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    Abel Chavez, CA-48 candidate, 2026 primary election questionnaire
    • May 5, 2026

    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: Abel Chavez

    Current job title: Teacher/School Boardmember

    Age: 34

    Political party affiliation: Democratic

    Incumbent: No

    Other political positions held: School Board Member, Nuevo School District, former School Board President, Nuevo School District

    City where you reside: Nuevo

    Campaign website or social media: AbelChavezForCongress.com

    From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)

    My opponents are worth hundreds of millions of dollars and have the support of billionaires and PACs like AIPAC. They’re not like us. They don’t have to get up to go to work every morning. To worry about how to put food on the table, how to pay next month’s mortgage.

    I’m like you. I’m a teacher, local school board member, husband, and father of three. That’s why my top priority is making sure the cost of living goes down. Cheaper groceries. Affordable healthcare. Less expensive gas. No more forever wars. No more unnecessary tariffs.

    As a teacher, one of my top priorities is also elevating our public education system to unlock every student’s potential. Far too many students are left behind. And even for those who do graduate high school, the price tag is staggering –– leaving college graduates saddled with hefty student loans and poor job prospects. If elected to Congress, I will fight to pass legislation that funds a trades center at every high school in the country.

    Given how many are being terrorized by ICE, reforming immigration also remains a top concern. I believe we need to modernize our immigration system to offer more work visas, expedite legal pathways, fix backlogs, and reunite families faster. As your Congressman, I will vote to abolish ICE and build a new enforcement agency from the ground up that is accountable to the people.

    Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    I remember a time when Republicans supported states’ rights. Many Republicans and former Republicans still do, and are against Donald Trump’s illegal efforts to rig our elections.

    The fact of the matter is, voter fraud is so uncommon that is only an issue because Trump and his MAGA cronies need an excuse for losing elections. Showing proof of citizenship by providing your birth certificate or passport at the ballot box is not a viable option. What if you don’t have a passport? What if you are a woman who changed your last name when you got married? What if you lost your birth certificate in a natural disaster? Our states do a good job of administering elections as is, and as Americans have done since the 18th century, I trust our election process.

    What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    First and foremost, we must abolish ICE and build a new agency that is accountable to Congress and to the voters. An institution so corrupted by the hiring process forced upon them by Trump cannot be reformed; it must be abolished and we must start afresh.

    Additionally, I believe we need to modernize our immigration system to offer more work visas, expedite legal pathways, fix backlogs, and reunite families faster. People shouldn’t live in fear over a petty offense from years ago or for simply showing up at a court hearing. Everyone deserves due process, and no one should be swept off the street or locked in a cage for seeking a better life.

    My family came here from Mexico with nothing. We lived in a one-room shack, and I starved many nights. Now, I’m a citizen, teacher, and successful local business owner, and I’m running for Congress. I am living proof that immigrants are the backbone of this country.

    It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    While it is true that Trump and the MAGA-controlled Congress have failed to act, this is also a failure of our Democratic leadership. As noted in the question, our Democratic leadership sure are good at “writing letters”. Chuck Schumer and other Democratic leaders have not actually fought for us, the people, for a very long time. In Congress, I will push to elect leadership in both parties that will actually fight for the people, and for this disaster aid that is critical for Southern Californians as we struggle to rebuild.

    Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Absolutely, Members of Congress and their family members should be banned from trading stocks. I will sponsor or co-sponsor this legislation as one of my top priorities in Congress.

    See, they’re not like us. One of my opponents’ partner is a congresswoman who is from a billionaire family who has traded $7.34 million dollars worth of stocks while in Congress. Another one of my opponents has poured in millions of his own money to buy this seat. Another one of my opponents has accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from corporate PACs and the Israeli lobby.

    How can they possibly represent us, the people?

    Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Yes, we must make sure our multinational gas and oil conglomerates do not continue to mindlessly pollute our environment. We must pass stronger legislation to this end and go back to funding the EPA so that there can be enforcement behind our environmental laws.

    However, I believe that we must lower regulations on small businesses and local mom-and-pop builders which our communities rely on for housing. We have a housing crisis in California, and there are stringent regulations imposed on builders that involve unnecessary audits, impact studies, and bureaucracy. We must remove these barriers that make it harder and more expensive to build housing.

    President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    I would only support increased spending on war if absolutely necessary, such as in an instance where we are attacked and need to declare war. In the current situation over the last few years, I absolutely would not have supported increasing spending on wars. I also would not have approved increased spending to support Israel’s war and the illegal wars in Venezuela and Iran.

    The United States will spend $1.5 trillion dollars this fiscal year on war. That is No. 1 in the world, and more than No 2 through No. 10 combined, which includes countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and Israel. That is more than the rest of the world combined. For each missile we shoot into the water, we can house thousands of Americans and feed tens of thousands.

    Our servicemembers do an amazing job, and we do not need to increase funding at this time.

    Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Only if the United States or one of our key allies is directly attacked. I do not support further foreign intervention and “forever wars”, where we get involved in a region so deeply that we can never stop our involvement.

    Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Absolutely, that is a Constitutional issue. Only Congress can declare war, so I view Trump’s war in Iran as an illegal and unconstitutional action. Additionally, the War Powers Resolution of 1973 declares that troops deployed for military action without the approval of Congress need to be withdrawn within 60 days. Thus, we should be bringing our troops home from the Iran conflict soon if Donald Trump wants to avoid breaking federal law.

    Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    No, Congress has lost oversight power in recent years, and there is almost no oversight over Donald Trump with Republicans holding control of the House, Senate, and the judiciary. We need a new generation of leadership in Congress, one that will fight to reign in the power of the executive branch and one that will be a voice for the people.

    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. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    No, as a father to a teenager, I know our teenagers will get around a ban anyway. Instead, we need to look at other ways of improving our children’s mental health, as well as possible bans on foreign companies that introduce predatory apps in the US to steal our data and harm our children.

    Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Well, first, we should make sure Californians don’t feel unsafe because of their own federal government. Thousands of voters have told me they are personally afraid of ICE. Many citizens have told me they have been questioned, harassed, or followed by ICE.

    At the same time, Trump continues to move funding from agencies like the TSA, FBI, and DEA to his personal police force, ICE. This isn’t making anyone safer, and Americans recently faced record-breaking wait times at airports.

    In terms of combating local crime, we must work to support our first responders as well as provide behavioral and mental health services to those who need it. The federal government should work with the state and local and county partners to make sure these agencies and services are fully funded.

    There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    Yes, that is why I am proud to have signed the Term Limit Pledge. Members of Congress like 92-year old Chuck Grassley have served their communities for due time and should be looking after their own health. Leaders like Mitch Connell, who consistently has a hard time staying awake, on task, or on his feet, should not be serving in Congress. I support a term limit of 12 years in Congress, which is the same limit our California State Legislators have.

    What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)

    I build computers for fun. Additionally, I can make almost any synthetic chemical given the correct raw materials.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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