Not running for president (yet), Ro Khanna visits the fire zone
Homeowner Julian Saucedo pointed the Democratic congressman from the Silicon Valley to one bright spot: the speedy home debris removal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 'They followed their orders. They were champions for Altadena,' said Saucedo, a retired aerospace engineer.
Saucedo stepped in close and added in a near-whisper: 'You can be the next champion ... if you can deliver on any of the things I mentioned,' like relocation assistance.
Replied Khanna: 'We're gonna fight hard.'
Though he is just one of 435 members of the House of Representatives, the California congressman is having a moment, or series of them, as the 48-year-old lawmaker is mentioned as a possible 2028 presidential candidate.
As Khanna listened to homeowners, business people, clergy and nonprofit leaders in Altadena, I couldn't help but wonder how he would be received in Peosta (Iowa) and Goose Creek (South Carolina) — states that will be among the first to vote in the next presidential primary season.
Khanna's team coordinated the visit with the Department of Angels, a nonprofit supporting community solutions in fire recovery areas and assuring the government does not lose focus on the huge rebuilding task. Khanna arrived in the San Gabriel Valley fresh off a bipartisan congressional visit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and a tour of South Carolina, where he talked about Trump's slashing of the federal workforce and cuts that the Congressional Budget Office estimated would put at risk healthcare for more than 11 million Americans.
Khanna told an audience in Goose Creek that he was focused on a 'new economic patriotism' of job creation, lowering costs, and ending 'dumb wars,' WCBD television reported.
He also gained substantial cable news air time with a petition, supported by even some Republicans, to force the Trump administration to release more information about the Jeffrey Epstein case. 'Are you protecting the rich and the powerful, or are you protecting our children?' Khanna told the Post and Courier newspaper.
In the past, Khanna has clearly relished being asked about a possible future presidential run. But during his Altadena visit, the topic never came up, and only one reporter came along.
Unlike some politicians on a 'listening tour,' Khanna mostly listened when Altadenans talked. He praised business people as the 'lifeblood' of a community, embraced homeowners who wept as they told about their losses and promised to urge all 43 California Democrats in the House to keep pushing for recovery aid — all the stuff you might expect from a presidential candidate.
Among the takeaways for Khanna: Try to help local businesses get government debris removal, just as homeowners did; help secure additional federal funding and see about lowering a Trump tariff that will drive up the price of Canadian lumber needed for reconstruction.
Khanna said it would be 'unconscionable' if Trump and Republicans did not move expeditiously to approve the $40 billion in supplemental disaster recovery money requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom. He said that he supports federal relief for North Carolina and Republican-leaning states slammed by Mother Nature.
A representative of Sen. Alex Padilla's office said that federal funds continue to flow into the fire zones in Altadena and Pacific Palisades and that 'we continue to have good discussions with Republican colleagues in the Senate about the need for disaster aid.'
The White House said in a statement that Democrats should focus on their own failures, including Gov. Gavin 'Newscum's total failure to prepare for the California fires' and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass's failure to do more to speed issuance of rebuilding permits.
Altadenans told Khanna they appreciated his attention. With homes and lives to rebuild, most weren't ready to talk about a president race that is more than two years away.
'I was very impressed. He seems like a good and decent person,' said one woman whose home burned down. She asked not to be named, explaining, 'I'm just too busy, trying to get it together over here.'
Today's great photo is from Times photographer Juliana Yamada, who captured a free plant stand that aims to make Altadena a little greener in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire.
Jim Rainey, staff reporterDiamy Wang, homepage internIzzy Nunes, audience internKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters
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