Jared Huffman

Jared Huffman is a Democratic politician who has represented California's 2nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. Born in Independence, Missouri, Huffman graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American volleyball player and played for the U.S. national team. He subsequently earned his law degree from Boston College Law School. Before entering elective office, Huffman was a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a public interest attorney specializing in consumer protection and civil rights cases, including a successful Title IX lawsuit against the California State University system. His political career began with his election to the Marin Municipal Water District Board in 1994, where he served for 12 years. Huffman then served three terms in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012, where he chaired the Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee and authored more than 60 pieces of legislation focused on environmental protection and energy efficiency. In Congress, he is a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He is also a co-founder of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, which promotes public policy based on reason and science.

Huffman's legislative platform is primarily defined by environmental advocacy and progressive social policies. He is a prominent supporter of the Green New Deal and aggressive climate action, advocating for the protection of public lands, the expansion of renewable energy, and the banning of offshore oil and gas drilling. On healthcare, he supports a universal single-payer system and is a cosponsor of Medicare for All legislation, while also working to lower prescription drug prices and protect the Affordable Care Act. His economic priorities include federal investment in infrastructure, closing the digital divide through rural broadband expansion, and raising the federal minimum wage. Huffman is a staunch advocate for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and stricter gun control measures. In foreign policy and trade, he emphasizes human rights and environmental standards, and has expressed opposition to trade agreements that he believes lack sufficient protections for workers and the climate.