Ro Khanna delivers real influence for Silicon Valley — a five-term congressman who won reelection comfortably in 2024, sits on key committees including the China competition select committee, and brings a national platform and clout to CA-17.

He fights for a fairer economy — he's championed a billionaire wealth tax alongside Bernie Sanders and built a progressive economic record, while staying engaged with the industry that drives the district.

The questions about his family's stock trading are fair — reporting has documented heavy trading and potential conflicts, and that scrutiny is legitimate. But weigh it against a decade of effective representation versus a first-time challenger who was running for governor until a few months ago. On balance, experience and a clear economic vision win out.

Xavier Becerra brings rare depth of experience to the top job — a Sacramento native who's served as California Attorney General, a U.S. House member, and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, where he helped lead the national COVID response and defended the Affordable Care Act.

He's running on competence and affordability — his closing message centers on steady, experienced crisis management, with a focus on the housing, healthcare, and childcare costs squeezing working families. As he puts it, "competence is cool."

The "career politician" knock is fair — and beside the point. Critics note he's spent decades in government rather than the private sector, and that's a legitimate preference to weigh. But in a turbulent moment, that same long record is exactly the experience navigating crises that the governor's office demands — and it's why he currently leads the primary field.

• Fiona Ma knows how California actually works — as State Treasurer she ran the state’s banking, financing, and bond programs, after serving in the Assembly and on the Board of Equalization.
• The job draws on exactly that experience — breaking ties in the state Senate, sitting on the UC and CSU boards, and standing ready to step in for the Governor.
• The Mercury News endorsed her as the candidate who “understands the levers of power.” In a crowded field, she’s the one who already knows the machinery.