Jeff Frese, a Moraga small-business owner and self-described moderate Republican, is challenging Rep. Mark DeSaulnier in California's 10th Congressional District. The general election is Nov. 3.

Frese advanced to the general election after finishing second in the June 2 top-two primary, in which DeSaulnier won 59.7% of the vote (132,246 votes) to Frese's 12.9% (28,671 votes) among seven candidates, according to Ballotpedia.

Frese, who has never held public office, said he is running to overhaul how Congress operates. "Clean up Congress. Every other fix goes through it," he said in the Lamorinda Daily Gazette candidate questionnaire. "A Congress that can't pass a budget on time is not going to fix your grocery bill."

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican (describes himself as "moderate Republican")
  • Residence: Moraga
  • Family: Married, three daughters
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, State University of New York at Cortland
  • Occupation: Small-business owner. He founded Fat Snax, a low-carb snack company he said he built from his kitchen into a national brand before selling it to private equity. He now runs a skincare company. He previously held product leadership roles at CNN, Nickelodeon and MTV.

Experience and public service

Frese has no prior elected or appointed office. He frames that as a contrast with DeSaulnier, who has held elected office since 1991, first on the Concord City Council, according to Ballotpedia. In his questionnaire response, Frese said that in business, workers who go years without delivering results lose their jobs, and he wants to bring that standard to Washington.

His campaign says it operates with no special-interest money, no consultants and no staff, according to his Ballotpedia profile.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Frese's responses from the Lamorinda Daily Gazette candidate questionnaire and his Ballotpedia profile.

Government reform

Frese calls government reform his top priority. He supports a "No Budget, No Pay" policy that would place members' pay in escrow if Congress misses its Oct. 1 spending deadline. He also backs eight-year term limits, a ban on stock trading by members of Congress and restrictions on former members becoming lobbyists.

Affordability and housing

Frese said he wants to reduce deficit spending he argues drives up mortgage rates and prices. He supports banning Wall Street firms and hedge funds from buying single-family homes and blocking foreign ownership of American farmland and family homes. He also calls for cutting regulations that he says slow construction and raise costs.

Health care

Frese said Medicare should remain unchanged for those who paid into it. He supports most-favored-nation drug pricing, an insulin price cap and enforced price transparency for hospitals and insurers.

Immigration

Frese calls for stronger border enforcement paired with changes to the legal immigration system. He supports faster processing, expanded pathways for high-skilled workers and industries facing labor shortages, and consistent enforcement.

National security

Frese said Iran should not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon but called on Congress to vote on the scope and authorization of U.S. military involvement. He opposes an open-ended ground war and supports an up-or-down vote on the use of force. He also called for a Pentagon audit, saying the department has never passed a full one.

Voters in the 10th Congressional District, which includes Lamorinda and parts of Contra Costa County, can find Frese's full questionnaire responses on Ballotpedia.