SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA –– Representative Ami Bera, M.D. earned the endorsement of the Sacramento Bee Editorial Board for the California 6th Congressional District Primary Election. The final day to vote in the primary is Tuesday, March 5th.
Read the full endorsement here and below:
A lack of access to affordable basic health care is an unacceptable reality for too many Americans. In Congress, Democrat Rep. Ami Bera has made this issue a priority. If re-elected for his seventh congressional term, Bera, a doctor who previously served as Sacramento County’s Chief Medical Officer, promises to continue being a champion of public health.
Bera represents California’s 6th Congressional District, which lies entirely within Sacramento County. Housing and homelessness are top-of-mind issues for his constituents, and Bera recently told The Bee’s Editorial Board that he supports a humanistic approach to these issues.
“If we want to revitalize downtown, you have to do some enforcement,” Bera said. “But can you do it in a compassionate way?”
There is, however, no such thing as a humane anti-camping ordinance — pushing unhoused individuals out of the temporary shelters they call home just so that they pack up and move a mile down the road isn’t an empathetic or long-term solution. Bera would serve his housed and unhoused constituents well by insisting that Sacramento County and city officials develop long-term strategies to address a lack of low-income housing capacity, mental health and substance abuse options causing people to live on our streets.
Such strategies would align with Bera’s stated support for additional wrap-around services for the unhoused, specifically individuals struggling with addiction and mental health issues. He also supports housing vouchers to keep low-income individuals, who may be on the brink of homelessness, housed. These are the kind of humane solutions to the homelessness crisis that Sacramento needs.
Bera has become a trusted advocate for national security, veterans and affordable health care, which includes abortion access. He promises to continue delivering for Sacramentans — the same which cannot be said for his competitors in this race.
Three Republicans are running against Bera: local realtor Christine Bish, small business owner and Robla School District Board Member Craig DeLuz and Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Member Ray Riehle. None are likely to pose a significant challenge to Bera.
After his district was redrawn in 2022, Bera won it handily, with 55.9% of the vote, 15 percentage points ahead of his competitor. None of Bera’s current challengers presented a compelling case for voters to change course. Bera remains the best choice for voters because of his experience and for his desire to address the needs of voters in his district.
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