California — 23rd District

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports living wages and progressive tax reform

Hodge focuses on creating living-wage jobs with benefits, supporting small businesses, and strengthening labor protections. She advocates for closing tax loopholes for corporations and billionaires while easing tax burdens on working families.

• Advocates for jobs paying living wages with career pathways and labor protections
• Supports using House revenue authority to close tax loopholes for corporations and billionaires
• Pushes to expand workforce training and support small businesses

“I would use that authority to push for a fair, responsible tax code that eases the burden on working families and small businesses, while also closing tax loopholes for corporations and billionaires.”

Jay Obernolte

Supports spending cuts and tax relief

Obernolte advocates for balancing the federal budget and curbing spending to control inflation. He supports lowering fuel and small business taxes, expanding the child tax credit, and eliminating wasteful government programs.

• Voted for the H.R. 1 reconciliation bill, Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
• Authored legislation to require the federal government to balance its budget
• Fought to repeal gas taxes and expand the child tax credit for working families

“Jay Obernolte is fighting to balance the federal budget and stop the reckless spending that is driving inflation and increasing prices”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports Medicare for All and expanding care

Hodge considers healthcare a fundamental human right. She fights for Medicare for All, lower prescription costs, expanded mental health care, and increased healthcare services in rural areas.

• Pledges to fight for Medicare for All
• Advocates expanding healthcare and mental health services in rural communities
• Focuses on reducing prescription drug costs so no family chooses between health and paychecks

“I will fight for Medicare for all while also working to expand healthcare services in our rural district. Healthcare is a right—not a privilege.”

Jay Obernolte

Supports VA reform and healthcare oversight

Obernolte serves on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. He focuses on improving healthcare access for veterans, expanding coverage for toxic burn pit exposures, and opposing federal healthcare mandates.

• Serves on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
• Voted to terminate COVID-19 vaccine requirements for foreign travelers (H.R. 185)
• Supported expanding health coverage for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports humane immigration policy

Hodge identifies humane immigration policy as one of her core campaign priorities.

• Includes Humane Immigration Policy as a primary issue section on her platform

“Humane Immigration Policy”

Jay Obernolte

Supports strict border enforcement and wall construction

Obernolte advocates for border wall completion, increased Border Patrol agents, and strict immigration enforcement. He supports detaining or deporting undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes or DUIs.

• Voted for the Secure the Border Act of 2023 (H.R. 2) and Laken Riley Act (S. 5)
• Voted for the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act of 2025 (H.R. 875)
• Voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

“Jay Obernolte voted for the strongest border security bill ever. He wants to finish the border wall and increase the number of border patrol agents to stop drug trafficking.”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports term limits and financial transparency

Hodge advocates for strict term limits across Congress and the Supreme Court, a mandatory retirement age of 68, bans on congressional insider trading, and robust oversight of executive actions.

• Proposes limiting House members to six terms and Senators to two terms
• Proposes limiting Supreme Court justices to a single 12-year term with a mandatory retirement age of 68 for federal officials
• Supports stricter penalties for insider trading and government agencies that fail audits

“Members of the House of Representatives should be limited to six, two-year terms, and members of the Senate should be limited to two, six-year terms. There should also be term limits for the Supreme Court as well, limiting all justices to a single 12-year term.”

Jay Obernolte

Supports government efficiency and voter ID legislation

Obernolte focuses on eliminating non-performing federal programs, protecting local government authority, and increasing election security through documentary proof of citizenship.

• Voted for the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections
• Voted for the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405)
• Advocates eliminating wasteful spending on projects without clear returns on investment

“We need to stop funding programs that have outlived their usefulness and eliminate wasteful spending on projects that don't deliver a return on investment.”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports veterans and military families

Hodge lists veterans and military support as a core platform priority, citing her family's legacy of Air Force service.

• Includes Veterans and Our Military as a major issue priority
• Cites her grandfather's 22-year Air Force career as foundational to her commitment to service

“Veterans and Our Military”

Jay Obernolte

Supports military funding and veterans' health coverage

Obernolte supports fully funding the armed forces, granting troop pay raises, expanding coverage for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, and reforming the Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Voted for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2024 and FY2025
• Fought to expand healthcare coverage for toxic burn pit exposures
• Volunteers with Veterans Airlift Command transporting wounded veterans

“Jay Obernolte fought to expand coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits and is leading efforts to hold the VA accountable”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports environmental protection

Hodge identifies environmental protection as a major campaign priority for the district.

• Includes Protecting Our Environment as a core platform priority
• Supports clean energy jobs as part of economic development

“Protecting Our Environment”

Jay Obernolte

Supports domestic energy production and lower fuel costs

Obernolte supports expanding domestic oil, natural gas, and coal production while streamlining environmental permitting for energy infrastructure to lower costs for consumers.

• Voted for the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1)
• Voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 to repeal certain green energy tax credits
• Advocates repealing gas taxes and lowering commuter fuel costs

“Jay Obernolte fought to lower taxes, repeal gas taxes & lower fuel costs for commuters, provide tax relief for small businesses, and expand the child tax credit for working families”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports public education funding and equality

Hodge prioritizes public education and highlights Title IX gender equality as an inspiration for her educational advocacy.

• Includes Public Education as a main platform priority
• Cites Title IX co-author Patsy Mink as a model for promoting educational equity

“Public Education”

Jay Obernolte

Supports restricting male participation in female sports

Obernolte voted for federal legislation prohibiting school athletic programs from permitting males to participate in sports designated for women or girls.

• Voted for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28)

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports strong national security and foreign policy

Hodge lists national security and foreign policy as a core focus on her platform.

• Includes National Security and Foreign Policy among her primary issue areas

“National Security and Foreign Policy”

Jay Obernolte

Supports military readiness and anti-terror legislation

Obernolte supports full national defense funding, troop pay raises, and targeted anti-terrorism legislation.

• Voted for National Defense Authorization Acts for FY2024 and FY2025
• Voted for the Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495)
• Supports troop pay increases and national defense funding

“Jay Obernolte voted to fully fund our military, and to give a pay raise to our troops who are defending our freedoms.”

Tessa Lynn Hodge

Supports expanding affordable housing and protecting renters

Hodge advocates for expanding affordable housing, protecting renters, and streamlining regulations that drive up construction costs to ensure working families can live in the community.

• Pushes to expand affordable housing availability in the district
• Supports renter protections and cutting red tape that inflates costs
• Focuses on housing access for local workforce members like teachers, nurses, and first responders

“I will push to expand affordable housing, protect renters, and cut red tape that drives up costs—so everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.”

Jay Obernolte

Supports law enforcement and cracking down on crime

Obernolte focuses on holding fentanyl drug traffickers accountable, keeping sexual predators out of local communities, and backing law enforcement officers.

• Authored legislation to hold fentanyl dealers accountable
• Passed legislation stopping the dumping of sexual predators in local communities
• Endorsed by the Safety Employees Benefit Association and local police officer associations

“Jay Obernolte authored legislation to hold fentanyl dealers accountable for poisoning our children and stopped the dumping of sexual predators in our community to protect local families.”