Written by: Zoe Weisner
Local Congresswoman Anna Eshoo is running for re-election to serve as representative of California’s new 18th Congressional District. Eshoo won the primary elections as the Democratic candidate and is now up against Republican Dave Chapman, a software engineer whose main goal is to stimulate the economy and increase jobs through tax cuts for consumers. Chapman does not have any previous experience working in the public sector. During the primary elections, Eshoo had 30 more percentage points than Chapman. On Nov. 6, registered voters will decide who becomes representative.
Eshoo has served as a representative on California’s 14th Congressional District in the House of Representatives for 19 years. During her time as a representative, Eshoo has served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee which is responsible for making legislative decisions on Medicare, Medicaid and the National Institutes of Health. Eshoo is currently a Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has jurisdiction over the Internet or telecommunications.
According to Eshoo’s public candidate statement on KTVU, a Bay Area news show, she is running for re-election because she wants to address the problems that have been the biggest concerns of the public, which includes the political polarization between Democrats and Republicans and the financial crisis. In her statement Eshoo emphasized that her supporters motivate her to continue serving as a congressional representative.
Eshoo’s top priority is job creation and economic growth, which she has demonstrated through her involvement in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Recovery Act reportedly created 2.5 million jobs during the first two years of President Barack Obama’s term. The Recovery Act has also translated into education by saving 300,000 occupations in education, which is also one of her top priorities as Congresswoman.
In addition, Eshoo puts strong emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education because she believes it will prepare students for the highly-technical jobs that will be in demand in the future.
Regarding higher education, Eshoo wants every student to have the opportunity to attend a university or college without feeling overwhelmed about the cost. In 2010, she signed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, which increased the number of grants and provided another $48 billion for student scholarships and loans. On her website, Eshoo promised that if elected, she will strive to accomplish all the necessary issues as Congresswoman.
