Thousands of dollars are backing two longtime Sacramento insiders, who have stepped into the limelight in a race to represent Silicon Valley in the California Legislature.
Patrick Ahrens and Tara Sreekrishnan are vying to represent State Assembly District 26. The candidates’ financials through June 30 show Sreekrishnan has more than $20,000 more cash on hand than Ahrens, though they’re close in total money raised and used. Assembly District 26 covers Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and parts of San Jose.
Ahrens, board member of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, led the primaries with 25,057 votes, or 34.4%, with Sreekrishnan, who sits on the Santa Clara County Board of Education, trailing second with 19,617 votes, or 26.9%.
Since then, both candidates have been drumming up support. Throughout the election, Sreekrishnan has raised $703,876, with Ahrens close behind at $672,300. Sreekrishnan’s $50,000 loan is the difference between the candidates. Between Feb. 18 and June 30, Sreekrishnan raised $389,876 and Ahrens raised $304,324.
Sreekrishnan said the support her campaign has gathered makes her confident about the November election.
“I’m honored to be the top fundraiser in this race and by the support from across the district that my campaign has received since the primary,” Sreekrishnan told San José Spotlight. “The voters of Assembly District 26 are hungry for a leader who will fight for affordable health care, lower utility costs and good-paying jobs.”
Ahrens shares her confidence, and said the fact that both campaigns have raised similar amounts shows how competitive the seat is, and how deeply supported both candidates are. He said the key to winning this race will be community engagement, adding that he’s knocked on more than 25,000 doors since the March 5 primary election.
“I’m feeling very confident going into November, based on our strong showing (in March) and campaign contributions, based on the overwhelming endorsements we’ve received,” Ahrens told San José Spotlight. “There’s so many metrics to campaign success and, ultimately, the thing that’s going to decide this election are the people in the 26th district.”
Ahrens works as a district director for Assemblymember Evan Low, who currently represents Assembly District 26 and is not seeking a sixth term. Instead, Low is running for Congress. While Ahrens said his work in Low’s office prepared him to take on the role himself, he was inspired to run after his twin brother, Sean, died two years ago of cancer.
He said helping his brother navigate the medical system showed him how unaffordable and inaccessible health care is in California — something he wants to tackle, if elected. Ahrens also said he wants to protect statewide education funding and address housing affordability, provide housing support at community colleges statewide, mirroring a program in the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, where the district is constructing student and workforce housing.
“For every one dollar we invest in education, we get another three to five dollars back,” he said. “That’s one of the only areas in the state budget where we get reinvestment. We get people who are educated, who can stay in school and get good jobs.”
Sreekrishnan also said she wants to work on supporting public education, and she has the experience of serving in public office while sitting on the Santa Clara County Board of Education. She’s Sen. Dave Cortese’s deputy chief of staff and legislative director, where she’s learned more about issues plaguing Silicon Valley residents, as well as helped advocate on housing and consumer protection.
Her campaign and supporters have been hosting events across the district to meet with residents, and she said the race will be won not through fundraising, but engaging voters on the ground.
“California is facing many challenges right now, between the home insurance mess, our budget deficit and our aging infrastructure,” Sreekrishnan said. “We need experienced leaders in the Legislature who know how to solve problems.”
