SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Last Thursday, Representative Kevin Kiley announced he was not planning on running in District 3 (CA-03) after Proposition 50 redrew district lines for this electoral race. Congressman Ami Bera, who joined the race in part to combat Kiley’s seat, said he was still interested in running in the district and spoke with the Tribune on the issues he felt were relevant to the area.
Bera has represented CA-06 and has been in Congress since 2013. When asked by the Tribune if he would consider running in CA-06, which Kiley may run in, Bera said he wasn’t planning on it.
“About 50% of my old district is in CA-03, but 50% of my old district is in CA-06 too. I think it’d be tough for Kiley to win because he’s not well-known there and it’s a competitive primary. But I’m not focused on that district—I’m focused on CA-03,” said Bera.
Bera told the Tribune that one of his primary interests running in the district is the challenges with rural healthcare. When he last came to Tahoe, he spoke with Barton Hospital and the Tahoe Forest Healthcare System.
“I’m interested in understanding the unique challenges that rural hospitals face,” said Bera. He also asserted that he had voted to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies and was looking towards universal coverage. “I think it’s something people are ready for. It doesn’t require more money, it requires using resources in a smarter way.”
Bera also expressed an interest in learning more about costs around fire insurance as a major issue he has heard on the campaign trail. He also said he’d heard challenges around utilities bills and affordability in the area, along with the unique challenges of Tahoe being situated close to the state line.
To that end, Bera expressed regret that Representative Mark Amodei had announced his retirement, but said he was interested in collaboration with representatives and reaching across the aisle. “You can’t be a successful member of Congress if you go it alone,” said Bera.
In response to some of the bolder responses of the Democrats he’s running against, Bera said, “When you’re a member of Congress, you need to represent all members of your district. Changes to foreign policy, immigration reform—that’s not happening with one party alone.”
Bera did agree that this was the current moment to reign in ICE and referenced that he had voted to hold them accountable recently. He also hoped more Republicans would join them in holding them accountable, as he felt it was an issue that did not split across party lines.
“I appreciate the aggressiveness from Hall and Bennett, but I’m the only one who’s voted to impeach Donald Trump twice,” said Bera, referencing his incumbency in Congress and involvement in efforts to impeach the president. He also said he believed that they would have likely grounds to impeach him again.
But on the more local level, Bera said, “My role in the federal government might be to find funding through grants or to connect relevant parties. We’ve seen success with leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars in Sacramento and I would bring that same approach to other areas of the district.”
Bera’s current campaign has $741,093 in total receipts and $7,800 owed by the Bera for Congress committee.
Bera is an active member of Congress and is holding more virtual town halls to meet with constituents while still in Congress. His platform and information can be found on https://bera.house.gov/
