Meet Emily Beach, Candidate For 15th Congressional District Seat

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — Emily Beach, a member of the Burlingame City Council, is running to represent the 15th Congressional District, a redrawn district held by the outgoing Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo).

Speier announced that she wouldn't be running for reelection after representing most of San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco since 2008. Her predecessor, Tom Lantos, had held the seat from 1991-2008. The redrawn district stretches from San Francisco down to East Palo Alto, with parts of Menlo Park and Atherton included.

Beach is one of six candidates running for the open seat. The primary is June 7, narrowing the field to two candidates before the Nov. 8 general election.

Learn more about Beach and her goals for the district as voters cast their ballots before and on Election Day June 7th in the following exclusive Q&A with Patch.

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband: Duff, Daughter (17), Son (15), Cat named Clarabelle

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A. University of Notre Dame, Government & Spanish

Occupation

Burlingame City Council Member, 2015-Present

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

• Burlingame City Council 2015-present, Mayor 2019-2020
• San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) Board of Directors 2017-present, Chairperson (2020-2021)
• League of California Cities Statewide Board of Directors, representing the Peninsula Division which includes Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco Counties, 2018-present
• League of California Cities Peninsula Division, President, representing 36 Cities in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco Counties 2020-2021
• League of California Cities Environmental Quality Policy Committee 2018-2021
• National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Services Federal Advocacy Committee 2021
• Caltrain Modernization Local Policymaker Group, Vice Chair 2016-2022
• Commute.org Board of Directors, Vice Chair 2016-present
• City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee 2017-present
• City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) Congestion Management and Environmental Quality Committee 2016-present
• San Mateo County Express Lane Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors 2019-present

Campaign website

https://www.emilybeachforcongr...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m running for Congress because we need leaders who are courageous and bold, who will inspire others, challenge the status quo, and fight for a more just society. I am qualified for the job because of my broad life experiences and deep connections to the people of the 15th Congressional District as a local elected leader and community volunteer. Local elected officials are closest and most accessible to the people we serve, and best understand how policies in Washington impact our communities. My seven years in local government is a competitive asset for this job.

It’s unacceptable that we have only 27 percent women in Congress. We need more women in Washington – not fewer– fighting for our reproductive freedom, paid parental leave, affordable childcare, the ERA, education, and LGBTQ+ rights when Congresswoman Speier retires.

I am worried about our country and our democracy – particularly the current divisiveness and severe gridlock in Washington. I believe we are losing ground in the fight to advance our Bay Area values. Status quo politics as usual isn’t working in Washington. We need bold, coalition-building leaders who have proven their willingness to stick their neck out (not just when it’s politically easy to do so) who will fight for our values. That’s how we’ll restore trust in government and faith in each other.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As one of only three serious Democrats in this race to replace retiring Congresswoman Jackie Speier, I am the only candidate who is a U.S. Army veteran, former Silicon Valley business executive, education non-profit leader, mayor during the pandemic, seventh-year city councilmember and parent of teens.

In such dangerous times, we need veterans in Congress helping to make decisions about foreign policy, common sense gun control, and whether to send America's daughters and sons into harm's way. As an Army veteran, I will also continue Congresswoman Speier’s
legacy of fighting against sexual harassment and assault in the military.

I am the only woman in this race. I am fighting to keep this a woman-held seat in a Congress
that currently has only 27 percent women. I do not want to see women even less represented in
Congress than we already are. As a woman, I have experienced barriers to equity throughout
my lifetime in ways the other candidates have not, and I understand the challenges women face in every aspect of life in a way that the other candidates in this race never will.

Women’s reproductive freedom will take center stage this year because our Supreme Court seems determined to destroy our hard-fought civil rights, and several states have already effectively outlawed abortion. We need women in positions of leadership—particularly in Congress—to help codify Roe v. Wade into law, and settle this issue once and for all. As a woman, mother of two teens, and as a Catholic and University of Notre Dame graduate who is pro-choice, I have an unmatched background to advocate authentically for women’s reproductive freedom, the Equal Rights Amendment, paid parental leave, early childhood education and mental health support for our youth.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Other issues that are my top priorities are:

Affordability & a more fair economy

The federal government plays a critical role in creating more affordable housing through tax credits and subsidies – local governments need more help, particularly in expensive parts of the country like the Bay Area. We also need more Section 8 vouchers for our most vulnerable community members. The federal tax code in many cases advantages the wealthy, and we need to create a more fair economy through tax code reform.

Health care & mental health

Health care is a human right, and every single person regardless of who they are and where they come from deserves access to the health and mental health care they need.

This includes women’s reproductive healthcare. It is unconscionable that we are one of the only industrialized countries in the world that does not provide universal health care. At a minimum, we need a public option, expansion of the Affordable Care Act and to use the federal government’s purchasing power to lower prescription costs. Our lack of mental health resources and beds in California is a significant contributor to homelessness and addiction problems. We need greater federal investment in these areas.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I’ve done hard things in my life, which taught me persistence and tenacity. I was on an Army scholarship at the University of Notre Dame. I broke glass ceilings as a female Army officer – leading soldiers in Saudi Arabia, Korea and even jumping out of airplanes in combat gear at night. I worked as a business executive in Silicon Valley, fighting for my own pay equity. As a college student, I studied for a year in a Spanish-speaking country. I returned home and tutored Spanish-speaking adults in English, and I spent a summer fighting for immigrants’ rights by translating political asylum testimony.

I’ve championed equity in public education while leading a non-profit organization. I’ve navigated challenges as a foster parent and as a parent of my own two teenagers as they struggled with learning differences, special needs, mental health and their own LGBTQ+ identity. Federal law governs equity in education and ensures that students receive “a free, appropriate public education.” I know first-hand how the federal government must provide more resources and teacher training to deliver on this promise. Without federal help, local school districts are overburdened and falling short. Equity in education, early learning and mental health resources for all students will be top priorities for me in Congress.

As a local elected leader and mayor, I led the successful effort to pass a $15 accelerated minimum wage and campaign finance limits – both against strong political headwinds. I championed affordable housing, the environment, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. I take on tough issues with civility by building coalitions, and as the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg said, doing it in a way that inspires others to join.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Lessons from my Army training: "Lead by example. Don’t ask anyone to do what you wouldn’t do yourself."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a grassroots leader who knows that we solve problems best when we solve them together, bringing a practical and inclusive approach to government service. I’m honest with people and don’t just tell them what I think they want to hear.

Since my first month in elected office back in 2015, I hosted bi-monthly constituent listening events in local coffee shops and wrote regular newsletters to keep constituents updated on news that impacted them. During the pandemic, I hosted 25 virtual listening and information-sharing events—including weekly events as Mayor during shelter-in-place.

As a mother of two teenagers, I understand what it takes to go to work every day, fight for pay equity in my own work, manage a household,and meet a family budget in one of the most expensive regions of the country. I know what it feels like to worry about my children’s future, their online safety and privacy, their mental health, and the planet we are leaving them. My broad life experience has prepared me to effectively represent the 15th Congressional District.

My top priorities include climate action, affordable housing and homelessness, mental health, women’s reproductive freedom and education. I value fairness, equity and civility.