Ro Khanna

Ro Khanna was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to parents who immigrated to the United States from India. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Chicago in 1998 and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2001. His early professional career included a federal clerkship and practicing intellectual property law in Silicon Valley. From 2009 to 2011, Khanna served as a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama, focusing on trade missions and export growth. He also worked as an educator, teaching economics at Stanford University and law at Santa Clara University, and published works on revitalizing American manufacturing. A member of the Democratic Party, Khanna was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for California's 17th district in 2016, assuming office in 2017. He has since become a prominent progressive figure in the House, known for his work on technology policy, his role as a co-chair for Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign, and his authorship of the Endless Frontier Act, which informed the CHIPS and Science Act.

Ro Khanna identifies as a "progressive capitalist" and supports a variety of left-leaning policies. He is a prominent advocate for "Medicare for All," supporting a transition to a single-payer healthcare system to ensure universal coverage. On economic issues, he champions a "new economic patriotism" aimed at revitalizing American manufacturing, raising the federal minimum wage to $15, and strengthening labor rights through the PRO Act. He also supports an "Internet Bill of Rights" to protect consumer privacy and calls for increased antitrust enforcement against major technology companies. Regarding the environment, Khanna co-sponsored the Green New Deal and advocates for a shift to 100% renewable energy. In foreign policy, he is known for his anti-war stance, leading efforts to end U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and pushing to restrain executive war powers while favoring diplomatic engagement and defense budget reductions.