Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Chris Kluwe
Current job title: Small Businessman/Coach/Retired NFL Player
Age: 44
Political party affiliation: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: None
City where you reside: Huntington Beach
Campaign website or social media: KluweOC.com
Do you believe balancing the state budget should rely more on spending cuts, new revenue streams or a combination? Tell us how you would propose tackling California’s projected budget deficit. (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
We have a lot of hard work ahead of us if we really want to tackle California’s budget deficit and fix it, though I’ve never been afraid of a challenge. California is the world’s fourth largest economy, and we shouldn’t have to sacrifice essential services while large corporations make record profits.
It should be common sense to use a combination of cuts and new revenue. Firstly, everyone should be able to agree we need to take more initiative to address fraud and bureaucratic waste throughout California, with those efforts driven by an independent oversight committee, not politics.
We’ve seen what happens when there is little accountability or strong oversight, as in the case of Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do misusing millions of taxpayer dollars, and when taxpayers lost billions to unemployment fraud during COVID. These cases would not have happened with the right accountability measures in place, and it should not be a difficult undertaking or be overlooked.
Secondly, we need to protect small businesses and workers who are being cheated by others that exploit loopholes in the system and ensure large corporations are actually paying their fair share. Middle-class and low-income families shouldn’t be paying as much or more of their income than those at the very top.
Through a balanced, commonsense approach that restores accountability, tackles fraud and corruption at its root, and ensures our tax system works for working families, not just those at the top, we can actually take meaningful action to address the projected budget deficit.
For you, what’s a non-starter when talking about budget cuts? Why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Public education. A strong public education system is one of the strongest investments we can make. It serves as the backbone of our democratic system, not only because it addresses a multitude of problems at their source, but because it can set people up for a life of opportunity and success. When our children are able to learn about the importance of freedom and democracy, and the sacrifices previous generations made to ensure those freedoms were passed on, irrespective of race, religion, or any other factor, those children are far more likely to grow up nurturing the ember of the American Dream in their chest — that anyone, regardless of their background, income, or zip code, has the opportunity to build a better future in our country. Any attack on public education, whether it be through funding cuts, privatization, or book bans, is an attack on who we are as Americans.
There are also essential public services that I would do everything in my power to stop from losing funding, including cuts to emergency response services and supportive services for veterans, the elderly, and people with disabilities. It is the bare minimum that we protect our neighborhoods and the most vulnerable.
What are the top three most pressing issues facing the state, and what would you propose, as a state legislator, to address them? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
1. Affordability. Californians are working hard to make ends meet, but too many still cannot provide for their families’ future, and we are failing them. The rising cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, and utilities demands urgent and effective action. There are more people in need of quality housing than what is accessible to them. We simply have not built enough homes for decades, especially near jobs, schools, and transit, and working families are paying the price. I believe we can move faster on housing by increasing the supply, lowering costs, and supporting good-paying local jobs — all without sacrificing the workforce standards that keep our middle class strong or decimating the environmental safeguards that protect our communities.
2. The environment. Climate change is real, and not going away. We were hit by a tropical storm two years ago and experienced massive flooding in Surf City. Wildfires are now our fifth season. Our beaches are eroding, and with them, coastal communities’ income streams. I will stand together with environmental advocates, businesses, and workers to ensure the state has solutions focused on safety, accessibility, and sustainability.
3. AI regulation. AI is a threat to jobs and while it might benefit efficiency sometimes, it should not result in job loss or environmental damage. I’m not against AI that works, but it cannot come at the expense of human lives or public safety. We need to make sure that any AI implementation, whether public or private, is putting human beings first, not corporate profits.
What specific policy would you champion in the statehouse to improve the cost of living for residents? Would you see this having an immediate impact on Californians or would it take some time? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The rising cost of living is causing the California dream to fade. We can revive it with common-sense leadership that is focused on putting people first and rejects extreme, divisive politics. The whole reason why I’m running is because I’m fed up with the political gridlock that isn’t delivering on this crisis. I very much believe in giving everyone the same opportunities I had growing up, because hard work should lead to success and the ability to thrive.
My initial focus would be on addressing the housing crisis as stated previously. We must increase the streamlining of housing, cut red tape, and build more mid-level starter homes, especially for families who are trying to own a home and start their family’s future but are being priced out. This will empower young parents to establish roots and allow older residents to retire peacefully. Additionally, we must ensure large corporations are paying their fair share. I want to be clear that this isn’t an attack on business or economic growth, but solving this crisis will take all of us together, and it isn’t helpful for everyday people when there are extreme pay disparities with CEOs at the expense of their employees. This revenue would be key to genuinely investing in our communities—strengthening infrastructure, public works, public education, public transit, and creating safe, livable neighborhoods. That would have an immediate impact and help California to create jobs and lower costs.
There have been numerous efforts made in the state legislature to curtail federal immigration enforcement in California, from prohibitions on agents wearing masks to banning federal officers from future employment in a public agency. Do you see any area where the state could better protect its residents from the federal government’s widespread immigration crackdown? Would you prefer the state work more hand-in-hand with the federal government on immigration? Where does the role as a state legislator fall into your beliefs here? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The Trump Administration’s current enforcement operations are unconstitutional (ruled so by multiple federal judges), immoral (as witnessed by anyone who cares about their fellow American citizens being unlawfully detained merely based on the color of their skin), and directly in contrast to the idea of a democratic society that upholds law and order and treats people fairly with due process (as evidenced by the extrajudicial killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and others). I would work with the incoming governor and other legislators to ensure we work together in response to the cruel, unsafe, and ineffective actions of the Trump administration and hold them accountable.
I support establishing a state fund to help provide legal aid and I support strengthening limitations for federal agents to enter courthouses, schools, or hospitals. I am strongly in favor of banning face coverings for law enforcement officials, except in cases of medical emergencies, and I support the recent legislation that bans face coverings.
Health care costs — like in many other areas — are continuing to rise. What policies, specifically, would you support or like to champion that could lower premiums or out-of-pocket expenses? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I grew up the son of an anesthesiologist (thanks mom) and have had a front-row seat to our healthcare system over the past several decades. There’s no reason why California can’t lead the way forward for the rest of the nation on tackling healthcare costs. We’re supposed to be a state of innovators and cutting-edge research, yet we trail the entire developed world when it comes to taking care of our people.
No more excessive administrative bloat, no more for-profit health insurance price gouging, and no more inaction on increasing Medi-Cal reimbursement rates. If there’s anything I learned in my time in the NFL, it’s that you need to treat a problem as soon as you’re aware it exists, not wait for it to get so bad that your future health is put in jeopardy. A healthy population is a healthy workforce, and a healthy workforce is a strong economy. Let’s invest in California by giving people the tools they need to succeed and put people’s health over profits.
Would you support expanding state health care programs to ensure more residents — including those who are not citizens — are covered? How would you propose the state fund such an expansion? Or, how would you propose the people who cannot afford health care still get the necessary care they need without expanding state programs? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
There is no reason the CEO of a nonprofit hospital should be able to make more in one year than three times the TOTAL amount I made in my NFL career, and more so while hospital nurses and staff go on strike for fair wages. We have the resources to adequately fund healthcare, and I refuse to accept a world where only a few have healthcare while others are forced to suffer without access to the care they need.
It’s a fact that our state is the fourth largest economy in the world. Californians should be asking: can your kids afford to buy a house in your neighborhood? Do you feel like you’re receiving the benefits of being part of such an economic powerhouse? Because all of us are contributing to California’s success, but very few of us are actually living the American Dream.
Healthcare is not only a human right, it’s a common-sense investment in our economy and public safety. When people can’t see a doctor, they miss work, lose income, and fall behind. When mental health and addiction go untreated, it spills into our communities and leads to more crises that police and emergency rooms are forced to handle. In the NFL, our trainers would tell us constantly, “Come see us THE INSTANT you feel anything wrong, so we can fix it early,” and I don’t see why we can’t adopt that mindset as a state and strengthen long-term preventative care.
As part of combating homelessness, elected officials often talk about the need to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place. What policies or programs should the state adopt to make housing more affordable for renters and homeowners? What do you propose the state do to incentivize housing development and expedite such projects? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The state should have a loan-guarantee program for homeowners facing eviction due to unforeseen circumstances (like medical emergencies or sudden loss of job) that keeps them from becoming homeless in the first place, as well as prioritizing building more housing across the board (particularly “missing middle” housing like condos, duplexes, townhomes, and other medium-density solutions). In addition, we should be investing in more robust public transit and childcare centers so that working parents can afford to live near where they work without fear of going into permanent debt.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in 2023 authorizing state energy regulators to penalize oil companies making excessive profits. But the California Energy Commission put off imposing the penalties last year after two oil refineries, which represent nearly a fifth of California’s refining capacity, said they would shut down operations. Those announcements prompted many to be concerned about soaring gas prices. What do you think of the commission’s decision? And how would you, as a state legislator, propose balancing California’s climate goals with protecting consumers from high gas prices at the pump? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
California needs to continue investing, now more than ever, in green energy solutions, and ensuring workers have a voice in the transition, so that we as a state cannot be held hostage to the whims of corporate polluters and the profits of oil companies, or an out-of-control president who starts unnecessary wars that jeopardize all of our futures, and our bank accounts too.
There is still a role for oil and refineries in the near term, particularly for sectors that rely on the energy density of fossil fuels. The goal should be to use these resources responsibly while we scale up cleaner, more affordable alternatives. We should be expanding opportunities for workers in the trades to increase the energy supply and build the next generation of energy infrastructure, while also ensuring real pathways for those currently working in fossil fuel industries to transition into good-paying union jobs.
In 2024, voters approved Proposition 36 to increase penalties for certain drug and retail theft crimes and make available a drug treatment option for some who plead guilty to felony drug possession. Would you, as a legislator, demand that more funding for behavioral health treatments be included in the budget? How would you ensure that money is used properly? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I support the push for more funding to include behavioral health treatments in the budget. Many local jurisdictions want to apply the option for proper drug treatment, but lack the ability to do so since the state did not include dedicated funding. The data is clear that it’s far more fiscally responsible to treat those who have behavioral health problems with proper mental health programs and wraparound services than to use taxpayer dollars incarcerating them in expensive prisons with little reassurance that they will receive the treatment that they need.
In order to ensure state funds are spent appropriately, I would want to establish regional independent, bipartisan oversight boards composed of current and former judges, licensed social workers, and community advocates to ensure that the needs of their specific communities are being met appropriately.
What role should the state play in ensuring hospitals and doctors are providing gender-affirming care to LGBTQ+ residents? Similarly, what role do you believe the state could play should other states adopt policies that restrict that care? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I don’t want the government inserting itself into deeply personal medical decisions. I don’t want the government dictating what care individuals or families can or cannot access, or overriding the judgment of patients and their doctors. Put simply, our government should not be in the business of policing people’s bodies or private healthcare decisions. Instead, I prefer that the government quit interfering in the lives of law-abiding people who are just trying to live their lives in peace.
And if other states fail to provide the level of care needed, I would support efforts to ensure we protect the patients who seek it here and the healthcare providers who deliver it. There are many individuals in Orange County and across California who think certain elective surgeries are necessary for them to live their best life. I would hope we could extend the same respect and dignity to LGBTQ+ residents who are seeking the healthcare they need.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Do you believe it’s the state’s responsibility to regulate social media use? Why or why not? And what specific restrictions or safeguards would you propose as a state lawmaker? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
As a proud dad to two teen kids, I don’t believe it is the state’s responsibility to regulate social media, rather it is the parents’ responsibility to be aware of the world their children are growing up in. That being said, the state should provide a learning portal for parents so they can have the necessary tools to educate their children on how to avoid online scams and misinformation.
Raising kids is hard work, and we have to put that work in, but the state should also recognize and intervene where parents don’t have the time to be aware of the latest threats, and in our modern online society, those threats pop up alarmingly frequently.
Artificial intelligence has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Yet public concerns remain that there aren’t enough regulations governing when or how AI should be used, and that the technology would replace jobs and leave too many Californians unemployed. How specifically would you balance such concerns with the desire to foster innovation and have California remain a leader in this space? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I am not against AI that works (particularly in pattern matching of large datasets, novel medical cure research, and weather forecasting), but the vast majority of AI, specifically “genAI” or “chatbot AI” that’s being pushed into the public sphere is nothing more than a cash grab by corporate special interest groups. We need to ensure human beings come first, and not create an over reliance on technology that has the potential to create preventable errors or weaken learning opportunities. And we can accomplish this while still encouraging research and innovation with AI where it makes sense.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California is on the decline, but still, residents are not feeling safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in the state legislature in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
When families are struggling with high costs, limited opportunity, and a sense that the system isn’t working for them, it creates a real sense of unease for people. Housing is too expensive, economic stability feels out of reach for too many, and in some communities, there’s a growing distrust and cynicism in institutions that are supposed to protect and serve them.
Obviously, we can’t dictate how people feel, but we do have a responsibility to help people feel secure and supported. California’s role is to provide a framework within which we all can prosper and get ahead, but if the state is not supporting that framework, it’s no surprise that people are feeling uneasy. We need a balanced, commonsense approach focused on safer neighborhoods, more opportunity, and a government that shows up and works for everyone.
My role will be to build back the trust we’ve lost over the past several years, particularly with those communities that have been overtly targeted, and to assure them that the California legislature is here to fairly represent and respect the rights of everyone in the state, not only the few.
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I can read a 300-page book in under two hours, and I designed a tabletop card game. I’m proud of the 8-year-long career I had in the NFL, where I set almost every team record, but at the end of the day, I’ve always been the same nerdy, awkward kid who grew up in Seal Beach and worked hard for my family through my career as a professional athlete, coach, and business owner. Now? I’m working to represent my community. And I’m going to give people the 100% effort they deserve from our leaders in Sacramento.
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