Genevieve Angel, CA-44 candidate, 2026 election questionnaire – Press Telegram

Ahead of the November general 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.

Name: Genevieve Angel

Age: 54

Current job title: Executive Director

Political party affiliation: Republican

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: N/A

City where you reside: Los Angeles

Campaign website or social media: angelforcongress.com

What is the single most important issue this district faces, and what can Congress, realistically, do to address it? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The crushing cost of living and skyrocketing healthcare premiums plaguing our families are the direct result of government’s out-of-control spending and radical socialist policies. We must stop funding bloated bureaucratic agencies, end wasteful foreign aid, and block the green energy subsidies that are driving up utility bills. To lower prices at the pump and grocery stores, we must unleash American energy independence by cutting red tape on domestic oil and gas production. Congress can realistically lower health costs by enforcing anti-trust laws and reverse anti-monopoly mergers and consolidations with for profit insurers. There has to be price transparency across the different providers and segments of healthcare.

Housing is increasingly unaffordable and remains top of mind for many Californians. What is one federal policy you’d push to make housing more affordable? How would you measure whether that policy was actually successful? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

The problem with unaffordable housing in California is not a failure of the free market, but it is the tangled web of government regulations, bureaucracy, and high taxes suffocating builders and buyers alike. I would propose that federal agencies strip away costly environmental and zoning mandates attached to federal housing grants, while championing federal tax cuts for developers who build new housing supply. If we want more housing, we must make it more profitable to build. Success will be measured by a sustained increase in private housing. Success is not measured by how many people on government housing assistance, but by how many independent citizens can freely achieve the American Dream of homeownership on their own.

Concerns about the use of surveillance technology have intensified recently, often relating to license plate readers made by Flock Safety. How can Congress balance the use of these technologies in public safety cases while limiting infringement on an individual’s right to privacy? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Government’s main job is to keep us safe. Tools like Flock license plate readers do a great job helping police catch violent criminals and find missing kids. However, public safety shouldn’t cost us our privacy. We can’t let local police tools turn into a massive federal system that tracks everyday Americans. Congress can fix this by setting strict rules for any tech bought with federal money. First, police must delete license plate data within 30 days unless it is part of an active criminal case. Second, we must outlaw any central federal tracking database and heavily punish anyone who shares or sells our data.

What should immigration policy in the U.S. look like five years from now? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Five years from now, our immigration system must do one thing: put the American worker first. For too long, politicians thought open borders were great, but it actually steals the American Dream from us. Mass migration lowers our wages, drives up our rent and house prices, and overwhelms our local schools and hospitals. By 2031, the border wall should be finished to lock down the southern border completely. We will also cut legal immigration way down and only let people in based on what they can contribute to our economy, protecting our jobs. Most importantly, our plan to remove illegal immigrants will be fully running. We will deport people every single day, starting with violent criminals and corporate-backed illegal workers. We won’t let activist judges or sanctuary cities stop us. Real compassion means taking care of our own people first.

Would you like to see any changes to Medicare, Medicaid or prescription drug policies? What specifically would you change, cut or fund? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

We don’t need to cut healthcare benefits; we need to stop the massive fraud, waste, and abuse that is draining the system. To save Medicare, we are using advanced technology to instantly catch overpayments and eliminate useless paperwork. For Medicaid, we are bringing back honesty. I support common-sense work requirements for able-bodied adults to encourage independence. We are also closing loopholes so states can’t misspend federal funds, saving billions for the low-income families who truly need the help. When it comes to prescription drugs, we are focused on getting a better, fairer deal for patients. We are stopping unnecessary government handouts to private insurance companies to help lower your premiums. Finally, we are expanding Medicare to cover preventative weight-loss medications and focusing heavily on nutrition. If we help Americans get healthy and prevent chronic disease before it starts, we will naturally bring healthcare costs down for everyone.

Increasingly, we’re seeing communities push back on data centers opening in or near their neighborhoods. Environmentalists complain about the amount of water and energy that data centers need to operate. Residents complain about relentless noise pollution. And others worry about losing agricultural land to these centers. On the other hand, the tech industry emphasizes the role of data centers in supporting cloud computing and artificial intelligence. As a policymaker, how would you balance the concerns of critics with desires to ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in innovation? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

We need a simple rule – these tech companies must be good neighbors. If a massive company wants to build a power-hungry AI data center, they shouldn’t suck up all the local electricity and drive up our utility bills. Instead, the government should make it easy for them to build their own power plants, like nuclear or natural gas, to run their own facilities. We must also respect local community laws and protect our prime farming land. Staying ahead in technology is important, but growing our own food and living without constant, loud noise matters more. We can easily be a world leader in tech by producing plenty of American energy, but we have to do it on our terms—protecting American workers, land, and communities first.

There is growing debate about whether political candidates or committees should be allowed to run ads created with the use of artificial intelligence. Recently, we’ve seen videos or images depicting a candidate’s political opponent in disparaging ways – and which some critics say falsely misrepresent their political rival. In your opinion, should there be a strict ban on AI-generated political content? If AI-generated content is permitted, should there be restrictions on its use? What should the terms be, if any? Explain your position. (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Banning AI political ads completely would be a huge mistake and a direct attack on free speech. When the government rushes to ban fake videos, they usually end up banning jokes, humor, and funny political parodies. Making fun of politicians is a legal and important part of American free speech. Instead of letting the government or big tech companies act as the “truth police,” the real solution is transparency. We shouldn’t trust a handful of bureaucrats to decide what is real and what is fake. The best plan is simple – allow AI content, but let regular people check the facts. On X, tools like Community Notes let regular users work together to flag fake images and add true context in real time, without deleting the post or banning the creator. If a politician tries to use AI to lie about an opponent, the internet will figure it out and expose it within minutes. Let the voters decide what to believe, not government regulators.

How should the U.S. balance support for foreign allies with concerns about the country’s spending and the risk of entering “forever wars”? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

To avoid forever wars, American military and economic power must only be used with lethal precision to counter direct threats like the Chinese Communist Party or hostile regimes in Iran. By prioritizing trade over aid and requiring our allies to build their own strong capabilities, we can secure American interests, protect our budget, and keep our troops out of endless foreign conflicts. True strength means being generous to our allies, firm with our adversaries, and unapologetic about putting America first.

The Trump administration is aggressively pushing to expand offshore oil drilling and production in California. Do you support this move? Why or why not? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Expanding offshore oil drilling in California is a huge step toward making America completely energy independent. For years, extreme environmental rules have forced California to buy dirty oil from foreign dictators, which drives our gas prices and electric bills through the roof. I 100% support this move because energy security keeps our nation safe. Producing energy right here in America creates good-paying blue-collar and union jobs, helps local businesses, and lowers the daily cost of living for working families. Plus, when we drill here at home, we use much cleaner and safer methods than the foreign countries we are currently buying from.

The polarization of politics in this country has only grown. If you’re the incumbent of this office, what’s an example of you bucking that trend and cooperating with colleagues you may have political or ideological differences with? And if you’re running to step into this office for the first time, what’s an issue you will work on with those across the aisle to tackle? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

Politics has always been tough, but we can’t let partisan fighting destroy the family budget. Inflation is ruining household budgets, and high interest rates are crushing small businesses. To fix it, I will roll up my sleeves and work with my opponent. We can disagree on almost everything, but we must put the people and communities of our district first. Together, we can pass massive tax cuts that let working families keep more of their hard-earned money. We can also work across the aisle to save Social Security. My philosophy is simple: if you can get 70 or 80 percent of what you want, take it and come back for the rest later. You can fight hard for what you believe in without treating the other side like the enemy. Real leadership isn’t about scoring political points; it is about finding common ground to lift the heavy financial burden off the backs of the American people.

Tell us about a time you’ve changed your mind on a political position. What was it, and what changed your mind? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)

I can not think of anything that will change my political position at this time.

Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.

The recent book I have read is titled “Lions and Scavengers: The True Story of America (and Her Critics).” The writer, Ben Shapiro, argues against the narrative that all societal inequality stems from oppression, asserting instead the differences in outcome are rooted in talent and work ethic.