EDITORIAL: Melissa Hernandez, East Bay congressional candidate, answers Bay Area News Group's primary questionnaire

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Ahead of the June primary election, the Bay Area News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates for California's 14th Congressional District. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity.

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Name: Melissa HernandezCurrent job title: Director of health care services for Alameda County Supervisor David HaubertDate of birth: February 24, 1975

Political party affiliation: DemocratOther political positions held: Dublin councilmember, Dublin mayor, BART board director District 5City where you reside: Dublin

What are the top three problems you're seeking to solve if elected?

1. Bring down the costs to build new housing

2. Expand access to affordable, quality health care

3. Expand access to affordable, quality childcare

Why are you uniquely qualified to address the three problems you've identified above?

As mayor of Dublin, I have the knowledge and experience to address housing issues and drive economic development. As a health care services director for a county supervisor, I have the knowledge and experience to address health care access and affordability. And as a one-time working single mom, I understand the need for affordable, quality childcare.

What differentiates you from your most serious competitors for this seat?

I have built relationships in this district over 20 years. I show up and collaborate with anyone willing to work to solve problems and find creative new ideas to bring resources to our cities and residents. I also have extensive experience working with all the leaders in Alameda County and understand the diverse needs of each city and their residents in the 14th Congressional District.

What one congressional committee would you most like to chair, if given the opportunity? And how would that position serve your constituents?

I would seek to be on the Energy and Commerce Committee and seek to chair the Subcommittee on Health. The Energy and Commerce Committee touches on every aspect of the cost of living - trade, health, technology, energy and the environment. Serving as chair of the Subcommittee on Health would allow me to utilize my knowledge of the health care challenges residents face and craft legislation to help expand access to affordable, accessible and high-quality care for all.

You're running to be a lawmaker. If you were going to be remembered for writing and passing one law, what would it be?

I would author legislation that penalizes immigration attorneys and law firms that charge exorbitant legal fees and take financial advantage of people seeking legal status in this country.

Since 1960, what one piece of federal legislation has benefited Americans the most?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964. The outlawing of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin is particularly important to uphold today as millions of Americans experience extreme fear at the hands of the Trump administration.

Why should renters vote for you? How will you make their lives more affordable?

I understand the challenges of the rising costs of living in the Bay Area and the struggle to find affordable and safe housing options. I will focus on lowering everyday costs: groceries, health care, childcare. I also want to explore strengthening tax credits for renters to help more renters keep more money in their wallets.

Why should first-time homebuyers support you?

I have a proven track record of getting more housing built and making the process more affordable. As mayor, I created programs to provide down payment loans at low-interest rates to first-time homeowners in Dublin. I want to support the expansion of programs like this in Congress.

Explain how you would use your position to help tackle homelessness in your district.

In Congress, I would work to continue the allocation of funding to Alameda County and trusted nonprofits to tackle homelessness and provide mental health and substance use services at the local level. I would also conduct oversight to ensure that these funds are achieving positive, lasting outcomes.

Bay Area transit agencies are facing a fiscal cliff. Their solvency appears to depend on the passage of a proposed November sales tax. What's your position on that tax? What changes would you demand of Bay Area transit agencies, if any, in order to receive more federal funds?

I support the proposed November sales tax. I support establishing a permanent financial efficiency review and independent oversight committee composed of industry experts for each agency to maintain transparency and accountability.

What is your position on the California High-Speed Rail project? Would you support appropriating more federal funds for it? If so, under what conditions, if any?

In order to establish public confidence, this project must finish what is currently under construction and demonstrate that it is a usable, functioning passenger rail system. Lack of progress and continued cost increases deplete funding that could be used for other important rail projects.

Joint Venture Silicon Valley estimates 400,000 Bay Area jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI. What legislation would you support, if any, to protect your district's workers and/or consumers from automation?

I would establish a framework for digital monitoring of employee performance and use the data to make decisions to manage workers and data privacy. I would propose tax incentives to maintain employees or the withholding of subsidies to companies that replace workers with AI automation. I'd also support on-the-job retraining and the offer of alternative employment for workers whose job is threatened by AI automation. Laws that keep humans in a decision-making role, like in health care, would also be on my agenda.

Would you support legislation to curb children's use of social media?

Yes.

Wealth inequality has hit its widest gap in more than three decades. The top 1% of householdsown 31% of all U.S. wealth. What policies would you support, if any, to narrow the wealth gap?

I would rescind Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," close loopholes that allow the rich to hide their wealth, hire more IRS workers to audit tax returns and crack down on corporations and wealthy people who dodge taxes. I'd also reform tax law.

Explain your position on Donald Trump's military action against Iran. Would you support Rep. Ro Khanna's War Powers Resolution?

I support Rep. Khanna's War Powers Resolution. Trump has no clear objectives and no clear end strategy. Iran has installed rulers even more conservative and hardline than their predecessors.

Bay Area counties will lose billions in coming years as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. These federal cuts, particularly to health care, are expected to hit Alameda Counties' residents hard. What actions, if any, would you support to protect the health care of Alameda County?

I would continue to support the efforts of Alameda County to reconcile with the health care cuts from OBBBA. As a member of Congress, I would explore reimbursement opportunities for counties that have faced substantial financial hardships from health care cuts and work to pass legislation that cements this funding.

Beyond the threat of immediate cuts facing county budgets, what other health care challenges face your district's residents? What policies would you support to improve their health access and outcomes?

Health insurance and health care are too expensive. The focus should be on patient health, not corporate profits. This includes lowering prescription drug costs and holding big corporate health care providers accountable for lowering costs. There are also cost savings to be had by requiring national standards of care and creating national data sharing, making costs and care more transparent and standard.

The federal government faces chronic deficits. It must either raise revenue or cut spending. Or both. Explain what policies you would support. Be specific.

For revenue generation, we need to change the backward tax system that has the ultrawealthy paying less taxes than middle-class families. For deficit reduction, I'd support using the congressional power of oversight to evaluate possible areas of inflated budgets.

A Bay Area News Group analysis shows that federal agents have recently increased the number of deportations of immigrants without prior criminal histories. This has affected immigrants in this specific district. Do you support the Trump administration's immigration policies? Describe the immigration policies you'd support.

I support deporting criminals. Now, we are deporting immigrants who are contributing members of our communities and are working their way through the immigration system. I do not support this or the actions of ICE to indiscriminately wreak havoc and ignore the constitutional rights of our residents. I support a revamp of our immigration system so that becoming a citizen is not such a long, complicated process. I support giving a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. I support efforts to work with surrounding countries to stem the flow of immigrants crossing our border. I support strong border protections.

What do the biggest contributors to your campaign expect from you?That I will continue to be me - a collaborator, accessible and that I do what I say I will do.

Do all of your policy goals above depend on your party controlling Congress? If so, how will you achieve anything if your party doesn't control Congress? How do you plan to build bipartisan coalitions to pass legislation in a divided Congress?

Congress is hyperpolarized right now. Bipartisanship seems elusive. But I'm nothing if not persistent. And I have always been effective when I have taken the time to build relationships.

What else should we know about your capacity to directly improve the lives of this district's constituents?

Federal elected officials need to remain informed on the dynamic daily needs of their constituents, which will be my commitment if elected. One of my top priorities will be working with my cities to understand what federal funding was cut under the Trump administration and work to find creative ways to bring those funds back to CA-14.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 5:43 PM.