2023
An invite, why run at all, and some thoughts on the year.
Happy end of 2023! It wouldn’t be the end of the year if I didn’t take a few minutes to reflect.
In Congress: It’s no secret that the House of Representatives was a hot mess this year. We started with the Kevin McCarthy speaker-debacle and ended with Mike Johnson in charge. But my job as a Congresswoman isn’t just to work on legislation (something made more difficult with the GOP in charge); it’s also to serve constituents directly. On that note, I’m very proud my office helped Orange County residents secure $8.2 million they were owed by the federal government.
This year, it was also exciting to see bills I passed in 2022 actually go into effect! Two standouts were my bill to raise rates on polluters who drill for oil on public lands and my bill to crack down on Big Pharma’s price gouging—which you can read more about here.
The campaign: It’s been almost a full year since I announced I was running for the U.S. Senate. Instead of boring you with a long list of every campaign stop, and because I cannot choose a favorite amongst California cities (obviously), I thought I’d share this video answering a question I often get: why run for the Senate when you could just stay in the House?
On a personal note: This was an exciting year for my oldest son, who got accepted to college and can take a deep sigh of relief as he knows where he’s going next fall. Going through the process of filling out FAFSA, discussing housing and payment options, and attempting to secure scholarships and financial aid is one I know many people can relate to. The whole system could use serious improvements, but that’s another whole Substack post.
Looking ahead: Our competitive primary election is now just over two months away. That means even on my birthday (Jan 3rd!), we’re campaigning. So next Wednesday, on my birthday, I’ll be holding a virtual birthday fundraiser. I’m turning 50, so in that spirit, I’ll be answering 50 rapid-fire questions in 50 minutes, and it’s $50 to join. This event will be fun, more informal, and yes—it really is my birthday! You can click here to RSVP.
Thanks so much for reading and watching. I hope you have a nice end to 2023 and an even better 2024.
Katie
If I lived in CA, I’d vote for you. I do donate to your campaign. I hope you can win but since corporate DNC seems to be supporting Adam Schiff, I fear we will lose you from the national stage since both your current office & senate office are same election, right?
Your reasons for Senate run make sense and are the reasons I would expect from someone who actually works for her constituents.
As a citizen of OC I am concerned that our county will be flipped red. If you do win a seat that is guaranteed to be blue and leave your county that will most likely flip red …then what ? What will get to you in the senate if it can’t pass the house.