In California's 12th District, U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon pledges to hold the Trump administration accountable in her sophomore term should Democrats take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, while her opponent, Jamie Joyce, is calling for a sweeping overhaul of how government works for the people.

The June 2 primary will give voters their first chance to weigh those competing visions before the race likely continues into November.

In one of the most progressive districts in the country, the two candidates differ most in their approach to governance.

Simon relies on her experience as a progressive community organizer to inform her decisions. Joyce says she offers a “new school” approach for reform.

“The government is supposed to see and treat people equally and improve the general welfare through investments in public infrastructure, so that everyone has access to opportunity regardless of the circumstances of their birth,” Simon said. “The gap between this ideal and the reality of the past two years is great.”

Simon recently touted $11.2 million in federal funds awarded to public safety and environmental restoration projects across the East Bay as part of $491 million she has secured for the district. Entering Congress in 2025, she said delivering for residents of the district was her top priority as Democrats were largely sidelined from wielding the levers of power in a Republican-controlled Congress.

Joyce said the Democratic Party has failed to meet the moment since President Donald Trump returned to office.

Perpetual controversies and crises created by the Trump administration are threatening the country’s long-term future, she said. As the founder of the Society Library, a nonprofit that seeks to make government more responsive by using technology to identify gaps in legal codes, track federal cuts by DOGE, and preserve government data for the public, Joyce said she’s uniquely prepared to tackle modern issues.

The Berkeley resident described an “unrelenting assault” on the checks and balances of government under Republican rule, which she said poses an existential threat to American democracy in the 21st century. Too many congressional Democrats, however, are failing to respond, Joyce said.

“Democrats need to wake up,” Joyce said. “There are powerful, relentless incentives and interests who want to pillage this ship while it’s sinking.”

Both candidates highlighted the urgent need to rein in Trump’s authority.

If Democrats take back the House after November, Simon, as a member of the House Oversight Committee, would have a front-row seat in questioning the president’s cabinet, account for DOGE cuts to research and safety net services, and subpoenaing officials who’ve hidden or redacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

“Democrats have to be specific about who is getting hurt and who is doing the hurting — then fight like it matters until it’s better,” Simon said. “From the Epstein files, to the dismantlement of our social safety net and the government itself – Democrats and the Oversight Committee will have subpoena power that must be utilized to hold this Administration accountable.”

Joyce said she has become disappointed in the Democratic Party.

Its inaction, she said, has permitted the expansion of the surveillance state by anti-democratic tech titans and the failure to prosecute what she calls “the Epstein Class,” referring to the hundreds of affluent and powerful people she says escaped accountability in connection with the disgraced New York financier and alleged sex trafficker.

Joyce’s proposed legislation, the Modernizing American Democracy Act, or MAD Act, promotes comprehensive reform to the structure of government. The 650-plus page proposal includes reforming “dark money” political donations, establishing nationwide ranked-choice voting, and enforcing constitutional checks and balances on the president through Congress.

By addressing the structural issues of government, Joyce said, it will be easier to address the problems facing District 12 residents.

“Each one of these precincts within District 12 have their own individual needs,” Joyce said. “The MAD Act will be extremely helpful – in the long term, not just this next election cycle – dealing with the fact that Alameda is sinking, that crime may be bleeding over from Oakland into San Leandro, all these local issues.”

Gaining the trust of voters will not be accomplished through one good speech, Simon said. For the Democratic Party to restore trust with the American public, real and tangible results need to be made that affect people in their daily lives, she said.

Simon said addressing those concerns is even more critical as residents face a cost-of-living crisis at the gas pump, in grocery stores and in the housing market.

“Trust comes when a federal dollar lands in their neighborhood,” Simon said. “My job in Washington is to bring resources home and make government work through legislation and federal resources so that our material conditions improve.”

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