Chris Demers

Chris Demers graduated from Hershey High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from City University of New York Law School. His career experience includes working in business management.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Chris Demers was raised by parents who worked in the sciences and instilled discipline, curiosity, and respect for hard work. Drawn to public service and assisting others, Demers studied law and worked in the field of democracy promotion and human rights protection, eventually becoming a USAID officer. He made a career change to lead sustainability efforts in corporate America, which meant protecting workers in global supply chains, decreasing environmental footprints, and strengthening corporate codes of conduct—including responsible uses of technology. He left his job with HPE in March to run for California’s 18th district Congressional seat. Chris is deeply concerned about the state of our democracy, our unaffordability crisis, and the poor treatment of many Americans. He is a frequent community organizer, youth basketball coach, and member of the Gilroy, CA Rotary, where he lives.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Our democracy is weak and too many Americans do not trust government to act in their best interest. Our two large political parties are a big reason for this, specifically the money they take from special interests and their lack of accountability to the public. We need independent members of Congress who want to reform the system. I will not take money from PACs or specials interests to support my campaign, I will term limit myself to 8 years, and I will push to balance our federal budget each year.We face an affordability crisis that is of our own making. Inflation should be much lower this far past the pandemic. We must get rid of foolish tariffs that raise prices on thousands of goods and services and economic inputs. We should not have a militant foreign policy that obstructs commerce and drives commodity prices up. And we must manage our healthcare sector very differently to control costs. Our businesses deserve a government that enables predictability, planning and affordability.Too many Americans, notably those who recently immigrated to the US and people of color, are not treated with dignity. God made each of us equally, but somehow we are challenged to love one another and treat one another equally. The vast majority of people who come to the US are good people who want to improve the lives of their family. This has always been the case. Everyone deserves to improve their life, especially when they are born or raised in conditions of suffering. No President and administration should ever stoke hate and division. I want to bring an America where all feel welcome and are treated with dignity. Reasonable and humane immigration policies are possible and must be instituted.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am curious about everything government does--or doesn't do. We have been underserved by our democracy for too long--given we have one of the oldest democracies--ours should be much more evolved. I have a keen sense of what drives a successful and sustainable economy. And I do not like when government allows injustice.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Forward Party