California State Assembly Progressive Caucus Chair Calls Lee “Consistent and Effective Progressive“

SAN JOSE, CA — Assemblymember Ash Kalra, the Chair of the California State Assembly Progressive Caucus has endorsed Congressmember Barbara Lee for Senate, the Lee campaign announced today. 

“Barbara Lee is a consistent and effective progressive who has the experience needed to get things done in the Senate right away on urgent priorities like creating affordable housing and supporting the middle class,” said Assemblymember Kalra. “I am very proud to endorse Congresswoman Lee and I look forward to working hard to help elect Barbara Lee as California’s next Senator.”

“With progressive partners like Ash Kalra, I’m very excited about what we can deliver for Californians,” said Congresswoman Lee in response. “Assemblymember Kalra has worked hard to put people first and to bring needed progressive leadership to issues that demand our immediate attention. Progressive leadership is exactly what I plan on bringing to the Senate and I appreciate Assemblymember Kalra’s support in my campaign for Senate and look forward to his continued close partnership.”

Assemblymember Kalra was first elected in 2016 to represent the majority of San Jose in the State Assembly and currently serves as Chair of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus. Now in his fourth term, Assemblymember Kalra is known as one of California’s progressive champions and has established himself as a leader on issues ranging from criminal justice reform to environmental protection and has championed legislation on healthcare reform and sustainability, housing affordability, growing transportation infrastructure, and expanding economic opportunity for all.

Assemblymember Kalra joins a growing list of high-profile current and former elected officials from around the state who have endorsed Lee’s campaign for Senate, including five of the eight statewide constitutional officers – Attorney General Rob Bonta, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Controller Malia Cohen, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

Other national and California endorsers of Lee’s campaign include Congressmembers Jamaal Bowman, Sheila Jackson Lee, Steven Horsford, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Troy Carter, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Nikema Williams, Jim Clyburn, Bennie Thompson, Lucy McBath, Terri Sewell, and Gregory Meeks, former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Cedric Richmond, former Georgia General Assembly House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, State Senators Susan Talamantes Eggman, Anna Caballero and Nancy Skinner, Assemblymembers Isaac Bryan, Mia Bonta and Corey Jackson, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, Redlands Mayor Eddie Tejeda, Rialto Mayor Deborah Robertson, former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, former Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Karina Quintanilla, Dolores Huerta, California Democratic Party Asian Pacific Islander Caucus Chair Deepa Sharma, California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus Chair Emeritus Amar Shergill, California Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus Co-Chair Emeritus Tiffany Woods. A full list of endorsements is available at barbaraleeforCA.com.

Lee also has the backing of the Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council, California Legislative Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Feminist Majority PAC, Black Women Organized for Political Action PAC, and Higher Heights for America.

There are currently no Black women serving in the U.S. Senate. Since 1789, when the first Congress met, only two African American women have been in the Senate, serving a total of 10 years.