Election for CA-District 14
This year California’s district 14 representative Jackie Speier announced her retirement. Speier has held this position for 9 years, and her retirement opens up a race for her open seat. District 14 covers much of the region just north up SHP up to San Francisco including Redwood City, San Mateo, Belmont, and all the way out to Pacifica. This is the home of many gators, and the candidate who wins will represent the voice of a great portion of our community. Currently, Democrat Eric Swalwell leads the polls running against republican Alison Hayden
Representative Swalwell, who currently represents California’s 15th congressional district, covering much of the East Bay, passed the primary and will be on the ballot on November 8, 2022. He has represented District 15 since 2013; however this year he is running in our 14th congressional district. Swalwell was also a presidential candidate in the 2020 election, although his campaign, which focused on gun control, was unsuccessful.
He focuses on developing policies that support equality, opportunity, and security. During his time as the U.S house representative for District 15, he served on multiple sub committees in the house such as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Intelligence Modernization and Readiness Subcommittee which both work to oversee intelligence agencies in the US and ensure they have the resources they need to function. He strongly feels that protecting citizens is the government's most solemn duty and believes that resources should be spent on “personnel management, security clearance reform, information technology modernization, and other areas.” He also serves on the House Judiciary Committee, where he works on improving justice reforms and addresses voting rights, LGBTQ equality, protecting women's rights, and health care.
Swalwell’s opponent, Alison Hayden, has a very different background. She was raised in an air force family and grew up in Taiwan, and has a lot of experience with the military. She also has a big history in finance and banking, spending eight years working with different banks and private investors. She also served in the US Peace Corps within its Business Development Group, and has brought power to the national alternative Women’s Association and launched projects related to teaching ethics and business.
She has spent a lot of time working on education which is a big part of her campaign base. She has worked with felons to help them earn their High School GEDs, and also earned teaching credentials in Secondary and Special education, working with schools all around San Francisco. She has also volunteered her time to work with those who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. She is a strong believer in stopping inflation through the Glass-Steagall Act, finishing building the wall, increasing security to ensure families are protected, giving schools better opportunities to learn, and providing better healthcare to those in her area in any way she can.
Swalwell is leading the polls with around 63 percent of the votes. If the election were to end today, all cities within district 14 could be looking at a more revolutionized future with more tech, more LGBTQ rights, and more women’s rights. If Hayden were to make a comeback and win the election, we could be looking at an increase in security, an attempt at improving the public schools education, better healthcare for those in need, and a very family forward platform supporting the pro-life movement. SHP students, faculty, and staff who live in this district will be affected because the policies passed by whoever holds this seat, will apply to you. The election is coming up fast, be ready to vote!
Sources:
https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_Swalwell
https://swalwell.house.gov/about/full-biography
https://alison4congress.com/meet-alison
