Congressman Kevin Mullin is hopeful. I was glad to hear that given how I felt much of the day before I asked him a few questions for this column.
He had just been interviewed by my Indivisible Mid-Peninsula colleague at the Peninsula Italian-American Social Club. Over 200 people showed up to hear Mullin answer questions about the issues facing our nation. Like me, he started the day with the shock of a mass shooting taking the lives of two children with 17 others wounded. He heard CNN in the background at home and worried that his twin boys might be watching but they had left the room to gather up stuff for school. “I try to shield them from things like that but…”
Like all school kids in our country, his children have been getting active shooter training since kindergarten. Mullin is a strong advocate for common-sense gun safety legislation, but, as a member of the minority party in Congress, there’s not much chance of such legislation getting anywhere, unless… Well, that’s where the hopeful part comes in.
This was my first opportunity to hear the congressman speak at length and I was impressed and inspired. Mullin’s story is compelling. The son of a civics teacher, Mullin, a fellow USF alumni, had started out seeking a career in radio but struggled to find work in the Bay Area, one of the toughest media markets in the world. A chance encounter with Jackie Speier propelled him further into public service and that brought him to what he calls the “honor of a lifetime,” representing the 15th Congressional District. Indivisible Mid-Peninsula chapter co-leader Nancy Nagel, working with publicist Sarah Sherwood, had prepared a list of questions covering issues starting with the president’s Executive Order against mail-in voting.
Mullin correctly and proudly cited San Mateo County as having led the nation in universal mail-in voting with in-person options. While the EO doesn’t have any legal teeth, he said it is part of an overall playbook to reduce trust in elections and other institutions. He, like many of us, sees our current struggle as literally fighting to save democracy from a would-be authoritarian in the White House, a Republican-majority Congress led by a Speaker who has abdicated all power to the Executive Branch, and a Supreme Court politicized in a way he could never have imagined.
This is the “Break Glass in the Case of Emergency” moment. And what would be behind that glass? Mass mobilization. The only thing that can save democracy for us, is us. We must, as one of my favorite lines from the musical “Hamilton” implored us, RISE UP. That’s the idea behind Indivisible’s “One Million Rising” movement (nokings.org/rise).
For California, it also means supporting Proposition 50, the redistricting ballot measure. The president told Texas to redistrict to win him five more Republican house seats in 2026 so that he wouldn’t be a lame duck with a Democratic majority. Texas said YES SIR!
An independent commission set California’s congressional district boundaries but to fight “fire with fire,” Governor Newsom and the legislature are asking us, the voters, to allow a one-time temporary redistricting to balance out the five Texas Republican-leaning districts with five California Democratic-leaning districts for the midterms. Mullin urges us to support Proposition 50. Me too. Billionaires plan to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into fighting it. Gee, I wonder why. Vote yes on Prop 50.
Mullin answered questions about militarizing the streets of “blue” cities, which he also saw as part of the authoritarian playbook and a misuse of our National Guard. On income inequality he said one of the biggest things we needed to work on was building more affordable housing. “Young people who grow up here should be able to work and live here.”
What would be Democrats first priority if they “take back the gavel” in 2026? Rolling back the Medicaid cuts. On a day when the president was trying to fire a Federal Reserve Governor and the head of the CDC, Mullin said that we needed to renew our fidelity to professionalism, the law, facts, and the Constitution.
What are the chances of Democrats winning? Mullin said we needed new ways to communicate, especially to younger potential voters. I smiled, noticing Indivisible Mid-Peninsula’s young TikTok team sitting right in front of him. Mullin, seeing over 200 people show up on a Wednesday evening, said he is hopeful. He says momentum is building and urges us to keep working. Having him as my representative makes me hopeful too. But his message is clear. It is up to us to rise up, to get our friends and neighbors to join each of us, and save this incredible democracy for the generations to come.
Craig Wiesner is the co-owner of Reach And Teach, a book, toy and cultural gift shop on San Carlos Avenue in San Carlos. Follow Craig: craigwiesner.bsky.social.
(5) comments
Could go through this point by point to refute all the misinformation in this piece by Craig and Kevin Mullin but I don't have the energy now. I did get a good laugh over Craig painting nepo-baby Mullin as an honorable public servant who just happened to get into politics because he randomly ran into Jackie Speier one day. Kevin is not intelligent or interesting and I've never seen or heard an original thought.. you think maybe he's in office because of who his dad was?
And Democrats don't need "better communication" to win young voters. They controlled every mainstream news outlet other than Fox, most large newspapers, and social media until Elon bought Twitter. The Biden admin engaged in outright censorship by pressuring Facebook (which Zuckerberg regrets succumbing to) to remove posts, accounts were kicked off Twitter for "misgendering" or posting true information about Covid or Covid shots, Next Door still removes posts that go against the narrative... and yet the Republicans still won the presidency and Congress! That shows your IDEAS are bad, not your communication.
Hilarious. Mr. Wiesner is giving us a glimpse into what we know as an echo chamber. We have questions posed to the left-wing Mullin that were curated by the left-wing Indivisible but alas, no questions asking Mullin about his America Last voting record. Gee, I wonder why. Remember, this is the Mullin who voted against the One Big Beautiful Bill, essentially voting to increase taxes on everyone, considerably. This is the Mullin who voted against the Laken Riley Act, essentially opting to promote biological males competing against biological females. This is the Mullin who voted against the SAVE Act, essentially opting to undermine free and fair elections. All while Mullin continues to support criminal invaders to our country over that of American citizens.
As for the left-wing Indivisible, let’s not forget this is the Indivisible (who have been reported to be funded by left-wing billionaires) who organizes No Kings marches. I guess they all missed the news that the American Revolution is over and we’ve already fought, and won, for no kings. If they don’t understand that, what else don’t they understand? And of course, Mr. Wiesner attempts to again irrationally rationalize the Democrats’ redistricting threat to democracy, with billionaires and others planning to pour hundred of millions of dollars into passing it. Gee, I wonder why. Vote NO on Prop 50.
BTW, if Mullin needs new ways to communicate to younger potential voters (or any voters), here’s some free advice… Tell Mullin to justify why he and complicit Democrats feel the need to protect criminal invaders to our country and terrorists instead of protecting younger potential voters (or any voters). Have Mullin justify why he voted against the OBBB, the Laken Riley Act and the SAVE Act and how his resistance is good for America. Mullin’s message is not clear unless that message is in hating Trump more than they love America. Fortunately for our friends and neighbors, that message doesn’t resonate. If we want to save this incredible democracy for the generations now and to come, vote Republican. We can’t afford more Mullin-type Democrats who have shown us who they are. They’re not for America. They’re for criminals and terrorists.
Yes Craig - as you get your news from CNN, I can see why you are a babe in the woods. Uprising for what? Trump is resurrecting our democracy and is holding the violators of the past years accountable. The Fed Res board member and Sen Schiff are accused of being a fraudsters in their loan applications. Are their actions OK with you? Two of the last children murderers were transgender types. You did not mention that either. Your uprising many resonate with the Blue crowd here but fortunately there are many others, in fact a greater percentage, that adhere to common sense and supports the current administration. A silver spoon-fed flake like Mullin could only survive in this bordering on irrelevant sycophantic San Mateo County constituency. The real uprising is already happening outside your bubble.
If I were a younger person I would be very skeptical. The promise of student loan forgiveness is a major failed promise from the Biden election.
why just student loan?
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.