PRAMILA JAYAPAL

Pramila Jayapal was born in Chennai, India, and immigrated to the United States at age 16 to attend college. She earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Before entering politics, she was a Seattle-based civil rights activist, serving as executive director of "OneAmerica," a pro-immigrant advocacy group. She founded the organization called "Hate Free Zone" after the September 11 attacks.

She went on to become the first Indian-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and the first to represent Washington state at the federal level. She has represented the 7th district since 2017.

Pramila also co-chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has played significant roles in progressive legislation, including Medicare for All, immigration reform, and climate justice initiatives. A champion for workers' rights, she authored legislation to increase the minimum wage and to improve working conditions, as well as advocated for healthcare reform, including the expansion of Medicare and reducing prescription drug costs.

She published her memoir, "Use the Power You Have," in 2020, detailing her journey and political philosophy. She is known for her progressive policy positions and her ability to build coalitions within the Democratic Party and across the broader political spectrum.

During late June of 2022, a man began driving by her home in Seattle yelling obscenities and threats multiple times. On July 9, he parked outside of her home with a handgun holstered on his waist and again began yelling threats, including "Go back to India." He was subsequently arrested and charged with felony stalking. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor stalking and was sentenced to 364 days in jail followed by 24 months of probation, with an eight-year prohibition on possessing firearms.

Jayapal's experience reflects a disturbing trend of escalating violence against elected officials. Protecting representatives is both a matter of basic human decency and essential for preserving democratic representation. When representatives face threats and intimidation, it undermines the entire democratic process and can prevent them from effectively serving their constituents.

Unfortunately, the violence is increasing, as evidenced by the tragic events of June 2025 in Minnesota. State representative Melissa Hortman, the leader of the state House Democratic Caucus, was assassinated along with her husband and family dog in their home by a man disguised as a law enforcement officer. Equipped with firearms and body armor, he drove to the homes of Democratic elected officials with the intent to intimidate and murder.

Earlier that same morning, state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and seriously injured in their home in nearby Champlin. The suspect was captured after what authorities called the largest manhunt in Minnesota history and now faces state and federal charges, including murder.

These good people were working hard to carry out the will of their constituents who voted them into office. Our elected representatives deserve respect and gratitude for their hard work, not to fear for their lives and the lives of their families and loved ones.

Despite facing such threats herself, Pramila Jayapal has continued her work undeterred, refusing to be silenced or intimidated. Her resilience exemplifies the courage required of public servants in an era of rising political violence.

She remains committed to advocating for the progressive values and policies her constituents elected her to champion, demonstrating that threats and intimidation will not undermine democracy or prevent dedicated representatives from serving the American people.