I’m a former United States Army officer, community and veteran activist, entrepreneur, father, husband, and former State Senator for the 29th Senate District of California.

I’ve been motivated by public service all throughout my life. After graduation from Yale University, I served as a United States Army officer. Following a post-service professional career in the Internet technology sector, I founded and served as Executive Director of ArmedForce2Workforce, an initiative to assist young veterans in Orange County and Greater Los Angeles in their pursuit of rewarding, career-oriented employment.

In 2016 I ran a successful grassroots campaign focused on a message of service, accountability, and common sense. When the voters sent me to Sacramento, I was active, accessible, and accountable, unafraid to put constituents over politics and working families ahead of corporate interests. During my tenure as State Senator, I authored legislation that championed veteran services, mental health resources, public education, job creation, and infrastructure improvements.

I live by a couple of simple rules: do the work, tell the truth, stand up for what you believe in, and do the right thing. As your State Senator, I’ll follow these guidelines to fight against partisan games and work to bring integrity and decency back to our politics, all while delivering results for the residents of our district.

I came to America with my wife in 1974, fleeing the dictatorship that was ruling South Korea at the time.  I started out as a janitor and a gas station attendant, but eventually found a job with the Los Angeles Department of Data Processing where I was promoted from computer operator to assistant manager within three years (a record career advancement at the time). Sensing that my career with the Department hit a glass ceiling, I resigned and started my own business, a realty office.

The business was highly successful, but then in 1980 the dictatorship in South Korea committed a massacre in the town of Gwangju in which thousands of activists were killed. In response, I sold my business and started a publication to report from the US about the atrocities of the South Korean dictatorship that the South Korean media was unable to report. My efforts came to fruition in 1987 when Democracy was established in South Korea.

I then started a new business, which was also successful. After retirement, I went back to school to obtain a PhD. degree, ran and won a seat on a city council, and founded a non-profit foundation.

A more complete biography can be downloaded from www.JosephCho4StateSenate.com

I belive government's role is to provide necessary services such as education / roads / hospitals / police / fire / etc. and help those who are in need to get climb out of the hole.