Why I am running for Congress in California’s 7th District
Image Copyright: Francisco J. Dominguez, 2024
When the longtime incumbent in California’s 7th Congressional District, Doris Matsui, refused to meet with constituents about Gaza even after we occupied her office—and failed to call for a cease-fire—my Palestinian-American neighbors and allies decided it was time to replace her, and I agreed to run.
We seek to mobilize the many disenchanted, mostly young voters who share our anger over the Gaza carnage and other issues—and who will not support either the incumbent or the only other candidate in the race, a token Republican who is not campaigning. Finishing ahead of either of them will take us into the November general election.
I have been a member of DSA for a decade and involved for more than five decades as a participant and organizer in struggles for justice and peace in Palestine-Israel. Recently, I volunteered on cases to defend faculty and students under fire for engaging in support for Palestine rights on campus and a federal appeal defending a business’s right to boycott.
Along with most of Congress and the Biden administration, Matsui has abandoned the people of Palestine and shirked her duty to humanity. In allowing Israel’s genocidal assault to continue and supporting it with arms, money and diplomatic stonewalling, they ignore the vast majority of Americans who want our government to stop the killing.
Running against misplaced priorities
I am running because the United States has misplaced priorities, wildly and existentially out of touch with the needs of its people and the demands of our changing world. I will push Congress to address the impending climate catastrophe as the ecological, economic and security threat it is, and press for a Green New Deal along with global action to end fossil fuels for good.
I will fight to make healthcare and housing fundamental human rights, joining with others to push for universal single-payer to banish the insurance industry, and restructure the healthcare system to serve people over profit.
I will fight for massive public investment in sustainable social housing, along with nationwide rent control and eviction protections to counter the rapacious hedge funds currently dominating the market.
I will fight for economic justice and labor rights, focusing on higher wages, wealth taxes and other progressive reforms, workers' rights to unionize, and support for small and cooperatively owned businesses, along with a shift to an economic model that prioritizes redistribution of wealth over exploitative growth at all costs.
I will fight to enshrine abortion rights and for full gender equality.
I will fight for campaign finance reform, including publicly funded elections and the elimination of undemocratic institutions like the Electoral College, while ensuring easy and secure voting access and promoting ranked choice and proportional representation.
No corporate donations
Most of Congress is hopelessly corrupted by the influence of money in the form of corporate donations. I take none.
All these efforts are for a future in which the corrupting power of capital over our world will be replaced by democratization of workplaces and communities.
A trillion dollars a year—enough to end homelessness 50 times over—are being diverted by and to the military-industrial-financial-congressional-lobbyist-media complex. Money that could go to improve our schools, build modern transit and provide healthcare and higher education for all is instead used to destabilize other countries and pursue forever wars that enrich arms traders, dirty energy companies and Wall Street.
Nowhere lately has this been more stark than in Gaza. I join the demand—supported by a large majority of Americans—for an immediate, permanent cease-fire, freedom for hostages and political prisoners and massive amounts of humanitarian aid, to be followed by a diplomatic process to ensure self-determination, equality, human rights, restorative justice and safety for all.
We need leaders who work hard to create a society that guarantees equal rights and opportunity for all, rejects war and occupation, upholds international law and pursues economic, racial, climate, gender and social justice—on a planet that can survive the growing threats to its ability to support life as we know it.
There are good reasons why the Sacramento Green and Peace & Freedom parties have taken the unusual step of recommending votes for me (their bylaws prevent official "endorsement").
Help us reclaim Congress from corporate and militarist interests and bend it in the direction of justice, peace, and equity.
Please visit https://mandel4congress.org/. We welcome donations to help us reach supporters and get out the vote.