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Ethan Agarwal targets poverty, housing in California race
Agarwal talks about his roots and his decision to run for office.
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Avatans Kumar - Tue, 10, Mar 2026
- 07:05 EDT
- 136
Ethan Agarwal / Ethan Agarwal via X
Ethan Agarwal, Democratic congressional hopeful and son of immigrants from Bhopal, India, has set his eyes on battling incumbent Congressman Ro Khanna in the primaries. The battle is significant as it decides the Democratic candidate for a seat that is often viewed as a Democratic bastion.
Agarwal alleged in an exclusive interview with New India Abroad that Congressman Ro Khanna’s presidential ambitions are pushing him to advocate for positions unrelated to California’s 17th Congressional District.
ALSO READ: Silicon Valley Showdown: Agarwal eyes Ro Khanna’s seat
A new entrant to political circles who moved from the world of tech to the world of politics, Agarwal opened up about his lack of formal political training. He noted that he was excited to see a young Indian guy, Khanna, win the congressional seat. However, according to Agarwal, Khanna “changed his position quite dramatically since he first ran for Congress.”
Agarwal continued, “And the reason is he wants to run for president in 2028. And he believes that running to the left is the way to do that.”
Agarwal vs. Khanna
During the interview, Agarwal criticized Khanna’s alleged positions against wealth creation and AI innovation, as well as his support for the War Powers Act, accusing Khanna of going against the wishes of the people in the district.
In another scathing allegation against Khanna, Agarwal accused him of using his positions on various committees to advance Khanna’s own stock trading results.
He said, “Ro has been the most prolific trader of stocks in the history of Democratic politics. He traded $55.7 million of stock just last year, and that’s above Nancy Pelosi. And he’s beat the market by 14 percent.”
Campaign priorities
Agarwal divided the priorities for the office he hopes to assume into federal, state and district-level goals.
At the district level, he hopes to end childhood poverty. He noted, “The number one thing is there’s 5,000 children that live in poverty in the 17th district. And this is the richest district in the country.”
He continued, “So I would like the 17th district to be the first district in the history of the country to completely eradicate childhood poverty. And we have the resources. We know how to do it. We just need to have the focus.”
At the state level, he wants to boost housing projects, especially in the $200,000 to $400,000 range. Agarwal believes that the state is losing people because of the lack of accessible and affordable housing.
At the federal level, Agarwal called for a ban on stock trading for the “members of Congress and their families and dependents.”
Talking about the rise in instances of hate against Indians in the U.S., Agarwal argued that there is “divisiveness coming from the top.”
He said, “I think there’s a general political us-versus-them mentality, which I don’t think is beneficial for anybody. I’m just trying to focus on the needs of my district.”
He continued, “My district is 60 percent Asian, and that includes Indians and Chinese people. And I think we need to be a model for the country. This is how multiple ethnicities can live together and thrive together. And that’s an example of how we can reduce ethnic hatred in this country.”
Agarwal also pushed for stronger ties between India and the U.S., noting that strong ties between the two nations are good for American jobs, for the American economy and for the companies that are based in the 17th District.
Agarwal’s parents moved to the Bay Area in the 1990s after his father decided to start a tech company. Agarwal started his professional journey consulting at McKinsey and at a hedge fund after earning an MBA from Wharton. He went on to start two companies, selling both before starting his journey toward a congressional office.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
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