First Candidate in the Field to Take Campaign to the Airwaves
Palm Springs, CA – Brandon Riker, Democratic candidate for California’s 48th Congressional District, today announced the launch of his first television advertisement in the CA-48 race, beginning in the Palm Springs media market. The buy marks a significant campaign milestone and the ad highlights his unique economic credentials, making Riker the first candidate in the CA-48 field to take his message directly to the airwaves.
The 30 second ad will air across the Palm Springs media market this week and will be up in the San Diego media market in the upcoming weeks with substantial buys. It spotlights Riker’s bold economic vision, including his signature Second New Deal proposal that would make the first $50,000 you earn tax free, putting more money directly into workers’ paychecks every pay period.
“Every election cycle, voters are told the economy is the number one issue, and they’re right,” said Brandon Riker. “But talk is cheap. What’s missing in Washington is someone who actually understands how the economy works, not just how to talk about it. That’s what I bring to this race, and it’s why we’re taking our message directly to the voters of CA-48.”
Riker holds a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and has made economic policy the cornerstone of his campaign. If elected, he would be the only trained economist serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, a distinction that is urgently needed as Congress grapples with affordability, tariffs, and working families being squeezed from every direction.
“Every budget vote, every trade policy, every decision about Social Security and Medicare are economic decisions,” Riker said. “Voters deserve someone who will walk into that chamber and actually understand what they’re voting on.”
Riker has spent years building his life in the Palm Springs and knows this district from the ground up. As a long-time resident who volunteers at the Coachella Valley Food Bank, he has watched this community grow and struggle up close and understands the challenges families here face better than any other candidate in this race.
With more than $1.9 million raised to date, Riker’s campaign has the resources to sustain a robust ad campaign through the June 2nd primary. He is the first candidate in the CA-48 field, Democrat or Republican, to go on television, a signal of both campaign strength and strategic momentum in what has quickly become one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country.
The full transcript of the ad is as follows:
“Wonder why California’s so expensive? Who we send to Congress doesn’t help. Over 180 lawyers. A football coach. And even a rodeo announcer. Let’s elect someone who understands the economy. I’m Brandon Riker. And I’d be the only trained economist in Congress. My Second New Deal makes the first $50,000 you earn tax free, putting cash back into your paycheck. I approve this message because if we’re going to change California, we have to change who we send to Congress.”
Watch the ad HERE.
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Brandon Riker is a fourth-generation Californian, small business owner, and trained economist. California’s new 48th District is a top target for Democrats after the passage of Proposition 50. With Riker’s fundraising strength and a growing base of grassroots support, he is the leading candidate in the new 48th District.