, city councilmembers, and school board members.
Top issues: Rep. Khanna is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for more green jobs. He has also paid special attention to digital security and modernization.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Khanna’s priorities for CD-17 have included 26 bills about taxing corporations, technological innovation, public health, 21st century jobs, and labor conditions. Of these, two have successfully been passed by the House. He has sponsored and passed legislation to improve accessibility and user experience on government websites and to create digital “centers for excellence” to guide cyber-security decisions in federal IT systems.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Khanna currently sits on three committees, including the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, he chairs the subcommittee on the Environment.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Khanna has served in this congressional seat since 2016, when he was elected with over 60% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 43 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Khanna served in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Commerce and as an attorney. He is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for investment in green jobs and digital infrastructure. He has also worked to increase and transform manufacturing jobs. In the House, he has been dedicated to digital security and modernization. He was tapped by Speaker Pelosi to draft an Internet Bill of Rights, which described the rights that digital citizens should have in terms of privacy, access, and equity online.
Other background: Rep. Ro Khanna, a former lawyer, university lecturer, and member of President Obama’s cabinet, is from Philadelphia, PA, and now lives in Fremont, CA. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, and then earned a law degree from Yale University.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Ro Khanna (D), 66%; Ritesh Tandon (R), 25%; Stephen Forbes (D), 5%; and Rao Ravul (D), 2%. Rep. Khanna and Tandon will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Khanna’s campaign has raised $5,095,722 and is not funded by the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or police money. He has accepted donations from corporate PACs, including from prolific polluters like United Airlines.
Opposing candidate: Republican Ritesh Tandon
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Tandon’s campaign has raised $38,597.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 17th Congressional District includes parts of Santa Clara and Alameda Counties.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 15% Republican, and 31% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since 1990. Since the 2021 redistricting process, CD-17 is largely unchanged, just half a percent more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 15% Latino, 47% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: CD-17 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 48 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Reelect Congressional Representative Ro Khanna to keep CD-17 on the right track for progress.
Rep. Khanna’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-17 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rep. Khanna has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Sierra Club, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood, as well as publications like the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and the Oakland Tribune, and labor unions, like the California Nurses Association, National Nurses United, California Labor Federation, and SEIU. He is also endorsed by federal, state, and local elected officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Padilla, and many mayors, city councilmembers, and school board members.
Top issues: Rep. Khanna is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for more green jobs. He has also paid special attention to digital security and modernization.
Priority bills: This year, Rep. Khanna’s priorities for CD-17 have included 26 bills about taxing corporations, technological innovation, public health, 21st century jobs, and labor conditions. Of these, two have successfully been passed by the House. He has sponsored and passed legislation to improve accessibility and user experience on government websites and to create digital “centers for excellence” to guide cyber-security decisions in federal IT systems.
Member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?: Yes
Committee leadership/membership: Rep. Khanna currently sits on three committees, including the Committees on Agriculture, Armed Services, and Oversight and Reform. On the Oversight and Reform Committee, he chairs the subcommittee on the Environment.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Khanna has served in this congressional seat since 2016, when he was elected with over 60% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 43 points.
Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Khanna served in the Obama administration as deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Commerce and as an attorney. He is a longtime supporter of labor and environmental causes, and advocates for investment in green jobs and digital infrastructure. He has also worked to increase and transform manufacturing jobs. In the House, he has been dedicated to digital security and modernization. He was tapped by Speaker Pelosi to draft an Internet Bill of Rights, which described the rights that digital citizens should have in terms of privacy, access, and equity online.
Other background: Rep. Ro Khanna, a former lawyer, university lecturer, and member of President Obama’s cabinet, is from Philadelphia, PA, and now lives in Fremont, CA. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago, and then earned a law degree from Yale University.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Ro Khanna (D), 66%; Ritesh Tandon (R), 25%; Stephen Forbes (D), 5%; and Rao Ravul (D), 2%. Rep. Khanna and Tandon will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Khanna’s campaign has raised $5,095,722 and is not funded by the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or police money. He has accepted donations from corporate PACs, including from prolific polluters like United Airlines.
Opposing candidate: Republican Ritesh Tandon
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Tandon’s campaign has raised $38,597.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 17th Congressional District includes parts of Santa Clara and Alameda Counties.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 15% Republican, and 31% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since 1990. Since the 2021 redistricting process, CD-17 is largely unchanged, just half a percent more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 15% Latino, 47% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: CD-17 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 48 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.