Josh Harder

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Josh Harder
Image of Josh Harder

Candidate, U.S. House California District 9

U.S. House California District 9

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

1

Predecessor
Prior offices
U.S. House California District 10
Successor: Mark DeSaulnier
Predecessor: Jeff Denham

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Elections and appointments
Last elected

November 8, 2022

Next election

March 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Stanford University, 2008

Graduate

Harvard University, 2014

Personal
Birthplace
Turlock, Calif.
Profession
Professor
Contact

Josh Harder (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing California's 9th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2023. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Harder (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent California's 9th Congressional District. He is on the ballot in the primary on March 5, 2024.

In 2018, Harder defeated incumbent Rep. Jeff Denham (R), making him one of seven congressional newcomers who flipped California districts from Republican to Democratic control in the 2018 midterm elections.

He was selected to serve on the Education and Labor Committee and the Committee on Agriculture in the 116th Congress.

Before serving in public office, Harder worked as a venture capitalist and teacher.

Biography

Josh Harder was born in Turlock, California. Harder graduated from Modesto Public High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University in 2008 and master's degrees in business administration and public policy from Harvard University in 2014. Harder's career experience includes working as a course instructor with Modesto Junior College, the vice president of Bessemer Venture Partners, and a consultant with The Boston Consulting Group.[1][2][3][4]

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2023-2024

Harder was assigned to the following committees:[Source]

2021-2022

Harder was assigned to the following committees:[Source]

2019-2020

Harder was assigned to the following committees:[Source]

Elections

2024

See also: California's 9th Congressional District election, 2024

General election

The primary will occur on March 5, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 9

Incumbent Josh Harder, Khalid Jeffrey Jafri, Kevin Lincoln II, and John McBride are running in the primary for U.S. House California District 9 on March 5, 2024.


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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

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2022

See also: California's 9th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 9

Incumbent Josh Harder defeated Tom Patti in the general election for U.S. House California District 9 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
54.8
 
95,598
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TomPatti2022.png
Tom Patti (R) Candidate Connection
 
45.2
 
78,802

Total votes: 174,400
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 9

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 9 on June 7, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
36.7
 
39,026
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TomPatti2022.png
Tom Patti (R) Candidate Connection
 
29.0
 
30,843
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Jim Shoemaker (R)
 
14.5
 
15,443
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Harpreet_Chima.jpg
Harpreet Chima (D) Candidate Connection
 
7.9
 
8,433
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Jonathan Madison (R)
 
5.6
 
5,992
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Khalid_Jeffrey_Jafri.jpeg
Khalid Jeffrey Jafri (D)
 
3.0
 
3,174
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jan3020221120PM_104500298_KarenaFeng.jpeg
Karena Feng (D) Candidate Connection
 
2.5
 
2,632
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Mark Andrews (Independent)
 
0.7
 
758

Total votes: 106,301
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

See also: California's 10th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 10

Incumbent Josh Harder defeated Ted Howze in the general election for U.S. House California District 10 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
55.2
 
166,865
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TedHowze.jpg
Ted Howze (R) Candidate Connection
 
44.8
 
135,629

Total votes: 302,494
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 10

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 10 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
44.1
 
69,668
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TedHowze.jpg
Ted Howze (R) Candidate Connection
 
33.9
 
53,574
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Bob_Elliott.jpg
Bob Elliott (R)
 
13.0
 
20,481
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Mike-Barkley.PNG
Mike Barkley (D)
 
3.5
 
5,561
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Marla_Livengood1.jpg
Marla Livengood (R)
 
3.3
 
5,270
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/RyanBlevins.jpeg
Ryan Blevins (D) Candidate Connection
 
2.2
 
3,536

Total votes: 158,090
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profile

Image of Josh Harder

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

U.S. House (Assumed office: 2019)

Biography:  Harder received a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. and M.P.P. from Harvard University. As of his 2020 campaign, Harder's professional experience included working at Bessemer Venture Partners and the Boston Consulting Group, working with the Gates Foundation and other nonprofit organizations, and teaching at Modesto Junior College.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Harder said, “Half our community voted for Trump. Half didn’t … We have to find ways to work together. I’ve tried to live that by example. Every week, I get breakfast with 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats trying to find opportunities to identify that common ground.”


Harder's campaign website said that he was "serving his first term in Congress on behalf of families in the Central Valley where he’s fighting to protect our access to health care, create good-paying jobs, and reform our broken immigration system. He’s also focused on securing and growing the Valley’s water supply."


Harder's campaign website said, "Voters in CA-10 need to see that Josh Harder is putting the Central Valley first and politics and special interests last."


Show sources

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 10 in 2020.

2018

See also: California's 10th Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 10

Josh Harder defeated incumbent Jeff Denham in the general election for U.S. House California District 10 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
52.3
 
115,945
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeff_Denham.jpg
Jeff Denham (R)
 
47.7
 
105,955

Total votes: 221,900
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 10

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 10 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeff_Denham.jpg
Jeff Denham (R)
 
37.5
 
45,719
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
17.0
 
20,742
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TedHowze.jpg
Ted Howze (R)
 
14.6
 
17,723
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Michael_Eggman.jpeg
Michael Eggman (D)
 
10.2
 
12,446
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/VM_FB_Headshot.jpg
Virginia Madueno (D)
 
9.2
 
11,178
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Susan_Zwahlen.JPG
Sue Zwahlen (D)
 
8.2
 
9,945
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Mike-Barkley.PNG
Mike Barkley (D)
 
2.4
 
2,904
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DottyNygard.jpg
Dotty Nygard (D)
 
0.9
 
1,100

Total votes: 121,757
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 10

Josh Harder defeated incumbent Jeff Denham in the general election for U.S. House California District 10 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
52.3
 
115,945
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeff_Denham.jpg
Jeff Denham (R)
 
47.7
 
105,955

Total votes: 221,900
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 10

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 10 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Jeff_Denham.jpg
Jeff Denham (R)
 
37.5
 
45,719
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/JOSH_HARDER.jpg
Josh Harder (D)
 
17.0
 
20,742
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/TedHowze.jpg
Ted Howze (R)
 
14.6
 
17,723
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Michael_Eggman.jpeg
Michael Eggman (D)
 
10.2
 
12,446
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/VM_FB_Headshot.jpg
Virginia Madueno (D)
 
9.2
 
11,178
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Susan_Zwahlen.JPG
Sue Zwahlen (D)
 
8.2
 
9,945
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Mike-Barkley.PNG
Mike Barkley (D)
 
2.4
 
2,904
Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/DottyNygard.jpg
Dotty Nygard (D)
 
0.9
 
1,100

Total votes: 121,757
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

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2022

Josh Harder did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Josh Harder did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Harder's campaign website stated the following:

Fight for Health Care in the Valley

I will continue my work to improve our health care system, not devastate it by:

Lowering costs

Insurance premiums on the ACA marketplace in Stanislaus County rose 24% in 2018. We must provide short-term relief by increasing competition on the marketplaces by letting people buy into Medicare, curtailing prescription drug prices, and bringing more people into the marketplace. America spends far more on health care than any other country, but we’re less healthy. The big drug companies jack up prices on life-saving medicines that can be bought for a fraction of the cost in Canada. And for too many working people, premiums, co-pays, and deductibles are so expensive that they can’t even afford to use the insurance they have. It’s time to attack high costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and doing more to pay providers for the quality of care, not just the volume.

Expanding access

San Francisco has almost twice as many doctors per capita as the Central Valley. I hear from folks all the time about the lack of doctors in the Valley. That’s why I’m working to make sure we attract more doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals right here in our community. I also believe long term we should double down on the part of our health care system that works best by opening Medicare up to all Americans.

Fair and humane immigration reform

The Central Valley is a land of immigrants. We have over 10,000 Dreamers in our community who are our friends, classmates, and neighbors - they’re American in every way but on paper We should be providing them a pathway to citizenship. I was proud to cosponsor and vote to pass the Dream and Promise Act to help provide a pathway to citizenship for our Dreamers. I’m also proud to be leading legislation like the ENLIST Act, which says that if you serve in our Armed Forces, you should be able to work towards citizenship. I know we can help our Dreamers, we just need the political will do it.

I also believe we need comprehensive immigration reform that includes securing our borders. We must make real investments in enhanced technology at our southern border and at our ports to protect our country from drug smugglers and human traffickers. That’s why I voted for $13.8 billion to provide more border security technology and enforcement officers. We have to keep our country safe, and we must do it in a humane way that upholds our values.

Fighting corruption

Corporate greed and Super PACs are corrupting our political system. Corruption in DC stands in the way of getting some of the most important things done like lowering prescription drug costs. I was proud to help lead the For the People Act - the most sweeping anti-corruption bill since the Watergate Era. We need to clean up our election system and make Congress work for our families, not special interests. In fact, the first piece of legislation I wrote and passed through the House cracks down on lobbying and makes sure our government works for the people. I also introduced the No Health Care, No Raise Act to guarantee Congress doesn’t get a raise until every person in our country has health care.

Create quality public schools for all Valley kids

I went to public schools in Turlock and Modesto (go Panthers!), and I firmly believe in the power of public education to create opportunity, because that is what it did for me. I am committed to ensuring that every child in the Central Valley has access to a world-class education to prepare them for any future.

Now, the same public schools that gave me a head start are threatened by Secretary Devos and the Trump Administration. I will:

  • Work to make trades education more accessible to show our kids that a four year degree isn’t the only path to the middle class
  • Fight against the Trump and DeVos scheme to privatize our education
  • Work to modernize our schools not only with new technology but also investments in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) and computer science.
  • Fight to increase teacher pay
  • Ensure access to affordable, equitable, high-quality universal pre-kindergarten education.
  • Fight to make college more affordable and accessible. Too many students are crippled with high debt loads right as they start their careers. I will fight to make community college and vocational training programs tuition-free and invest in our public universities so more students have access.

Build a sustainable water future for the Central Valley

Water has been the critical issue for our community since my great-great-grandfather began farming in Manteca more than 170 years ago, and we will never solve our problems by shipping it to Southern California. For too long, politicians have haggled over our water crisis instead of working to solve it.

My first bill in Congress was the SAVE Water Resources Act, a real 21st Century solution to solving our water issues. Working with Republicans and Democrats, I wrote this bill to make sure we’re securing and growing our water supply to get ready for the next drought.

I’ve also introduced bipartisan legislation to bring more money to water research. This isn’t a problem that’s going to be solved by doing things the way we always have - we’re in a time of record droughts and need new innovative solutions to guarantee we have water for our families and our farmers.

Create more good jobs for the Valley

I’m tired of seeing the Valley’s economy fall behind. Our unemployment rate is double the unemployment rate in the Bay Area.

In my business career, I helped entrepreneurs and small businesses develop their ideas and create high-paying jobs. As your Representative, I’ve worked to help small businesses and working-class Americans have the opportunities they need to be successful. I’m focused on:

  • Building on our success in agriculture by working to make the Valley the agricultural technology capital of the nation
  • Working to make college and technical training programs more affordable and accessible in the Valley
  • Investing in infrastructure so new companies have a strong foundation and so we get our commute times down
  • Funding apprenticeship programs that teach students the skills local companies need. We need to make sure our graduates have pathways to careers that have a future.

Veterans

My grandfather served two tours in Vietnam and Korea, and I grew up hearing stories about his tours abroad. I understand the need to take care of veterans like my grandfather who served and sacrificed to protect our country. We need to make it easier to get VA care, invest in job training, and expand job placement services for veterans. I’ve worked to provide our troops with high quality mental health care and substance abuse treatment while they serve and after they come home. In Modesto especially, too many of the men and women who serve our nation don't get the care they need. I’ve worked to pass legislation that will support our Blue Water Vietnam Veterans and to help veterans experiencing mental health crises. I’ve also helped dozens of veterans solve issues with the VA.

Protect our environment

The Central Valley has some of the most productive soil and land in the world. I believe we must be good stewards of our water, air, and land resources to make sure their use is conserved for the next generation.

Like many of our kids in the Central Valley, I grew up with childhood asthma because of our high air pollution. We can and must improve our adherence to clean air and water standards and invest in our children’s health.

I strongly believe in the scientific consensus that climate change is real and man-made. I will fight back against the Trump Administration’s dangerous attempts to undo international agreements on climate change like the Paris Climate Accord. We also must go further, we must incentivize investments in clean energy sources and move away from polluting fossil fuels. The fastest growing industry in our nation is wind energy and solar’s not far behind - the future of our economy is in green energy. I believe the Central Valley can lead the way and create the good-paying jobs right here at home.

Housing and homelessness

Washington has not taken the housing crisis seriously. Our rents keep going up and up in the Valley - in Modesto they’ve shot up more than $400 in the past five years. We need more affordable housing so our families can live the American Dream.

We also know that homelessness is a huge problem in our communities. I believe we must tackle this problem head on. I am a proud co-sponsor of the Fighting Homelessness through Housing and Services Act, which not only provides funding for transitional housing, but will also tackle its root causes by investing in mental health and substance abuse services and provide job training opportunities for our homelessness neighbors.[5]

—Josh Harder's campaign website (2020)[6]

2018

Campaign website

Harder's campaign website stated the following:

Fight for Medicare for All

By voting for Trumpcare, Mr. Denham has once again put his party ahead of the people he’s supposed to represent. In this campaign, I will work to make sure every resident of California’s 10th district knows that their congressman voted to take away health coverage from 23 million Americans and eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Nonpartisan estimates calculate that 100,000 individuals in the CA-10 would have lost healthcare coverage as a result of Jeff Denham’s vote. He even voted in favor of allowing insurance companies to make pregnancy a pre-existing condition for which coverage may be denied. I will work to improve our healthcare system, not devastate it:

  • Double down on the part of our healthcare system that works best by expanding Medicare to encompass all Americans. For private insurers, nearly 1 in 6 dollars goes to administrative costs. For Medicare, it’s 1 in 50. Furthermore, polls show Medicare beneficiaries are more satisfied with their insurance than those with private plans.
  • Provide immediate relief by making common-sense fixes to strengthen the Affordable Care Act. Insurance premiums on the ACA marketplace in Stanislaus County rose 24% in 2018. We can provide short-term relief by increasing competition on the marketplaces by letting people buy into Medicare, curtailing prescription drug prices, and bringing more people into the marketplace.
  • Reduce healthcare costs to ensure the long-term sustainability of our system. America spends far more on healthcare than any other country, but we’re less healthy. The big drug companies jack up prices on life-saving medicines that can be bought for a fraction of the cost in Canada. And for too many working people, premiums, co-pays, and deductibles are so expensive that they can’t even afford to use the insurance they have. It’s time to attack high costs by targeting monopolistic practices and price gouging; allowing imports of medicine from Canada; and doing more to pay providers for the quality of care, not just the volume.

Encourage fair and humane immigration reform

For years, Mr. Denham has paid lip service to immigration reform in the Valley while doing nothing in Washington to solve the problem. He'll cosponsor and support bills up until they have a real chance of being passed, and then back away to please his party. Now, by supporting the Trump Administration, he is making our immigration problems even worse.

Denham supports Trump’s wasteful and ineffective wall. Furthermore, he’s remained silent while this administration has broken up families and deported law-abiding immigrants who own businesses and create jobs.

I will fight for our immigrant communities and push back against Trump's devastating policies:

  • Get relief for our Dreamers NOW. I see DREAMers every day as a teacher at Modesto Junior College. These are the bright stars of our community who just want to work hard to create a better life for themselves and their families. Jeff Denham has recklessly endangered these individuals by refusing to vote for a clean DREAM ACT to come to the floor. I will fight every day to protect my students and young immigrants nationwide.
  • Fight for a Pathway to Citizenship. America is a nation of immigrants and we rely on immigrant labor to keep our economic engine humming. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the Central Valley, where immigrants are the bedrock of our community. We need to welcome these hardworking individuals out of the shadows and provide them a simple pathway to citizenship.
  • Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform. In 2013 we had a bill passed by the Senate and approved by Obama that was waiting for the House, yet Denham backed his political party and kept the bill from reaching the floor. It's time to elect a representative that will work to pass such a bill: one that not only reforms our immigration process to make it simpler but also enhances our border patrol to keep our country safe.

Create more good jobs for the Valley

I’m running for Congress because I’m tired of seeing the Valley’s economy fall behind. Our unemployment rate is double the California average. After 17 years in politics, Jeff Denham’s only idea to improve our economy is to give even more tax breaks to the very wealthy. How does that benefit the farmers, small businesses, and families of the Central Valley?

In my business career, I have helped entrepreneurs and small companies develop their ideas and grow high-paying jobs. As your Representative, I will work to help small businesses and working-class Americans have the opportunities they need to be successful. In Congress, I will:

  • Build on our success in agriculture by working to make the Valley the agricultural technology capital of the nation.
  • Work to make college and technical training programs more affordable and accessible in the Valley, including by fighting for tuition-free community and technical college.
  • Invest in infrastructure, so that new companies have a strong foundation from which to build.
  • Fund apprenticeship programs that teach students the skills local companies need. We need to make sure our graduates have pathways to careers that have a future.

Build a sustainable water future for the Central Valley

Water has been the critical issue for agriculture in the Valley since my great-great-grandfather began farming in Manteca more than 170 years ago, and we will never solve our problems by shipping it to Southern California. For too long, politicians have haggled over our water crisis instead of working to solve it. I’ll work with Republicans and Democrats alike to find solutions to secure our water supply for future generations. That starts with three things:

  • Invest in water efficiency by providing tax incentives for Farmers to buy micro irrigation drips. They've been shown to dramatically decrease water usage while increasing production.
  • Build more water storage so that when it does rain we use it to recharge our aquifers and groundwater. Six years of drought were followed by one year of flooding. We have to be better prepared to take advantage of the rain when it comes.
  • Increase water production with a system of inland desalination plants. As the coastal cities grow, we can't sacrifice the Valley's economy. Instead, we have to find ways of increasing the water supply directly at the source.

End Citizens United and institute electoral reform

Corporate greed and Super PACs are corrupting our political system and nowhere is that more obvious than in our electoral process. Jeff Denham has been bought and sold by corporations and the Republican party, taking more than 70% of his contributions from special interests. That is why I have taken a pledge to refuse Corporate PAC donations.

  • Support an amendment that says corporations are NOT people. Corporations aren't born, they can't vote, and they shouldn’t be able to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence our elections. We need to take their power away and to do that we need to amend the constitution.
  • Advocate for an individuals right to vote and reinstitute the Voting Rights Amendment that was recently rolled back by the Supreme Court.
  • Fight against gerrymandering nationwide. Representatives are chosen by the people, not the other way around. I will advocate for fair practices in drawing districts that keep like communities together instead of building districts which protect those in power.

Defend women's rights and access to healthcare

I will be a fierce advocate for women’s rights, including supporting their economic security and reproductive rights. I will defend Planned Parenthood against attacks to stop reimbursement for critical medical care like cancer screenings and STD testing.

  • Advocate for a woman's right to choose as well as access to affordable and quality reproductive services.
  • Support efforts to institute paid family leave. America is the only advanced economy in the world without guaranteed family leave, which often affects our poorest workers the most. I also support expanding early childhood education, which helps working parents afford the high costs of childcare.
  • Strengthen protections in the workplace setting up systems that punish sexual predators, empower victims, and promote equal pay.

Create quality public schools for all Valley kids

I was educated in the public schools of Turlock and Modesto, and I firmly believe in the power of public education to create opportunity, because that is what it did for me. I am committed to ensuring that every child in the Central Valley has access to a world-class education that will prepare them for any future.

Now, the same public schools that gave me a head start are threatened by the Trump Administration. I will:

  • Fight against the Trump and DeVos scheme to privatize our education
  • Work to modernize our schools not only with new technology but also investments in STEAM and computer science.
  • Fight to increase teacher pay
  • Ensure access to affordable, equitable, high-quality universal pre-kindergarten education.
  • Fight to make college more affordable and accessible. Too many students are crippled with high debt loads right as they start their careers. I will fight to make community college and vocational training programs tuition-free and invest in our public universities so more students have access.

Protect the Environment

The Central Valley has some of the most productive soil and land in the world. I believe we must be good stewards of our water, air, and land resources to make sure their use is conserved for the next generation.

Like many children in the Central Valley, I grew up with childhood asthma because of our high air pollution. We can and must improve our adherence to clean air and water standards and invest in our children’s health.

I strongly believe in the scientific consensus that climate change is real and man-made. I will fight back against the Trump Administration’s dangerous attempts to undermine the Environmental Protection Agency and undo international agreements on climate change. Instead, we must make sure there are adequate incentives to invest in clean energy sources and move away from polluting fossil fuels.

Reduce gun violence

Our country is plagued by school shootings, gun-related suicide, and gang-related shootings. Here in California, we stepped up to reduce gun violence and have since seen the effectiveness of 10-day waiting periods, assault weapons restrictions, and background checks. Instead of advocating to take these successes nationwide, Denham has looked to undermine California state and local laws, endanger our law enforcement, and make it easier for dangerous individuals to walk around carrying guns. It's clear that he has been bought by the NRA and the gun industry. I will:

  • Protect responsible gun owners and their right to protect their family. We must ensure the right for responsible gun owners to be able to hunt and protect their home is respected, along with the 2nd amendment.
  • Take the successes we've seen in California nationwide. In California, we've seen a huge reduction in gun deaths thanks to our common sense reforms. That's why I don't want to change anything for gun owners here in the Central Valley, but take our reforms and institute them nationwide. Not only will this help protect the people living across the country, but it will also reduce the ability for criminals, domestic abusers, and terrorists here in the Central Valley to get their hands on guns.[7]

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable endorsements by Josh Harder
EndorseeElectionStageOutcome
George Whitesides  source  (D) U.S. House California District 27 (2024) Primary

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote Bill and description Status
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (228-206)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (220-210)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (220-207)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (220-204)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (220-210)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (217-213)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (363-70)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (350-80)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (228-197)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (342-88)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (243-187)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (218-211)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (321-101)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (260-171)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (224-206)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (258-169)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (230-201)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (217-207)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (227-203)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (220-203)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (234-193)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (232-197)
Yes check.svg Yea Yes check.svg Passed (225-201)


Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Harder, Josh," accessed December 2, 2022
  2. LinkedIn, "Josh Harder," accessed December 2, 2022
  3. Information submitted on Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form on January 23, 2018
  4. Representative Josh Harder, "About," accessed February 27, 2020
  5. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. Josh Harder 2020 campaign website, “On the Issues,” accessed February 27, 2020
  7. Josh Harder 2018 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed May 14, 2018
  8. Congress.gov, "H.R.3684 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act," accessed April 15, 2022
  9. Congress.gov, "H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
  10. Congress.gov, "H.R.5376 - Inflation Reduction Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
  11. Congress.gov, "H.R.3617 - Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  12. Congress.gov, "H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
  13. Congress.gov, "H.R.1808 - Assault Weapons Ban of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
  14. Congress.gov, "S.1605 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022," accessed April 15, 2022
  15. Congress.gov, "H.R.7776 - James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023," accessed January 20, 2023
  16. Congress.gov, "H.R.6 - American Dream and Promise Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
  17. Congress.gov, "S.3373 - Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
  18. Congress.gov, "H.R.4346 - Chips and Science Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  19. Congress.gov, "H.R.3755 - Women's Health Protection Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
  20. Congress.gov, "H.R.1996 - SAFE Banking Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022
  21. Congress.gov, "H.R.2471 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022," accessed January 20, 2023
  22. Congress.gov, "H.R.5 - Equality Act," accessed April 15, 2022
  23. Congress.gov, "H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  24. Congress.gov, "H.R.6833 - Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023
  25. Congress.gov, "H.R.7688 - Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  26. Congress.gov, "H.R.8 - Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021," accessed January 20, 2023
  27. Congress.gov, "H.R.5746 - Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  28. Congress.gov, "S.2938 - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," accessed January 20, 2023
  29. Congress.gov, "H.Res.24 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.," accessed April 15, 2022
  30. Congress.gov, "H.R.2617 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023

Political offices
Preceded by
Jerry McNerney (D)
U.S. House California District 9
2023-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
Jeff Denham (R)
U.S. House California District 10
2019-2023
Succeeded by
Mark DeSaulnier (D)


Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
Ami Bera (D)
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Ro Khanna (D)
District 18
District 19
District 20
Vacant
District 21
Jim Costa (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
Raul Ruiz (D)
District 26
District 27
District 28
Judy Chu (D)
District 29
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
Ted Lieu (D)
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Young Kim (R)
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
Democratic Party (42)
Republican Party (11)
Vacancies (1)