This Eye-Popping Day One Total is More Than Any First-Time Congressional Candidate in CA-41
PALM SPRINGS, CA – Just one day after jumping into the race to defeat Ken Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District, Entrepreneur Brandon Riker has raised over $250,000, all from individual donors. This is the most ever raised on launch day by a first-time candidate for Congress in CA-41.
“I’ve participated in 23 listening parties and counting throughout our district. This milestone on the first day as a candidate is just another sign that we are building the team to take down Ken Calvert,” said Brandon Riker. “I’m humbled by and proud of the wave of grassroots support this campaign has received.”
California’s 41st Congressional District encompasses the Riverside County communities of Corona, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Calimesa, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, Indian Wells, and portions of Eastvale and Riverside. The district also includes the unincorporated areas of El Sobrante, Woodcrest, Temescal Valley, Lakeview, Nuevo, Homeland, Winchester, Cherry Valley, Anza, Pine Cove, and Idyllwild.
A Red-to-Blue target for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2022 and 2024, this seat presents one of the best pick-up opportunities for Democrats in 2026.
Meet Brandon Riker
Opportunity Through Service and Education
A fourth-generation Californian, Brandon Riker learned from his parents the value of giving back to our community. Their careers as telecommunications executives and entrepreneurs meant that Riker moved around throughout his childhood. His family always had a seat at the table for Riker’s friends, particularly those who were uncertain where their next meal would come from.
As we face drastic cuts to public education, Riker knows firsthand how detrimental Republicans’ plans to eliminate the Department of Education will be for California kids. In middle school, a teacher noticed his academic struggles and helped him navigate learning with dyslexia. This discovery opened new resources to put Riker on a path to success.
Riker graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude in Economics from Washington College in Maryland and earned a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Riker would bring his unique perspective to Congress as an economist.
Building Success Businesses
Riker launched a successful career as an entrepreneur. He worked in senior management and strategic planning roles at two investment firms, helping launch several cutting-edge alternative investment products.
Advocating for a Better Future
Riker spent his teenage years balancing basketball practice and demonstrating his opposition to the Iraq War. In 2008, he worked as an organizer for President Barack Obama’s campaign, learning how politics can improve people’s lives through policies like the Affordable Care Act.
For the past decade, Riker has been advocating for underrepresented communities. He serves on the board of SafePlace International, a global organization that works to find safe and sustainable spaces for displaced people around the world. He also volunteers his time at the food bank in the Coachella Valley.
Riker lives in the Coachella Valley with his dog Cooper, enjoying live music, attending sporting events, and hiking.
