Self-funded political newcomer Eric Jones has edged out longtime Rep. Mike Thompson in the Democratic-versus-Democratic race for Northern California’s 4th District.
Ten days after the Nov. 3 election, the Associated Press called the race for Jones, who spent millions on his race and led Thompson 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent as of Friday night.
Jones, a venture capitalist and nonprofit executive who grew up in a working-class family, will now lead a district that was redrawn under Proposition 50 to stretch from the vast vineyards of Napa County to the rice fields of Sutter County.
He ran against Thompson (D-St. Helena), first elected in 1998, while calling for a new generation of leadership. He campaigned on keeping corporate money out of politics, lowering the cost of living, and protecting “our future” by facilitating a government that lives within its means.
Jones invested $14.8 million of his own funds in the race and ran an active campaign. He said he held more than 200 town hall meetings and his campaign reached half a million doors.
“I personally responded to every email myself. We offered a coffee chat with every voter we met with, and that’s the message people heard,” he said in an interview Friday after announcing his run. “I think we need to make a lot of progress on campaign reform. It’s something we’re already working on with the freshman class in Washington.”
The 36-year-old father of two has also supported progressive measures to expand Medicare and cut taxes for low- and middle-income Americans.
“It was really fantastic to see how impactful our message was because we knew from day one that we were speaking to voters and Americans who were pretty left behind in the political system,” he said.
Thompson acknowledged the election results in a statement Friday evening.
“I’m proud of my service,” he said before listing his work on water issues, wildfires, gun violence and conservation. “My team and I have always lived by one principle: We are here to do the work of people serving our district, and that work is never too big or too small.
Jones’ campaign supporters included Saikat Chakrabarti, former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.); Luis von Ahn, CEO and co-founder of Duolingo; and Our Revolution, an independent grassroots organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Thompson spent 14 terms in Congress, initially elected in California’s 1st District. Before that, he served as a two-term state senator.
He sits on the influential Ways and Means Committee and is the top Democrat on its tax policy subcommittee. He had been supported by Governor Gavin Newsom, Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff and the California Democratic Party.
Gn usa
