Reelect Congressional Representative Jimmy Panetta to keep CD-19 on the right track for progress.

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.

The District

California’s 19th Congressional District includes parts of Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties. Republicans held this district until 2012, when Rep. Zoe Lofgren won and flipped CD-19 from red to blue. Of the registered voters in this district, 22% are Republican and 49% are Democrat, and the district’s demographic breakdown is 17% Latino, 17% Asian, and 3% Black. After the 2021 redistricting process, CD-19 is 10% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle. The most recent election results show that CD-19 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 40 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 33 points.

The Race

There are four candidates running for this seat, including Democrat Incumbent Representative Jimmy Panetta, Democrat Douglas Deitch, Republican Dalila Epperson, and Republican Jeff Gorman. Rep. Panetta’s campaign has raised $1.1 million, and is not funded by police or real estate money. He has received donations from fossil fuel and corporate PAC interests. Epperson’s campaign has raised $5,000, and is entirely funded by individual donors. Gorman’s campaign has raised $10,000, and is entirely funded by individual donors. Deitch has not recorded any fundraising receipts with the FEC.

The Recommendation

Rep. Panetta, a Navy veteran and attorney, grew up on California’s central coast. According to campaign materials, he is running for reelection to continue to promote and advance opportunities for California families, particularly in their economic recovery from COVID-19. Prior to redistricting, Rep. Panetta represented CD-20, and won his 2020 reelection against republican Jeff Gorman by 54 points.

Rep. Panetta’s priorities for his current district, CD-20, this year have included 35 bills about tax reform, military and national security, and public lands. Nearly all of these are in committee or referred to committee. He currently serves on three committees: Ways and Means, Agriculture, and Armed Services. Rep. Panetta also serves as the Chief Deputy Whip in the House. This year, Rep. Panetta has voted 100% of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 94% of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He supported the Bioeconomy Research & Development Act, the INVEST in America Act, and the Libya Stabilization Act, which Rep. Ocasio-Cortez opposed.

Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. Panetta spent his early career as a prosecutor in the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. After the start of the Iraq War, he enlisted with the United States Navy, and was deployed to active duty in Afghanistan. He is a longtime supporter of establishing robust veteran services, and has been outspoken in his advocacy for health services and research for this population. He is also a strong voice for continued environmental protections and preservation in coastal regions of the state.

Rep. Panetta is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He has the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups in the district, including League of Conservation Voters, California Environmental Voters, and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. He has also received the endorsement of Senator Alex Padilla, Rep. Ro Khanna, Assm. Ash Kalra, and Assm. Alex Lee. Rep. Panetta has received donations from a variety of problematic organizations, including Sempra Energy, Edison International, the Boeing Company, and defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Despite this, our analysis shows that Rep. Panetta’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive champion for the constituents of CD-19 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.