MILPITAS, Calif. (Diya TV) — Tech entrepreneur Ethan Agarwal finished fourth in the June 2 primary for California’s 17th Congressional District, ending his bid to unseat five-term incumbent Rep. Ro Khanna. Agarwal received 3,719 votes, or 6.1 percent of the vote, according to official election night results from the California Secretary of State, with all 184 precincts in the district at least partially reporting.
Khanna led the field by a wide margin with 58.8 percent of the vote, or approximately 36,131 ballots. Republican Ritesh Tandon finished second at 16.7 percent with 10,289 votes, and Republican Jennie Ha Phan placed third at 12.6 percent with 7,743 votes. Under California’s top-two primary system, Khanna and Tandon advanced to the November general election. Fellow Democrat Mike Katz finished fifth at 4.9 percent. Results remain unofficial and will be certified by July 10, 2026.
Agarwal, 40, is a tech entrepreneur with no prior political background. He entered the CA-17 race in March 2026, setting up what was billed as one of the most lavishly funded primary challenges of the 2026 cycle. Before pivoting to the congressional race, Agarwal had been running for California governor since August 2025, a campaign that raised about $250,000 but gained little traction in a crowded field. He told Diya TV the decision to switch races came down to where he believed he could make a broader impact.
Agarwal previously co-founded fintech startup The Coterie, which raised $80 million from venture capital investors before its assets were sold, and co-founded Aaptiv, an audio-focused fitness app that raised roughly $61 million before being acquired by Pear Health Labs.
The race drew national attention as a proxy fight over Silicon Valley’s relationship with the Democratic Party’s progressive wing. Khanna had publicly backed a one-time wealth tax in California, and members of the tech community subsequently recruited Agarwal to run against him. Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, publicly expressed support for Agarwal, saying California needs a new generation of leadership rooted in building companies and jobs. Khanna entered the race with more than $15 million in his campaign account, according to federal filings.
Agarwal positioned himself as a moderate alternative to Khanna, arguing Democrats should return to what he described as the party’s traditional focus on economic growth. “We need to be for something as opposed to just being anti-Trump all the time,” he said. He also attacked Khanna’s record on stock trades made by family members while in office.
Agarwal drew support from Jewish, Iranian and Israeli American voters in the district, positioning himself as the more pro-Israel candidate in the field. Former Congressman Mike Honda, a longtime South Bay political figure, also endorsed Agarwal, lending him a degree of institutional credibility despite his newcomer status.
On election night, Agarwal told Diya TV: “We announced on March 3rd. It’s been an incredible campaign. The groundswell of support that we’ve seen from the Indian community, the Jewish community, the Iranian community — so many communities that have realized that there is an important change that is required — and I’m honored and humbled by it.”
Agarwal attended middle and high school in the congressional district but does not live there; he relocated to Milpitas to establish residency ahead of the race. CA-17 spans portions of Santa Clara and Alameda counties, covering much of Silicon Valley including Fremont, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Milpitas.
