CORONA, Calif. (Diya TV) — Anuj Dixit, a Democratic attorney and native of the Inland Empire, formally announced his candidacy for California’s 41st Congressional District, setting up a challenge against Republican incumbent Ken Calvert, one of the longest-serving members in the U.S. House.
In launching his campaign, Dixit promised to champion working families, pledging to revitalize the middle class, crack down on corporate influence in politics, and restore faith in democratic institutions. “In the 30 years since Ken Calvert went to Congress, Washington stopped working for the middle class,” Dixit said in a statement.
Dixit, the son of immigrants and a U.S. Air Force veteran, was raised on March Air Force Base in Riverside County. His personal background and legal career are central to his campaign narrative, which emphasizes economic justice, voting rights, and fair elections.
“My parents came to this country in pursuit of the American dream,” Dixit said. “Their values inspired my career—and now, my campaign for Congress.”
A graduate of UCLA and Columbia Law School, Dixit has clerked for a federal judge and worked on high-profile voting rights cases. He has prepared testimony for Congressional hearings and currently helps manage his family’s community health clinic, which provides care to low-income patients across the Inland Empire.
He argues that his first-hand experience as both a legal advocate and small business manager gives him unique insight into the economic challenges facing Southern California families. “The system is rigged for insiders,” Dixit said. “I’m running to shake it up.”
His policy platform includes banning corporate PAC contributions, challenging monopolies, and cutting taxes for the middle class. He also vows to be a watchdog for government accountability and to safeguard democratic institutions, drawing on years of work in election law and civic advocacy.
Dixit’s campaign is also shaped by personal tragedy and resilience. He lost family members in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland—a terrorist attack that killed 270 people—and came of age during the post-9/11 era. Those experiences, he says, solidified his commitment to public service and protecting civil liberties.
“Fair elections are how working people get a seat at the table,” Dixit said. “I’ve spent my career fighting for that—and I’ll take that same fight to Congress.”
The 41st District, which includes parts of Riverside County and the Inland Empire, is considered a competitive seat in the 2025 election. Calvert, a veteran lawmaker with decades in Congress, has historically held the district with strong Republican support, but recent redistricting and shifting demographics have narrowed the partisan gap.
Dixit’s entry into the race reflects Democrats’ broader strategy to flip vulnerable House seats in 2025 and regain control of the chamber. While Calvert maintains a deep fundraising base and name recognition, Dixit is positioning himself as a generational change candidate who can galvanize younger voters and working-class communities.
