Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Jenny Rae Le Roux
Current job title: Director of CAL DOGE and Entrepreneur
Age: 45
Political party affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: None
City where you reside: Irvine
Campaign website or social media: jennyraeca.com
From voter ID to war powers and from immigration to tariffs, Congress has tackled many issues over the past year. What do you, though, see as the top three issues impacting Californians, and what specifically could you do as a lawmaker to address these issues? (Please answer in 250 words or less, and keep your response to future proposals.)
I’m a businesswoman, a mom, and the Director of CAL DOGE. After building multiple successful organizations and a thriving family, I see major cracks in California’s foundations as we strive to build a better future. We lack financial security, energy security, and transparency, and we need a fresh advocate in Washington to fix what is broken.
We aren’t financially secure, especially in California, where we have the highest cost of living in the country and where wasteful spending has diverted useful funds from good causes to money pits. Businesses can’t find enough staff, and regulation is strangling growth. While others try to nationalize California’s failed policies, I will work to protect our community and position it for growth.
We must ensure energy independence so that all of us can afford the American Dream. Overregulation has made us less energy secure, as evidenced by high gas prices, skyrocketing electricity costs, and the closure of refineries in California. These are the results of poor leadership; we need innovation, not strangulation.
Beyond security, we need full transparency in Congress. I will sign onto a bill to ban insider trading on my first day in office and immediately get to work on legislation creating audit controls for all federal spending. I’ll also support setting limits on congressional raises and banning congressional pay during a government shutdown. It’s time to get Congress back to work for the people it’s supposed to serve.
Speaking of voter ID, the president has implored Congress to approve legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to vote. What role do you believe the federal government plays in telling states how to conduct their own elections, as dictated by the U.S. Constitution? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Article I in the U.S. Constitution greatly limits the federal government’s role in administering elections in the states. It does, however, give Congress the ability to regulate federal elections.
The Constitution makes clear you must be a citizen of our country to vote and therefore I fully support requiring voter ID verification to both register to vote and to cast a ballot.
Voter ID is a commonsense measure that is broadly supported by voters of both political parties, and voter verification is required by most democracies around the world. California actually bans the requirement for voter ID, and has not even verified it cleans its voter rolls regularly. The gaps in our system are unacceptable in a modern democracy where the tools exist to ensure fair and cost-effective enforcement.
At the same time, we must remove any barriers to voting for low-income families and seniors. Election integrity is vital, but we must not prevent people who have a legal right to participate in elections from being able to do so.
Our elections must be fair and grant access to the polls for all citizens. I will support any sound voter ID policy that achieves both of those goals.
What, in your opinion, should the federal government focus on when it comes to immigration policy? For example, do you place a priority on border security, visas for high-skilled workers, refuge for asylum seekers, etc., and why? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I have visited over 50 countries and am married to a legal immigrant. I understand why so many want to live and work here – there truly is no place like America. This issue is vital to our future – and Congress has failed to act. We must do better.
First, we must secure our border. Drugs cannot pour into our communities, and we must vet everyone who seeks to enter our country. Without border security, our immigration system isn’t functional and is deeply unfair.
In addition, we must apprehend and remove people who have committed crimes and have been ordered to leave. California’s sanctuary state policies leave criminals at large, while we foot the bill to catch them and fund their prison stays indefinitely. In addition, we need every immigrant who entered the country illegally to either complete the asylum process or return to their home country and re-enter legally.
At the same time, we must recognize that our world-class universities, companies, and farms benefit from the ideas and efforts of immigrants. While Americans should vie for and win every possible job, we must have a visa system that allows skilled immigrants to advance our capabilities and continue American excellence and growth.
I will work across the aisle on immigration reform.
It’s been over a year since Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the federal government for supplemental disaster aid to help Southern California communities rebuild after the devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, but neither President Donald Trump nor Congress has acted. What would you do to push for the funding, besides writing letters to the Trump administration or the leaders of Congress? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and the surrounding communities were one of the worst tragedies in California’s history. My heart continues to break for the families who lost everything in those fires.
Contrary to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s spin, the Trump administration has helped the victims and delivered valuable resources for the recovery. Under the President’s leadership, FEMA and its federal partners have made over $3 billion available for the victims of this disaster. The federal government also helped clear nearly 3 million tons of debris from the area. In January, on the one-year anniversary of the fires, President Trump signed an executive order to cut red tape to speed up reconstruction.
The governor and Mayor Bass are blaming the President for one reason: deflection. Years of burdensome state and local regulation are to blame for the slow rebuilding of these communities. Newsom is asking Washington for a check while his own administration has been slow to cut red tape, expedite rebuilding permits, and deploy state resources. This is not leadership.
As your Congresswoman, if there are more resources needed to rebuild, I will be demanding face-to-face meetings with the President’s Cabinet, department directors, agency heads, and the White House to ensure our communities have what they need to rebuild quickly.
Do you support a ban or restriction on congressional lawmakers and their families from buying or selling individual stocks? Why or why not? And what would you propose to ensure lawmakers aren’t using their positions to engage in insider trading? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, like the vast majority of the American people, I support a ban on elected politicians buying and selling individual stocks. In fact, when I got involved in politics, I personally sold every individual stock I owned to avoid any conflict of interest at any point in the future. I will work solely for you.
Whether lawmakers are acting on insider information to make stock trades or not, even the possibility of this happening erodes the trust the public has in our government.
I stand for accountability in every realm of government, and will call on every member of Congress to join me.
Do you support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions? If so, how would you ensure those regulations aren’t overly burdensome on small businesses or lower-income families? And if not, how do you propose lawmakers protect the environment and curtail the impacts of climate change? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Our district is home to the most gorgeous environment in the country. People flock from around the world to see our coasts, breathe our fresh air, and marvel at the beauty of our water. My family and I love to hike our trails and swim in our oceans. We must protect our environment so we and future generations can enjoy it.
However, I am skeptical of additional federal mandates, especially because we have failed to take stock of whether current mandates are achieving their goals. I also support strong, targeted enforcement against actual polluters rather than blanket regulations that burden small businesses.
Mandates always increase costs, and costs are already too high. We live daily with the devastating impacts of mandates from Sacramento, and I do not support nationalizing this insanity. State policies have forced the closure of two refineries in just the last year, skyrocketing gas prices – which were already the highest in the country. This has devastated working families who are already struggling with high housing and grocery costs.
We must have an all-of-the-above approach to energy independence, and ensure the development of renewable energy and incentivize innovation in all forms – including clean, inexpensive energy like nuclear and biogas.
California families deserve clean air, preservation of our natural beauty, and affordable gas. We are the home of the world’s greatest innovators; I refuse to accept that we must choose between environmental protection or abundant energy. Both are vital for our future.
President Donald Trump has significantly increased spending for the U.S. Department of Defense. Would you, as a member of Congress, approve additional dollars for the military if the president were to ask for more funding? How would you ensure that any military spending does not end up putting the American people or national security in harm’s way? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
As Director of CAL DOGE, I am passionate about reigning in government spending. As a government watchdog, I am a fierce advocate for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.
The budget for the Department of Defense is 13-14% of total annual federal spending. This is a big enough line item that it deserves careful scrutiny, yet it is also a small price to pay to keep our country safe. My promise to you is that I will examine every budget request through the lens of what is best for the 47th district.
Security is the biggest issue facing families in our community, and we can’t forsake our safety just to cut a budget. I will listen to every request for funding so I can understand why the DoD believes it is necessary to protect Americans at home and abroad, and I will vote accordingly.
Under what specific circumstances do you believe the U.S. should engage in a war? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I believe war is necessary if a foreign adversary attacks us on our own soil.
Do you believe a president should seek congressional approval before engaging in military action overseas? Why, or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The Constitution is clear that Congress holds the power to declare war and it is imperative that there be democratic consensus to send our sons and daughters into combat.
However, there is nuance here that must be respected. The War Powers Resolution says the President has the authority to respond to immediate threats, attacks, and emergencies without congressional authorization. Presidents from both parties, from Obama to Trump, have made decisions to engage with a foreign adversary to protect us.
Presidents must respect that they do not have the ability to unilaterally declare war and must get congressional approval to do so and Congress must respect that there are times when the President must act quickly to ensure our immediate security.
Congress, in theory, is supposed to serve as a check on the president through budgetary, legislative and oversight powers. Do you believe Congress has fulfilled that obligation during the past two administrations, with one being a Democrat and the other a Republican? Why or why not? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
No, Congress has not sufficiently fulfilled its duty to act as a check on the President of the United States.
Under Biden, Congress repeatedly failed to exercise any meaningful oversight of the administration and its officials while they created a border crisis, conducted a withdrawal from Afghanistan that was so incompetent it left 13 Americans dead, and approved “emergency” spending so wildly out-of-control that it created a fraud and inflation crisis we are still dealing with today.
Republicans haven’t been much better at reigning in government spending. DOGE was an innovative program that began to highlight waste, fraud, and abuse that should have been eliminated; however, Republicans have failed to get it all rooted out.
As a Director of CAL DOGE, I have uncovered just how out-of-control our state government’s spending – which includes federal funds – has become. We’ve found millions being wasted on homeless programs that aren’t getting people off the streets and millions more meant for renewable energy being funneled to activist groups to register voters.
As a congresswoman, I will take my job of oversight and responsible budgeting seriously regardless of which party has control of the White House. When agencies mismanage our tax dollars, I will be the first representative demanding they testify under oath to what happened.
Families are struggling to make ends meet and our government spends our precious tax dollars like drunken sailors. It is unacceptable, and I will hold anyone who abuses the public’s trust accountable.
Governments around the world are increasingly considering an age ban or other restrictions on social media use among young people, citing mental health and other concerns. Should Congress adopt such restrictions? If so, what specific restrictions do you propose? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I have three boys – ages 13, 9, and 6. When my oldest son was a preschooler, we allowed unlimited tech use – watching videos, holding the phone when we were out to dinner, and playing on tablets while in the car. We noticed quickly that he would exhibit addiction withdrawal if we didn’t supply technology, and as our family grew, we limited tech usage in favor of reading, cooking, creativity, and outdoor play.
When I make policy recommendations, I think first about the impact on my own family. I would support a congressional bill limiting the ability of children to have social media accounts, and I support strong bans on inappropriate content like pornography and violence. While I recognize that our youth will likely continue to consume content online through multiple platforms, turning our kids into an army of influencers places undue mental health pressure on them while they are developing a sense of identity, and draws them away from being present in school or with friends.
In addition, I strongly support phone-free school environments to promote interactive and engaged learning experiences. My goal is to improve achievement and student well-being.
Statistically, violent crime rates in California are on the decline, yet residents still don’t feel safe or at ease in their communities. How do you see your role in Congress in addressing the underlying issues that make Californians feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
The numbers may be trending in the right direction, but we still see disorder, addiction, retail theft, and lawlessness everywhere we look. California policies, including our sanctuary state policies, have created these problems and our communities have suffered as a result.
The federal government’s role in crime is limited, but there are a few things it can do. For starters, we must end the fentanyl crisis. This poison floods across our borders and has devastated our communities. It is the primary reason I am passionate about border security.
The federal government must also support local law enforcement with grants and training programs so that we can hire and retain officers to protect our neighborhoods.
Finally, we must address our mental health and homelessness crisis. A big reason people don’t feel safe in their communities is the untreated mental health and addiction problems they see all around them. We have thrown billions at the problem with nothing to show for it. The agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to provide mental health and addiction resources must be held accountable for how they spend the tax dollars they are given.
There are term limits to serve in the California Legislature, but none to serve in Congress. Would you advocate for term limits for House members? Why or why not? If you support term limits, how many years maximum should a House member be allowed to serve? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
Yes, we need term limits. As someone who has helped turn startups into global companies, I have seen firsthand how bringing new and fresh perspectives into an organization removes blinders and apathy and spark growth, innovation, and change.
Lawmakers who have been in office for decades naturally lose their grasp on what their constituents are dealing with on a daily basis. New voices are vital to ensure our communities are well-represented.
What’s a hidden talent you have? (Please answer in 250 words or less.)
I’m a former black thumb who has been converted through much trial and error to a plant mom extraordinaire. I garden prolifically, love to pick up pieces of fruit, bark, and trees when I walk to identify them, and I graft fig trees for fun. I love herbs, I love sharing produce from my garden, and I love planting seeds from local libraries to try new things.
My kids get involved – when they see I brought home another dead plant from the discard rack at the store, they know exactly what I’ll do and they bring the supplies.
They enjoy adventurous eating – as long as it comes from our garden.
One thing I love about Orange County is how incredible our growing environment is. I have many perennial herbs (including way too much lemongrass), and they need so little nurturing to thrive. I love our citrus trees, I love my avocado tree, and I’m fascinated by how different food that grows in our yard tastes and ripens compared to the produce we get in the store.
In short – plants are a hobby, and gardening – especially for fruits, vegetables, and herbs – is a great delight of mine.