U.S. House of RepresentativesCandidate for District 18

Rishi Kumar is an American Patriot, a fiscally moderate Democrat, the first serious challenger to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA 18) in the last 28 years. Rishi is running a strong grassroots campaign with thousands of volunteers from 28 states and has raised more campaign funds than any other past challenger - every dollar raised from people, NOT PACs or Special Interest Groups. Rishi is the first Democratic challenger to make it past the primary election in the last 28 years of this district. Rishi emerged top-two, with a total of five candidates running in the March 2020 California Primary election. Rishi does not believe in playing partisan politics, but believes in problem solving - not LEFT, not RIGHT, but FORWARD.

A Silicon Valley hi-tech software executive by profession, Rishi found his calling as a community organizer stepping up for the tough challenges. As a Saratoga City council member, Rishi demonstrated independence with his viewpoints, bringing strong people-centric values, challenging the system, not afraid to be the dissenting vote. He stood up against San Jose Water and succeeded in successfully pushing back 8 rate increase proposals for a million people. He took on crime in Saratoga, holding over 100 neighborhood meetings to mobilize neighborhood watch programs and engage new leadership. Under Rishi’s diligence, burglaries in Saratoga fell by 41%. Rishi’s re-election bid led to his win with the most votes in Saratoga’s election history.

When the COVID crisis began, Rishi immediately suspended campaign activities to launch the Neighborhood Pandemic Preparedness Team (NPPT). This team called 86,000 seniors offering help with groceries, prescription medicine pickup, dropping off food boxes for seniors and sewing masks. Three town hall meetings a week were conducted during the shelter-in-place on the topics of healthcare, small business stimulus, youth issues, including college and career topics.

As a person of color, Rishi believes that if you are lucky enough to do well, it's your responsibility to send the elevator back down. Rishi has championed the issues of the disadvantaged communities of Silicon Valley, seeking to bridge the income gap that has widened. Rishi launched the no-charge Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for youth across Silicon Valley, benefitting thousands of disadvantaged students, a pathway to empowerment and learning from STEM. Teaming up with San Jose’s Mayor Sam Liccardo, Rishi launched this program in many disadvantaged neighborhoods of San Jose. Rishi has also hosted the no-charge Lego Robotics Bootcamp for many years and launched summer no-charge bootcamps to teach robotic design and programming. As a member of the California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Panel, a California Department of Education initiative, Rishi has helped roll out a K-12 Computer Science curriculum for every K-12 Public School student in California, to go live in 2022. During the shelter-in-place, Rishi has organized hackathons and entrepreneurial boot camps for young students, providing online coding classes. His internship program today is providing valuable work experience for hundreds of high school and college students all over the country. RIshi believes that we can begin to provide opportunities to all youth, regardless of their family’s income level, we can begin to level the playing field.

Rishi is currently an executive board member and delegate of the California Democratic Party. He is a staunch supporter of Medicare for All, term limits, and removing big money, Special Interest and PAC money from politics. Rishi lives in Saratoga with his wife Seema, a networking industry professional, and their two sons.

COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. Millions are unemployed and have no health insurance. And as career politicians capitulate to partisan politics, they’ve sold out to special interests, are technologically illiterate, and have no interest  in addressing our challenges. These crises can no longer rest upon out of touch leaders who are not challenging, but exploiting the sacred cows.

America is at an inflection point. This election is about sending new energy and new leadership to Washington: someone ready to take on the tough post-COVID-19 challenges and deliver solutions for all Americans.

As a Saratoga city councilmember, hi-tech executive, and community organizer, I fought for the people by reducing burglaries and defeating eight San Jose Water Company rate hikes. During the pandemic, my campaign called 86,000 seniors, helping with groceries and medications. My community trusts my “getting things done” approach, which is why I was re-elected with the most votes in Saratoga’s history.

As your Congressman, I’ll prioritize America’s pandemic preparedness, growing our economy, and bringing manufacturing back for supply chain self-reliance, all while refusing money from PACs and special interests. I don’t believe in LEFT or RIGHT, but a FORWARD path of American prosperity.

I am glad to be one of a handful of candidates running for Congress who refuse PAC, and Special interest money. I will fight for the issues important to our families and our neighbors, not the special interest groups who influence agendas subverting the people agenda. We need to ensure any candidate who runs for office remains beholden to the people they serve, not special interest groups. We must eliminate the loopholes that allow millions of dollars into campaigns and sway elections.

Voters are tired of the same politicians and rhetoric without any meaningful progress. But with your trust, we can set America back on track. For our future, and for change, I humbly request your vote. https://rishikumar.com/priorities