San Francisco County

Representative Jared Huffman is from Independence, MO, and currently resides in San Rafael, CA. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2013. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election to continue to advocate for his district and advance initiatives that preserve the environment and address climate change.

In Congress, Rep. Huffman has represented his district well in their time of need. Following the fires in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, he successfully worked to secure federal disaster relief funds. Furthermore, he has led the fight for environmental preservations and restoration projects, such as defending the dam removal project to reduce greenhouse gases on Klamath River, and securing permanent protections for the Mendocino Coast’s Stornetta Public Lands National Monument. Rep. Huffman currently sits on the Natural Resources and Transportation Committee, the Infrastructure Committee, and serves as Chair on the Water, Oceans and Wildlife Subcommittee. Prior to Rep. Huffman’s election to Congress, he served in the California State Assembly where he implemented landmark water reforms and advanced other progressive pieces of legislation focused on the environment and incentivizing corporate social responsibility.

Rep. Huffman is being challenged by Rachel Moniz (D), Dale Mensing (R), Charles "Wally" Coppock (AI), and Melissa Bradley (G). Rep. Huffman is the best progressive choice because of his track record of solving issues critical to the district and his commitment to enacting legislation to address climate change.

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

Representative Mark DeSaulnier is from Lowell, MA, moved to California in the early 1970s and currently resides in Concord, CA. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2015. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election to continue to promote progressive values and work to create a more just and equal country.

In Congress, Rep. DeSaulnier has advanced initiatives to reform government, support labor, improve transportation, protect the environment, and improve public safety. He sits on the House Committees on Education and Labor, Oversight and Reform, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rules, as well as an additional six subcommittees. Prior to his election to Congress, Rep. DeSaulnier served on the Concord City Council, California State Assembly, and California State Senate, where he successfully worked to improve local roads and highways, address homeowner foreclosures, and fought against the abusive practices with prescription drugs.

Rep. DeSaulnier is being challenged by Michael Kerr (G) and Nisha Sharma (R). Rep. DeSaulnier is the best progressive choice because of his track record of consistently advocating for the needs of constituents.

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

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 Eric Swalwell was born in Sac City, Iowa, and moved to Dublin, California, where he attended middle and high school. Swalwell was first elected in 2012, defeating 20-term incumbent Democrat Pete Stark after California moved to a “top-two” primary. He has made gun violence prevention a central part of his campaign and has also campaigned on economic issues in support of workforce training, infrastructure investment, and student loan debt relief. 

As a college student, Rep. Swalwell interned for California Democrat Ellen Tauscher and went on to complete his law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law. After law school, he returned to California to serve as a deputy district attorney for Alameda County. He was elected for Dublin City Council in 2011 before running for Congress.  

Rep. Swalwell currently serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where he is the Chair of the Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee and a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He previously served on the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. 

Rep. Swalwell has been vocal in both committees on issues pertaining to election security and the Mueller investigations, as well as the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Citing his prosecutorial experience, he wrote an op-ed in The Atlantic calling for an impeachment inquiry of the president. He is a strong advocate and has presented legislation for commonsense reforms to prevent gun violence and is working to address domestic terrorism. He is also a staunch supporter of women’s rights and protecting access to abortions. He co-sponsored the EACH Woman Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment, and supported The EqualityAct. 

He has recently expressed support for the Green New Deal, however, we’re still waiting for Rep. Swalwell to embrace Medicare for All. 

Eric Swalwell is being challenged by Samantha Campbell (D), Austin E. Intal (D), Tuan Phan (D), Alison Hayden (R), Peter Yuan Liu (R), and Don Grundmann (NPP). Given the district’s strong democratic leaning, and Swalwell’s record and strong progressive support, he is the best choice for progressive leadership in the district. 
 

Paul Akinjo (D) is a pastor, Alameda County support technician, and has been a Lathrop City Councilman for seven years. He is the only Democrat in this race. While we do not have sufficient information about this candidate to confirm his viability, we recommend supporting Akinjo as a more progressive alternative to the current incumbent, Heath Flora (R).

Akinjo is an immigrant who came to the U.S. from Nigeria in the 1980s and has lived in Lathrop since 2001. During Akinjo’s time on the Lathrop City Council, the city has gone from no financial reserves to $10 million in savings as its seen growth in housing and business. Akinjo has advocated in Sacramento on homelessness, housing, natural disasters, water and transportation. If elected, Akinjo would focus on transportation funding, mental healthcare, and housing. 

Assemblymember Heath Flora has represented District 12 in the State Assembly since 2016. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Flora has shown that he does NOT advocate for the needs of constituents or face down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. He scored a 2 out of 100 on this year’s Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislator's progressive voting records. In summary, Assemblymember Flora is not serving his constituents with progressive solutions.

According to our analysis, Paul Akinjo has the potential to provide stronger progressive leadership in office. 
 

David Chiu is from Boston and moved to San Francisco in 1996. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2014. According to campaign materials he is running for re-election to continue to use his long history as a consensus-building public leader to move policy forward on a range of progressive issues.

In the State Assembly, Chiu was appointed to serve as the Assistant Speaker pro Tempore during his first year, and has authored 48 bills that have been signed into law. Included among those bills is legislation to address the state’s affordable housing and homeless crisis, uphold abortion rights, and improve the sustainability of public transportation. Chiu currently Chairs the Assembly Housing & Community Development Committee, and serves as the Chair of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, and sits on four additional committees. Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Chiu served as the President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for six years, where he authored 110 city ordinances. Chiu spent his early career working as a civil rights attorney for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Senate Constitution Subcommittee. Chiu also founded a public affairs technology company called Grassroots Enterprise, where he served as the Chief Operating Officer.

Chiu has no challengers in this race. He scores a lifetime 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislator’s progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Chiu has consistently shown great courage advocating or the needs of constituents and facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians.

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

Rob Bonta was born in the Philippines and has lived in California since childhood. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2013, when he became the first Filipino to serve in the California legislature. According to campaign materials he is running for re-election to improve schools, increase local safety, and build economic prosperity in the region.

In the State Assembly, Bonta has worked to restore local funding to East Bay public schools, co-authored legislation on cannabis regulation, and helped to establish worker protections and minimum wage increases. He currently serves as the Assistant Majority Leader in the Assembly, and sits on four committees. Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Bonta was the Deputy Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, where he worked on a variety of cases aimed at consumer and civil rights protections. Bonta started his career in public service as a member of the Alameda Health Care District Board of Directors, served as the board president for the Social Service Human Relations Board, and was eventually elected to City Council where he served as the Vice Mayor of the City of Alameda. In these local roles, Bonta impacted policy around business retention, hospital financing, and youth development programs.

Bonta is being challenged by Stephen Slauson (R). He scores a lifetime 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Bonta has consistently shown great courage by advocating for the needs of constituents and facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians.

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

Phil Ting is from southern California and has lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2013. According to campaign materials he is running for re-election because he believes in the importance of California’s continued technological innovation to build a cleaner economy, promote education reform, and increase equity across the state.

In the State Assembly, Ting has worked on legislation that helps more students access Cal Grants, provides bathroom and tax protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, and improves healthy food access for food stamp recipients. Ting has also been outspoken on clean energy issues, pushing for improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, encouraging the installation of electric car charging stations, and helping homeowners invest in water and energy technologies. He serves as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, and sits on three additional committees. Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Ting worked as the Executive Director of the Asian Law Caucus, and was appointed to serve as the Assessor-Recorder of San Francisco. In this role, he increased solar power use in the city, and completed the assessment backlog to bring in millions in unpaid property taxes.

Ting is being challenged by John McDonnell (R). He scores a lifetime 96 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislator's progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Ting has consistently shown great courage advocating for the needs of constituents and facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians.

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

Marisol Rubio is a second-generation American, raised by a single mother who was a public school teacher. She now lives in San Ramon with her daughter. According to campaign materials, Rubio is running to fight for accountability from our legislature, and to demand that our biggest and wealthiest corporations pay their fair share so we can provide the support blue-collar, working people of California deserve.

Rubio is a scientific researcher, health care provider, and advocate for high-need students. Her passion for science and discovery was fueled by her personal experiences as a young single mother of a chronically-ill disabled daughter who is an early childhood brain cancer survivor. As she explored solutions to support her own daughter’s health and wellbeing, Rubio came to understand how we can best support families experiencing hardships through the advancement of innovative and proven healthcare, educational, and socioeconomic policies.

Rubio also brings a strong track record and relationships in progressive politics and public service. As Co-Chair of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County Issues Committee, Rubio has co-authored two resolutions that were adopted by the California Democratic Party and helped pass several progressive bills and resolutions including the Green New Deal for California, a call for a Climate focused Presidential Debate, and support for the public banking movement, which gives localities the ability to open banks to serve residents not well served by traditional banks. She has also served as an elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention and is an SEIU Local 2015 member.

Rubio is challenging incumbent Steve Glazer (D), who has consistently opposed progressive priorities by siding with corporate lobbyists and failing his constituents on criminal and juvenile justice reform and healthcare. Other candidates include Julie Mobley (R). Rubio is the strongest choice because of her track record as a champion for the disabled community and their caretakers, and as an advocate for her region’s priorities in the Democratic Party.

Voting for Rubio is an opportunity to elect a legislator who will accurately represent the perspective and priorities of her district in Congress. Courage California strongly endorses Marisol Rubio for Congress.