1) What is the core message of your campaign?
Our campaign is about restoring a simple promise: governments should work for working people. In San Francisco, I've fought to lower the cost of living, protect tenants, support small businesses, and invest in safe neighborhoods and strong public services. I've also pushed for real accountability at City Hall because too often the system listens to corporate interests instead of the families who keep our communities running.
In Congress, I'll bring that same focus: tackling the affordability crisis by building housing people can afford, lowering health care and childcare costs, strengthening workers' rights, and investing in public transit, clean energy, and good-paying jobs. And I'll take on Donald Trump to protect immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities that have been targeted by his cruel and inhumane policies. My message is simple: all working people should be able to afford to live, work and retire with dignity. That's the future I'm fighting for.
2) What policy positions and goals do you hold that most distinguish you from other candidates in this contest?
What distinguishes my candidacy is that my campaign is centered on working people. I'm not beholden to billionaires and big corporations; I'm not running for office to win notoriety in DC. In San Francisco, I've focused on the issues families feel every day: the cost of living, housing, safe neighborhoods, and good jobs. In Congress, I'll bring that same working-class perspective to Washington DC.
First, I will fight to lower the cost of living by tackling both sides of the affordability crisis: bringing down the cost of housing, health care, child care, and utilities while raising wages and strengthening unions. I support Medicare for All, expanding affordable housing through direct federal investment, and passing the PRO Act so workers have the freedom to organize and bargain for fair pay.
Second, I believe cities like San Francisco need a stronger federal partner. For far too long, local governments have been left to solve national problems alone. I'll push for federal investment in social housing, public transit, climate infrastructure, and public power so our communities can continue to thrive.
Finally, I'm committed to an accountable government that puts people ahead of corporate interests. My record at City Hall shows that I'm willing to stand up to powerful interests and deliver real results for working families, and that's exactly the voice I'll bring to Congress.
3) Should the US continue providing weapons or other support to Ukraine? Please elaborate on what you would or would not vote for.
The United States must stand with the people of Ukraine against an illegal invasion and also work urgently to prevent a wider and more devastating war. I strongly support continued humanitarian aid, economic support, and coordination with our allies to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and protect civilians.
At the same time, Congress has a responsibility to ensure strong oversight and a clear strategy. I would support targeted defensive assistance in coordination with NATO and our partners, but I believe military aid must be paired with diplomatic efforts to bring this conflict to an end. Too often in Washington DC military spending becomes the default, meanwhile diplomacy is an afterthought. I would vote for aid packages that include humanitarian aid, support for refugees, and funding for diplomatic initiatives. My goal is to defend democratic principles, prevent further loss of life, and pursue a negotiated peace that protects Ukraine's independence.
4) Should the US continue providing weapons or other support to Israel? Please elaborate on what you would or would not vote for.
The United States must lead with our values of human rights, diplomacy, and accountability. I strongly support legislation like Block the Bombs Act to halt the transfer of U.S. weapons that have been used against civilians in Gaza. We cannot continue sending arms without conditions when there is evidence of human rights violations by the government of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
I would also vote for an immediate, permanent ceasefire and a major expansion of humanitarian aid, including but not limited to food, medication, and reconstruction support for civilians suffering due to the genocide in Gaza. Our role should be to de-escalate violence and push for peace, not to prolong war. At home and abroad, we must stand firm against both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
5) Do you support abolition of ICE? How would your stance on funding "homeland security" agencies differ from your opponents, and from Democratic Party leadership?
Yes. I will push to end ICE's abuses, discrimination, and civil rights violations. Our immigration system should protect families and uphold the law, not terrorize communities with raids and detention practices that undermine basic rights. As a first-generation immigrant myself, I believe we must replace this failed enforcement model with a humane, accountable system that prioritizes due process and a real pathway to citizenship. In Congress, I will push to shift funding away from mass detention, militarized enforcement, and private contractors and instead toward immigration courts, legal services, and community-based case management that ensure compliance without cruelty. And unlike party leadership that often increases “homeland security” budgets without reform, I insist that any funding be required clauses that will include civil rights protections, transparency, and oversight. San Francisco has shown that safety and immigrant dignity go hand in hand, and that's the approach I'll bring to Congress.
6) How will you work to redirect federal funding away from military contractors and towards public benefits such as public education, public transit operations, etc, so that our public institutions would not constantly be facing fiscal collapse?
For far too long Washington DC has treated military spending as untouchable meanwhile our schools, transit systems, and housing programs struggle to stay afloat. Real security starts with strong communities. In congress, I will fight to rebalance our federal priorities. That means increasing transparency and oversight of the Pentagon budget, ending wasteful contracts with defense contractors, and through appropriation bills redirecting those savings into the public investments that actually strengthen our country like public education, reliable transit, affordable housing, and childcare.
Here in San Francisco, I've fought to protect funding for working families and to make sure public dollars serve the public interest, not corporate special interests. I'll bring that same approach to DC. When we invest in teachers rather than weapons systems we don't need, in buses and trains rather than contractor profits, we create opportunity, reduce inequality, and build a more resilient nation. That's the kind of security our communities deserve.
7) What electoral reforms do you support (e.g., public financing, expanded use of ranked choice voting and/or proportional representation, gerrymandering)?
I strongly support electoral reforms that strengthen our democracy and ensure the government works for people, not corporate special interests. We must reduce the influence of corporate and dark money in politics by overturning Citizens United. I would also support public campaign financing and transparency rules so working people and grassroots candidates can compete fairly.
We should also lower and limit campaign contributions for individuals and PACs so that we can level the playfield for every candidate.
Finally, we should modernize voting access through automatic voter registration, expanded early voting, and protections for vote-by-mail. A healthy democracy depends on broad participation, fair representation, and accountability to the people we serve, not the biggest donors.
8) Please describe how you make your political decisions. What is the main basis for your decision making (e.g., consultation with your constituents, political consultants, colleagues, unions, businesses, donors, or your gut feelings)?
I make decisions the same way I've tried to govern in San Francisco - by listening first, weighing the facts, and delivering solutions that are in the best interest of San Franciscans and centering working people. My starting point is always the people I represent: working families, seniors, small businesses, and tenants who live in our neighborhoods every day. I consult with constituents, community organizations, labor, small business owners, and policy experts. I work with colleagues to understand the practical impacts of a proposal and look carefully at the data and whether an idea will deliver real results and accountability.
But the main question is simple: does this policy decision make people's lives more affordable, safer, and more stable for working people? If it does, then I'm ready to fight for it. If it mainly benefits powerful interests at the expense of our communities, I won't support it. My responsibility is to the public, not to special interests.
9) What is your plan for working with other political parties once in office?
Working families deserve results, not politics as usual. In San Francisco, I've worked with colleagues across the political spectrum to deliver real solutions: building affordable housing, supporting small businesses, investing in public safety, and protecting workers. That's the approach I'll take to Congress.
My guiding principle is simple: start with the problem, listen to the community, and build coalitions around practical solutions. Whether it's lowering the cost of living, expanding affordable housing, protecting the right to organize, or investing in clean energy jobs, there is more common ground than DC often admits.
I will work with anyone who is willing to put working families ahead of corporate special interests. But I will also stand firm on our values: protecting democracy, defending civil rights, and making sure the government works for everyday people, not just the wealthy and well-connected.
10) How would you describe your leadership style?
My leadership style is grounded in accountability, collaboration, and results. As a San Francisco Supervisor, I've always believed that the government should work for working families, not just the loudest voices or the most powerful interests. I lead by listening first, to neighbors, small businesses, labor leaders, and community organizations. That's how we build solutions that reflect the real needs of our communities. But listening must also be paired with action. Whether it's securing funding for affordable housing, supporting small businesses, strengthening worker protections, or improving neighborhood safety, I focus on delivering outcomes that make people's lives better.
I also believe in transparency and fiscal responsibility by making sure public dollars are used wisely and the government is accountable to the people it services. Leadership isn't about ideology, it's about bringing people together to solve problems and delivering real results for the communities we represent.
Your positions (at the time) on selected current and past Propositions (skip any for which you didn't live or vote in SF, or didn't take a position at the time).
+ = Support / Agree / Yes
- = Oppose / Disagree / No
? = Undecided / Don't know / No opinion
Feel free to clarify any answers with a few words, if necessary.
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Nov 2024 Prop D (Stronger Mayor)
[ ] [ - ] [ ] Nov 2024 Prop K (Great Highway)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2024 Prop L (Tax Uber and Waymo to fund Muni)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2024 Prop M (Block Prop L) I supported this as it was a proposed business tax reform, not placed on the ballot to block Muni. I supported Prop L.
[ ] [ - ] [ ] March 2024 Prop E (More Police Chases)
[ ] [ - ] [ ] March 2024 Prop F (Drug Test Poor People)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] June 2022 Prop C (Recall Reform)
[ ] [ - ] [ ] June 2022 Prop H (Boudin Recall)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2020 Prop G (16-17 y.o. voting, local elections)
[ + ] [ ] [ ] Nov 2020 Prop I (Real Estate Transfer Tax)