Abel Chavez is a candidate for the 48th Congressional District. It is clear that the government needs honest, trustworthy politicians. This is a paradox for most people, because politicians are publicly viewed as untrustworthy. However, Abel Chavez is here to break that cycle. Politicians, even ones that start pure of heart, can be influenced by the most powerful thing in the world- money. Many politicians have been secretly, or not-so-secretly bought, but Abel Chavez will not be influenced by corporations. He has explicitly stated that he will not be accepting corporate PAC or AIPAC money for his campaign. He is sincerely here to help people; it has nothing to do with money.
“I’m running to represent the people who break their backs for a living, and it’s still not enough,” is a direct quote from Abel Chavez. This is an easy promise to make, and with other politicians, it may mean nothing, but he has actually had experience as a working-class citizen. He had to do the dishes to attend the University of California, Riverside. He has worked in the restaurant industry, retail, medicine, as a broker, as a teacher, and he worked his way up to the school board.
He consistently sees injustices and tries to fix them. He saw how the medical industry prioritized profit over helping people, and he quit. Quitting a job due to the fact that it does not align with your morals shows strong character, something many lack today, especially our politicians. He then pivoted to become a teacher, and he acknowledged flaws in this system as well. According to Mr. Chavez, education has become another profit-driven industry, when it is supposed to educate a new generation and set them up for success. Since schools receive funding for each student in class, their priorities have shifted to keeping children in the classrooms rather than actually teaching the children. Abel Chavez is aware of this, and it is part of the reason he wanted to enter politics. He has made many changes on the school board. “I’ve helped implement programs that have raised test scores by double digits across every grade level, from kindergarten through 12th grade. I’ve worked with district leaders to secure tens of millions of dollars in funding—money that’s now supporting students, improving classrooms, and expanding access to real educational opportunity. That fight isn’t over. I’m ready to take it to a larger scale, because our kids deserve more than promises—they deserve results.” If he has done all of this for our youth, imagine what he can do for the state of California.
What he is most focused on fixing is the housing crisis in California. Wall Street Firms are buying homes in bulk and reselling them to us at a higher cost. His goal is to rebuild the sense of community by allowing us to purchase our own homes, rather than buy the overpriced scraps corporations deem fit to give us. If you are a homeowner or somebody who would like to be one day, he is here to fight for you.
Not only is he somebody who sees a problem and does what he needs to fix it, but he is also incredibly honest, which is another quality politicians also lack. Recently, we have seen some atrocities with the Epstein Files being leaked. He actually spoke about the files being released, which is a tentative subject and a risky thing for somebody running for office to discuss. He says we should release the whole thing. “Here’s the line- Protect the survivor’s privacy, but do not protect the powerful people.” He says that if the redacted files go beyond protection, he will push for more transparency. This is refreshing because typically, candidates will talk about the safe subjects. This subject is controversial and could put a dent in his campaign, but once again, he is taking the honest and tough route. We deserve the truth, he knows that, and he wants to deliver it to us.
He also discusses how democrats have voted to fund Homeland Security. ICE (immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a part of Homeland Security, and Mr. Chavez is appalled that they would vote to continue funding them after what happened to Alex Pretti, the nurse who was fatally shot when trying to assist a woman who was attacked by ICE. He believes that when we vote for somebody to represent us, we should be voting for somebody who stands by us and what is right at all times.
This is a troubling and uncertain time for the citizens of the United States, and we need somebody who will actually take a stand for what’s right. He has proven time and time again that he will do what it takes. He wants to further the education of our youth, build a better economy, and give the people a chance. Everybody should be able to afford a house and feel safe in their own country.
Mr. Chavez does not believe in right or left; he believes in unity and the good for everybody. A vote for Abel Chavez is a vote for yourself, your neighbor, and your loved ones. He wants to provide a secure future for everybody. He truly cares about people, and your voice matters to him. Since he is not taking money from corporations, he needs funding from us so that he can continue to run his campaign. This is money well spent, because we will see it come back to the community.
