Marena Lin

[{"question": "Ballotpedia survey responses", "answer_html": "<p>See also: <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a></p>\n<div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-10 col-md-6 col-xs-offset-1 col-md-offset-3\"><p><a href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\"><img align=\"middle\" alt=\"Candidate Connection\" src=\"https://cdn.ballotpedia.org/images/8/88/Candidate_Connection_Logo.png\" width=\"90%\"/></a></p></div></div>\n<p>Marena Lin completed <a href=\"/Ballotpedia%27s_Candidate_Connection\">Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection</a> survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lin's responses.</p>\n<p><span class=\"expand-all\">Expand all</span> | <span class=\"collapse-all\">Collapse all</span></p>\n<div aria-multiselectable=\"true\" class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\" role=\"tablist\"><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" id=\"heading-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWho are you? Tell us about yourself.\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-bio-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tI’m the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. I am a climate scientist and public health software engineer. I have a PhD in climate science from Harvard University and a master's in urban and regional planning from UCLA.\r\n<p>I am a product of CA-32. I was born and raised here and came up through the public school system. Both my grandmothers were illiterate and given away as children, and I am one of three doctorates in science and engineering among my siblings. I am an example of the American Dream.\r\n</p><p>In supporting my family through health crises, I've been through every phone-tree for Medicare, Medi-Cal, and Covered CA. I've dealt with hours-long waits at the Social Security office. I supported my parents through the Porter Ranch Gas Leak. \r\n</p><p>Unlike my opponents, I wasn't born into politics, and I am not bound by special interests. I'm running a fully grassroots campaign because I've experienced the local problems that Congress is meant to solve, and I've had great success as an ordinary citizen. In 2019, I helped release an ICE detainee who then won his asylum case. During the pandemic, I co-founded an award-winning food security nonprofit that delivered over 400 tons of food to families in need in the Boston area. We continue that work today.\r\n</p><p>I've seen exactly what it's like to solve a problem when no one else thinks we need saving. \r\n</p>\nI've fought alongside you. Now, I want to fight for you in Washington.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" id=\"heading-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tPlease list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse-key-message-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\"><ul><li>Affordability starts with job security. In a district where the median income is $110K and the mean is $177K, families still struggle. I’ve been a member of three UAW locals and helped found one against a multi-million-dollar union-busting campaign by multi-billionaire Harvard University; I will protect labor through the PRO Act. I’ll expand housing via the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, fund HUD’s Continuum of Care, and expand vouchers. I’ll fight to reverse OBBBA healthcare cuts and for Medicare for All. I will lead the fight to abolish ICE and detention centers. I will conduct unannounced oversight visits and use appropriations riders to defund these facilities, redirecting billions back into healthcare, Medi-Cal, and SNAP.</li><li>My foreign policy is rooted in the morality of peace and the strategic use of soft power through USAID. Global collaboration to address the growing challenges of climate change is overdue. I oppose the genocide in Palestine and all weapons transfers to Israel. I stand against the illegal and immoral escalation of conflict with Iran. The tens of billions currently allocated to foreign military aid and immigrant persecution belong back in our domestic social safety nets. We must shift our global footprint away from military interventionism and toward diplomatic engagement that prioritizes human rights over the military-industrial complex. Our resources should fund our communities' needs, not the destruction of others' abroad.</li><li>As a climate scientist and software engineer, I will fight for a Green New Deal that addresses the dual threats of climate change and AI’s impact on jobs. District 32 is uniquely vulnerable—from wildfires to nuclear contamination at Santa Susana and the Porter Ranch gas leak. Corporations find it cheaper to pollute than follow the law; I’ll raise penalty caps so fines exceed profits, fund EPA enforcement, and require full remediation at corporate expense. To ensure our future isn't sold to the highest bidder, we must overturn Citizens United and end the era of corporate personhood. Environmental compliance is a legal obligation, not a business decision. I will ensure our district is resilient and our democracy is restored.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></div><div class=\"panel panel-default\"><div class=\"panel-heading\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-398499-2026-03-23\" id=\"heading1-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tab\"><p class=\"panel-title\" style=\"font-size: 14px;font-weight: 600;\"><a aria-controls=\"collapse1-398499-2026-03-23\" aria-expanded=\"false\" class=\"collapsed\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapse1-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"button\"><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-right pull-right\"></i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down pull-right\"></i>\t\t\t\tWhat areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?\t\t\t</a></p></div><div aria-labelledby=\"heading1-398499-2026-03-23\" class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"collapse1-398499-2026-03-23\" role=\"tabpanel\"><div class=\"panel-body\" style=\"max-height: 500px; overflow-y: scroll;\"><div class=\"answers-container\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\t\t\t\tMy focus is the enforceability of civil and human rights. On paper, we have strong laws; in practice, we lack the enforcement to back them up. The federal budget reflects this choice. While civil rights laws prohibit government abuse, ICE operates with impunity—detaining, deporting, and killing without accountability. I will fight to abolish ICE. Similarly, we claim to stand for human rights abroad while tax dollars fund the genocide against Palestinians. I strongly oppose this gross misuse of our money. <br/>\r\nWhether it’s Social Security or an ICE case, my office will serve everyone in this district. I will be accountable only to my constituents, not the special interests funding wars and corporate polluters.\t\t\t</span></div></div></div></div></div>\n<div class=\"small\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><p><i><b>Note:</b> Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.</i></p></div>", "answer_text": "See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection\n\nMarena Lin completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lin's responses.\nExpand all | Collapse all\nWho are you? Tell us about yourself. I’m the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants. I am a climate scientist and public health software engineer. I have a PhD in climate science from Harvard University and a master's in urban and regional planning from UCLA. I am a product of CA-32. I was born and raised here and came up through the public school system. Both my grandmothers were illiterate and given away as children, and I am one of three doctorates in science and engineering among my siblings. I am an example of the American Dream. In supporting my family through health crises, I've been through every phone-tree for Medicare, Medi-Cal, and Covered CA. I've dealt with hours-long waits at the Social Security office. I supported my parents through the Porter Ranch Gas Leak. Unlike my opponents, I wasn't born into politics, and I am not bound by special interests. I'm running a fully grassroots campaign because I've experienced the local problems that Congress is meant to solve, and I've had great success as an ordinary citizen. In 2019, I helped release an ICE detainee who then won his asylum case. During the pandemic, I co-founded an award-winning food security nonprofit that delivered over 400 tons of food to families in need in the Boston area. We continue that work today. I've seen exactly what it's like to solve a problem when no one else thinks we need saving. I've fought alongside you. Now, I want to fight for you in Washington. Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? Affordability starts with job security. In a district where the median income is $110K and the mean is $177K, families still struggle. I’ve been a member of three UAW locals and helped found one against a multi-million-dollar union-busting campaign by multi-billionaire Harvard University; I will protect labor through the PRO Act. I’ll expand housing via the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, fund HUD’s Continuum of Care, and expand vouchers. I’ll fight to reverse OBBBA healthcare cuts and for Medicare for All. I will lead the fight to abolish ICE and detention centers. I will conduct unannounced oversight visits and use appropriations riders to defund these facilities, redirecting billions back into healthcare, Medi-Cal, and SNAP. My foreign policy is rooted in the morality of peace and the strategic use of soft power through USAID. Global collaboration to address the growing challenges of climate change is overdue. I oppose the genocide in Palestine and all weapons transfers to Israel. I stand against the illegal and immoral escalation of conflict with Iran. The tens of billions currently allocated to foreign military aid and immigrant persecution belong back in our domestic social safety nets. We must shift our global footprint away from military interventionism and toward diplomatic engagement that prioritizes human rights over the military-industrial complex. Our resources should fund our communities' needs, not the destruction of others' abroad. As a climate scientist and software engineer, I will fight for a Green New Deal that addresses the dual threats of climate change and AI’s impact on jobs. District 32 is uniquely vulnerable—from wildfires to nuclear contamination at Santa Susana and the Porter Ranch gas leak. Corporations find it cheaper to pollute than follow the law; I’ll raise penalty caps so fines exceed profits, fund EPA enforcement, and require full remediation at corporate expense. To ensure our future isn't sold to the highest bidder, we must overturn Citizens United and end the era of corporate personhood. Environmental compliance is a legal obligation, not a business decision. I will ensure our district is resilient and our democracy is restored. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? My focus is the enforceability of civil and human rights. On paper, we have strong laws; in practice, we lack the enforcement to back them up. The federal budget reflects this choice. While civil rights laws prohibit government abuse, ICE operates with impunity—detaining, deporting, and killing without accountability. I will fight to abolish ICE. Similarly, we claim to stand for human rights abroad while tax dollars fund the genocide against Palestinians. I strongly oppose this gross misuse of our money. Whether it’s Social Security or an ICE case, my office will serve everyone in this district. I will be accountable only to my constituents, not the special interests funding wars and corporate polluters.\nNote: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it."}]