Ro Khanna, lecturer in the economics department, is currently running to represent California’s 17th congressional district in the House of Representatives, attempting to unseat eight-term incumbent Mike Honda. While Khanna lost to Honda in the previous election cycle, he bested Honda by a slight margin in a close primary this year. He previously served in the Department of Commerce under the Obama administration. The Daily spoke with Khanna about his campaign and his time at Stanford.
The Stanford Daily (TSD): After leaving your position in the Obama administration, what drew you to Stanford?
Ro Khanna (RK): Well, after I left the Obama administration, I wrote a book about how to bring advanced manufacturing back to the United States, and issues with American competitiveness. And I had a chance to talk to John Levin, who at the time was the chair of the economics department, and also speak about my book at a number of lectures at Stanford. I found the students so engaging and so interested, and I was learning a lot from them. So John said, “Why don’t you try teaching this class,” about three or four years ago, “on marketing and competitiveness?” And I did it, and I loved it, and the students seemed to enjoy it, and so it’s been something that I’ve been doing for the last four years, every quarter.
TSD: If elected, how will your time at Stanford inform your role as a representative?
RK: Stanford is a tremendous intellectual community where people are really worried and thinking about the questions about the future. What [are] automation [or] globalization going to mean for the future of the American workforce? How are we going to prepare people for the challenges of the 21st-century economy? My hope is to take some of that thinking and discussion that is present on the Stanford campus and introduce that to the national dialogue and into the halls of Congress.
TSD: From even the briefest viewing of your campaign website, it’s apparent that college and education are important issues to you and to your platform. Can you speak to me a bit more about why college affordability matters so much to you?
RK: In an economy where more and more jobs are going to be automated … a high school education is often no longer sufficient. So, we have to make college accessible and affordable for everyone. That’s why I’ve supported Robert Wright’s plan, which says that we should backload the debt instead of frontloading it: You go to a public college for free, but then you pay back a percentage of your income, once you have your first job. In South Korea, between the ages of 25 and 34, 63 percent of young people have a college degree. Our numbers are somewhere in the 40s. We need to do a lot better at making college accessible and affordable, and then that will also give people the aspiration that it’s the norm … just like high school is the norm.
TSD: In 2014, you came second in the primary, and then narrowed that margin significantly by general election time but still lost to the incumbent, Mike Honda. Fast-forward to this year, and you won the primary against Honda by a narrow margin (less than 2 percentage points). What should the 17th congressional district expect to see after this November?
RK: I’m very confident that we’re going to prevail this time. There’s a little bit of change in the district, people want to see new leadership, new ideas on the economy … and the primary showing was very encouraging … I hope to earn the support of a lot of people who voted for the other candidate [Honda]. We’ve been working hard these last four weeks.
TSD: What are voters looking for this election cycle that is different from two years ago when Honda kept his seat?
RK: For one, I think Honda has been less active in the district, he’s got this ethics investigation and President Obama is no longer endorsing Honda. So that’s got people taking a second look at whether he’s the right person to continue representing the district. The other thing is [that] I’ve been very, very active in a lot of local issues … Voters have seen my local activism and leadership and believe that I will help stand up for the community over special interests, and that message has really resonated this time.
TSD: What kind of support, if any, have you gotten from your students at Stanford? And what is the experience like? It seems very unique to be a lecturer here and at the same time [run] a campaign. What has that been like for you?
RK: The students have been phenomenal. I’ve had great relationships and mentorships [with them, even some] relationships with them after [they] graduate … I consider it a real privilege to teach at Stanford, to get to meet and interact with such amazing, brilliant, young leaders of the future … We’ve had a number of students who are really passionate about getting involved, and [for] any Stanford students who want to get involved, there are four weeks left before the election. We have a fellowship program, and it’s a fantastic way to get engaged in the campaign. Of course, in the classroom itself, I don’t talk about my politics. We talk about … economic policy, and it’s a great reprieve from the political world.
TSD: If students are interested in getting involved in these last four weeks, where can they find more information?
RK: They should email [email protected]. He’s our field director and head of our fellowship program, and they can get involved. That’s how I got involved in politics. Barack Obama was a lecturer at the University of Chicago, and I was an undergrad, and I signed up to knock on doors for him. That gave me an interest in public service and eventually led to my working for him and his administration. So, while my career is not going to be nearly as successful as Barack Obama’s, people still can find a great opportunity to get involved with their local community and a very exciting race, the fellowship is an amazing opportunity.
Contact Katlyn Alapati at katlyn ‘at’ stanford.edu.