PLEASANT HILL, CA — Patch reached out with identical questions to all candidates to represent California's 10th Congressional District. The 10th District spans much of Contra Costa County, including Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Danville, San Ramon, and parts of Antioch. It is currently represented by Mark DeSaulnier, who is running for re-election.
Here are the answers from Josh Hamilton, a Pleasant Hill resident who owns a propane delivery business. Responses have not been edited.
Can you briefly describe your background, including your professional experience, public service, and connection to the district?
My name is Josh Hamilton. My wife and I live in Pleasant Hill where we plan to have our kids and raise our family. After almost two decades of working in politics—never as a paid professional, but only as a volunteer—I decided to run for office simply because I could no longer afford to live in the country I grew up believing in any longer. As a small business owner, I serve customers from every corner of the district, which has helped me get to know the many communities here and their needs.
What makes you the best candidate for this seat?
My local propane delivery business has only a few employees, but being both a working person and a small business owner gives me a unique perspective on what many Americans are living through in the current economy. I have struggled, like many Ameircans, having lived paycheck to paycheck. I have relied on government health care, so I know how important it is to support working people. Unlike most politicians, I have lived a regular person's life. I do backbreaking work that often leaves me physically and mentally exhausted. With my limited time, I have also begun producing policy proposals for our most pressing issues.
What are the biggest challenges facing the 10th district, and how do you plan to address them?
The 10th Congressional District faces many of the same problems the nation as a whole faces: stagnating wages, access to health care, and rising education costs with declining quality.
I have released a comprehensive set of proposals to help solve these major challenges. I have a 10 year budget proposal that cuts taxes for working people to increase take-home pay, provides universal health care with $5 cap on prescription medicines, and six figure teacher salaries as part of a largest investment in education in our nation's history. You can read the fully costed proposal in a white paper on my campaign website, I am calling it The New American Dream.
Outside of politics, what do you enjoy doing?
Outside of politics, I enjoy hiking our beautiful California trails and back country.
Please provide any links you’d like to share.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Pleasant Hill, CA Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.