Candidate for
United States Representative; District 17

Congress isn't working and the voters of California's 17th District have an opportunity to send a message--by supporting a new type of forward-looking vision.

Ro Khanna, 37, is prepared to move beyond the finger pointing and game-playing with concrete solutions to create good paying jobs and to move America's economy into the 21st century. He'll be more than a vote; he'll be a strong voice for the Bay Area's working families and communities. Ro understands how critical innovation and technology are to maintaining America's position as the greatest and most dynamic economy in the world. Just as important, he appreciates the diversity of our district and will continue to be an outspoken advocate in Washington for working together for the common good.

A long time resident of Fremont, Ro was drawn to Silicon Valley after graduating from law school. He currently works at the Silicon Valley law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, representing high technology companies in intellectual property cases. Following his mother's example, Ro is also a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Economics at Stanford University and an Adjunct Professor at Santa Clara Law School. Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the California Workforce Development Board for the State of California, where he serves as chair for the Advanced Manufacturing Committee. Ro also serves on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte as well as tutoring local high school students in his spare time.

In 2009, President Obama appointed Ro to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce. For two years, Ro traveled the country meeting with American manufacturers to learn how Washington could help promote trade and the jobs it creates. Ro broke new ground when he organized clean technology trade missions and expanded the Green Embassy program, which allows American clean technology firms to showcase their products in our embassies overseas. Ro also served on the White House Business Council, where he worked with both business and labor for policies that promote U.S. economic growth.

In 2009 and 2010, Ro took the lead on defending the rights of workers who were being laid off by New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) as the plant closed its doors in Fremont. He played a critical role in securing a $330,000 grant from the federal government for Fremont to find new uses for the abandoned auto plant, in addition to funds for job training programs to help the skilled workers who found themselves out of work and with nowhere to turn. Ro's strong commitment to the United Auto Workers and the working families in the region is something that he will bring to Congress as he advocates for a collaborative working relationship between organized labor and business leaders.

After leaving the Commerce Department, Ro authored a book on the state of American manufacturing and how to keep it competitive in the global economy. Entrepreneurial Nation: Why Manufacturing is Still Key to America's Future has won widespread praise for its strategies to keep the best companies, jobs, and opportunities in America.

Ro's commitment to public service was inspired early on by his grandfather, who told him stories about participating in Gandhi's independence movement in India and spending several years in jail for promoting human rights. Somewhat serendipitously, Ro became involved in politics while attending the University of Chicago, where he worked on the campaign of a little-known candidate for state Senate named Barack Obama. Later, Ro worked on Obama's presidential campaign. In 2003, Ro ran a protest campaign for Congress in California against a Democratic incumbent who voted for George W. Bush's decision to attack Iraq. Although he lost badly, Ro's was one of the first anti-Iraq war campaigns in the nation. His principled stand was not about receiving political endorsements, or working within the establishment, but about standing up for his beliefs.

Like so many families in our area, Ro's parents immigrated to the United States--coming from India to seek opportunity and a better life for their children. Ro was born in Philadelphia in 1976, and learned the value of education and hard work from his parents. Ro's father studied engineering at the University of Michigan; his mother was a substitute teacher. Ro benefited from a quality public school education and took out student loans to attend great universities, which he is still paying off today. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago, and received a law degree from Yale University.