Jay Obernolte isn’t a career politician. He’s a business owner who has created hundreds of good, high-paying jobs, a pilot who volunteers with the Veterans Airlift Command, and an accomplished state lawmaker. From standing up for taxpayers, to cutting bureaucratic red tape, to improving quality of life for our veterans, and passing legislation to crack down on criminals and keep our families safe, Jay is ready to fight for us.

Jay has lived in California’s 8th Congressional District for over 25 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Caltech and a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from UCLA.  In 1990 Jay started FarSight Studios, a software development company, in his college dorm room. Since then he has created hundreds of jobs and today, FarSight Studios employs dozens of residents of the 8th Congressional District. While running a successful business, Jay and his wife Heather also raised their two sons, Hale and Troy.

Jay also has 15 years of experience in public service. He was first elected to a local airport board in 2005, followed by 4 years of service on a city council and two terms as Mayor of the City of Big Bear Lake. In 2014 he was elected to the California State Assembly and Jay has been fighting for us since then.

As a state Assemblyman Jay has received awards from the California Small Business Association, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the American Society for Public Administration for his accomplishments. Jay has passed more legislation than any other current state lawmaker in the Inland Empire of either party, while simultaneously staying true to his values.

Jay is also a committed volunteer. He uses his pilot’s license to volunteer with the Veterans Airlift Command, providing free transportation to wounded and disabled veterans. He is also a 5th degree black belt in Pacific Unified Martial Arts and teaches self-defense to this day.

Jay understands the challenges and opportunities of the 8th Congressional District.  He is passionate about taking his record of creating jobs and his success as a state Assemblyman to Washington DC with the goal of improving the quality of life for all Americans.

Chris Bubser is an engineer-turned-biotech advisor who wants to use her healthcare, business, and scientific expertise to solve problems and create new opportunities in CA-08

Chris is a mom, biotech advisor, engineer, and lover of the outdoors running to represent California's 8th congressional district. With momentum on her side, Chris is eager to take on Washington and committed to representing the people of CA-08 instead of partisan interests and big corporate donors.

Born in Pennsylvania coal country as the youngest of three, Chris learned the values of hard work and helping her community. She began working when she was 12 years old and worked her way through college while she earned a degree in industrial engineering from Lehigh University, before moving to California and earning her MBA at UCLA.  

She married her passion for technology with her business training first by working for a start-up medical device company and then working in the biotechnology field. For two decades Chris helped launch groundbreaking treatments that extended the lives of patients with HIV and cancer. Chris not only understands the challenges of the healthcare system from her professional experiences, she understands them on a personal level. As the mother of a daughter with epilepsy, Chris fought insurance companies to cover her pre-existing condition, took time away from work to manage her father’s care and has seen too many friends drain their finances to pay for medicine to treat chronic and life-threatening health conditions. 

Chris has worked in partnership to make communities better, first as a trustee of her Temple and then as co-founder of HODG (HangOutDoGood), a grassroots community of hundreds of volunteers who work to get good candidates elected. She has dedicated herself to solving challenges from protecting our healthcare to addressing climate change, and from immigration reform to gender equality. Chris knows firsthand that we can affect change on these issues because she’s helped to do it.

Chris has lived in California for nearly 30 years and in Mammoth Lakes for more than 13, and has been married to her husband David for 20 years. They have two teenage children and share their lives with two dogs and a cat. They are lovers of the outdoors and active with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra and the Sierra Club. For her 50th birthday, the whole family hiked the John Muir Trail.

Chris never expected to run for office. But when she saw how the people of the 8th were being denied responsive representation in Congress, she put it all on the line and answered the call. To serve as your Representative would be the greatest honor in a lifetime of service.

"I’m running for Congress because Washington is broken and our community needs a representative who has an open door for her constituents, not corporate donors."

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I was propelled into public service in 2017 when the Affordable Care Act came under fire, and I dedicated myself to protecting coverage for pre-existing conditions, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and working to lower the price of prescription drugs. I am the mother of a child who had epilepsy and a friend to many who either live with serious health conditions or have lost their struggles against diseases like cancer and HIV. I am the daughter of a mother with dementia, and father who lost his long battle with cancer and heart disease. I am not unique - we all have these stories in our lives. We all deserve quality, affordable healthcare and no one should have to fight with insurance companies for coverage or go bankrupt in the process of getting the care they need, especially those who have served our country in the armed forces. Years spent in the biotech industry give me the experience to fight for better healthcare for all the families in the 8th. 

I announced my run for Congress on Earth Day 2019, because the health of our Earth and its natural resources have never been more in jeopardy. My family and I love our home in Mammoth Lakes too much not to fight to protect the places where we have hiked, fished, skied, camped and lived, and where so many of our neighbors love and call home. 

As your Representative, my job will be to represent all of the the people of the 8th, and the land that we live on and are entrusted to protect. This district can be a model for how to do things differently - we just need to have the will to work together to find solutions. In this country, which I love so much, that is what we have always done.

Traveling around this vast and varied district I hear from so many people who are just trying to make a good life here. What you all constantly remind me is that no matter what our political leanings or where in the district we live, we’re all concerned about the same things: being able to live a secure, happy, and fulfilling life. It’s the family connections, the good times with friends, and the sources of meaning that matter most to all of us. But without reliable healthcare, good jobs, and opportunities to learn and contribute, those things can be out of reach for far too many folks. I hear it from veterans, environmentalists, moms and dads, union representatives, and young people: All we’re asking for is a chance to thrive. In America, everyone should have that chance. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure they do.

We have big challenges to confront. But with big challenges come big opportunities: to lift up our friends, neighbors, families and businesses. I am committed to putting the people of CA-08 before partisan interests and corporate donors and to being your voice in Washington. I’ll always put what’s right for our district and our country first, and I’ll always have an open door for you. I’m a problem-solver by nature, and I believe anything is possible when we work together.

But I can’t do any of this alone. I need your support. This is a team effort and I we all have a role to play. So, contribute what you can, volunteer when you can, and please vote for a change on March 3rd. Let’s not leave one person behind. A brighter day is ours for the taking.