Ro Khanna, the progressive Democratic Congressman that represents California’s 17th district, is an architect behind a new central bipartisan playbook. He prioritizes holding the powerful elite accountable and stopping needless U.S. participation in foreign wars. Khanna made his name by being strategic. He’s the man who’s mastered the political gauntlet to push through major initiatives, most recently a historic bill that forces the U.S. government to release sealed documents tying powerful people to Jeffrey Epstein’s global sex-trafficking operation.
Khanna is well-qualified with a deep resume as a former Silicon Valley executive. With degrees from the University of Chicago and Yale, he knows how hard it is to pass policy. Originally, he assumed that each of his bills would have only a 5% chance of success. As they began their epic journey through the halls of Congress, he didn’t forget that estimate. Against such odds, her resolve to expose the dirtiest of laundry to the light of public scrutiny will not be swayed.
Recently, Khanna’s push for transparency surrounding Epstein’s activities has garnered attention. His bill will soon release documents that could implicate dozens of high-profile people in grotesque behavior. In his account, these types of disclosures are critical building blocks for faith in government. I really do think that this is going to be an accountability moment for America,” Khanna said.
Khanna’s bipartisan efforts don’t stop with the Epstein files. He joined forces with Senators Bernie Sanders and Marco Rubio. Collectively, they pushed through a bipartisan war-powers resolution that halts the refueling of Saudi aircraft now engaged in the Yemeni bombing campaigns. This initiative is very much in keeping with Khanna’s larger visionary impulse. He has expressed a desire for a foreign policy of domestic dependency over military engagement.
Representing one of California’s wealthiest and bluest districts, Khanna forms productive relationships with key Republican lawmakers. Because of this clever strategy, he is able to establish a norm of bipartisanship. He has indeed worked hand in glove with firebrand anti-spending representatives such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie. Their partnership is a reminder that bipartisan cooperation is possible when there is mutual trust and shared interests.
Responding to the needs of constituents requires deeply personal relationships, Khanna explains. “You have to have folks on the other side,” he added, strongly underscoring that you want. Click here to learn more about Journalism in Transit’s community engagement work in Kingston. He continued, “You don’t want a big committee. You just need four or five people—people on whom you can establish trusting relationships—people you can text or call more easily.”
His efforts have yielded tangible results. Khanna got buy-in from Ralph Norman, a GOP member of the rules committee. This accomplishment underlines Khanna’s success in creating bipartisan support for his ideas. Reflecting on this success, he recalled Massie’s encouragement: “Well, if you can get one Republican in the rules committee, maybe we can get more Republicans,” Khanna quoted.
Khanna’s political acumen is backed by his team, which starred executive director Gideon Bragin. Yet perhaps more than any other member of Congress, the Congressman understands cultural trends. This insight has been invaluable in helping him hone his legislative strategies. None of that should downplay how savvy Hakeem Jeffries and his team are. They just know how to read and follow cultural trends,” he said.
The route to passing this legislation is a winding road full of obstacles. In truth, lawmakers’ chances of getting a bill through are hugely stacked against them, as Khanna freely admitted. They all almost completely disintegrated. The odds of getting a bill through Congress stacked against you to a degree that’s almost unimaginable, ” he said, driving home the odds you’re up against in Congress.
Even with all of these obstacles, Khanna is still living proof that big ideas can triumph over adversity. In his vision for American society, he advocates for “good jobs at home, no dumb wars overseas, accountability for elites.” He should sharpen his focus on handling urgent domestic priorities. Simultaneously, he’s developed a deep-seated critical approach to U.S. foreign policy.
Most importantly, perhaps, Khanna’s efforts have made a deeply personal connection with constituents. He told the most moving story about a woman who suddenly had a sense of relief wash over her. After years of feeling ignored, she finally felt like her government was listening to her experiences as a sexual assault victim. “One woman came up to me when I was back home and said: ‘You know, I’m a victim of sexual assault, and I finally feel heard by my government,’” he recalled.