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Palpable energy to replace Ro Khanna says Indian American challenger
Ethan Agarwal says campaign raised over $400,000 in first four weeks.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 02, Apr 2026
- 11:52 EDT
- 42
L-R: Ethan Agarwal; Ro Khanna / Courtesy: X/@ethanagarwal; Wikipedia
Indian American congressional candidate Ethan Agarwal on April 2 claimed growing grassroots support in his bid to unseat Rep. Ro Khanna, saying there is “palpable” energy behind his campaign in California’s 17th Congressional District.
Citing fundraising numbers, Agarwal, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur challenging Khanna in the 2026 Democratic primary, said on social media that his campaign had raised more than $400,000 in the first four weeks since launch.
Also Read: Senior CA Democrat endorses Ethan Agarwal for Congress
“In a major narrative violation, 56 percent of our donations were under $300. This is a grassroots movement,” Agarwal said. “The energy to replace the hypocrisy and selfishness of @RoKhanna is palpable,” he added, while thanking donors and his campaign team.
We’ve had a monster first four weeks.
— Agarwal for Congress (@ethanagarwal) April 1, 2026
In a major narrative violation, 56% of our donations were under $300.
This is a grassroots movement.
The energy to replace the hypocrisy and selfishness of @RoKhanna is palpable.
I’m immensely grateful to every donor and to the… pic.twitter.com/nUfFAqvkwq
Agarwal launched his House bid in March after dropping a run for California governor, entering what has quickly become one of Silicon Valley’s most closely watched Democratic primary contests. He has sought to cast Khanna as a lawmaker more focused on national prominence and ideological positioning than on local district concerns.
The challenge has drawn attention from prominent figures in the tech and political worlds. Agarwal has received backing from Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan and venture capitalists Chamath Palihapitiya and Ron Conway, all of whom have been critical of Khanna’s support for wealth-tax proposals and his broader stance toward parts of the tech industry.
He has also secured the endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, the longtime Silicon Valley Democrat whom Khanna unseated in 2016. In a statement announcing the endorsement last month, Honda described Agarwal as “a principled, authentic voice” and said he represented a new generation of leadership.
The race is unfolding against broader tensions between Khanna and sections of Silicon Valley’s donor class, particularly over his support for a proposed California wealth tax and his criticism of concentrated wealth in the tech sector.
Khanna, a five-term congressman and one of the most prominent Indian American lawmakers in Congress, had amassed a campaign war chest of about $15.5 million, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing Agarwal despite his early fundraising push.
The California primary is scheduled for June 2 under the state’s top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election.
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