Nine candidates face each other in the June 2 primary election for the 32nd Congressional District. Democrats Brad Sherman, who with this term will complete 30 years in the House of Representatives; Christopher Ahuja, Dory Benami, Marena Lin, Josh Sautter, Anna Wilding and Jake Levine, and Republican Larry Thompson and Douglas Smith, without party preference.
The district covers parts of western Los Angeles County and Ventura County. One in four of its residents is Latino.
La Opinion considers that Jake Levine is the most qualified candidate to lead District 32 and represent us in Congress.
Born in Washington, DC 41 years ago, Jake Levine, a fourth-generation Angeleno, grew up in a home in the Palisades whose destruction during the January 2025 fires propelled him into political life and community action, when he organized the Division of Angels rescue and rebuilding group.
In 2007 he obtained his BA (History, Literature) at Harvard and completed Juris Doctor also at Harvard in 2013.
His record of professional work puts him at the head of entities on issues such as climate change and community service. Behind the scenes, his contribution was substantial.
He was an assistant in the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy under Obama. As a technology and energy policy advisor to state Senator Fran Pavley, he specialized in climate change, drought and water policy issues. During the pandemic, he helped design and launch the California Climate Action Corps, focused on climate resilience in underserved communities, as a consultant to Governor Gavin Newsom. He was Senior Director for Climate and Energy at the National Security Council under Biden. He later served as Climate Director of the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
In the private sector, he was Chief of Staff to the President of Opower, a clean technology tool (now Oracle Utilities) company.
Now, he is preparing to put his experience and energy at the service of constituents
Jake Levine’s platform is dense, very detailed, far-reaching and with broad repercussions to improve our quality of life, manage elements of social justice, look after the interests of Latinos in current and immigrants in philosophize.
He opposes the unconstitutional conduct of ICE/CBP in Los Angeles, proposes abolishing ICE and creating a path to citizenship for immigrants who contribute to the economy and help rebuild and clean up Los Angeles.
He wants to advance legislation to break the real estate monopoly that makes housing and corporate media in film and television more expensive in California.
His plan for protecting workers, improving affordability and increasing wages is thorough.
He rejects all corporate contributions to his campaign.
Levine believes that the circumstances of the moment require a new generation of leaders, with concrete ideas and the ability to bring them to reality. And he says: I know how to form coalitions to get things done efficiently.”
“The leaders who have led us to this moment are probably not the ones who will help us get out of it,” Levine told Politico.
He is not the only one to think this way. In fact, California is the epicenter of a confrontation now unfolding within the Democratic Party. In half of their congressional districts held by seniors, there are strong candidates flying the flag of the new generation. They consider that the Democratic Party made Trump’s return to power possible and that it is waging an ossified and weak opposition.
Levine told ABC 7: “The reality is that in this business there comes a time when you just get old.”
In order to claim primacy in the race against Congressman Brad Sherman, Levine has to demonstrate that his program, record, energy and contacts will lead to changes not achieved by the incumbent despite his experience and committee memberships after almost 30 years. We think he is doing it.
His candidacy is supported by peasant leader Dolores Huerta, assemblywoman Buffy Wicks and former ambassador to the UN Samantha Energy, and an extensive series of political and social activist organizations.
Due to his non-public career, his action program, the energy of his candidacy and the perspective of making important changes for the benefit of the community, La Opinión considers that Jake Levine is qualified for the position, supports his election to the United States Congress and calls on its readers to vote for him.
