Rep Darrell Issa’s Race

Election 2016 isn't all about the White House so Politico is rolling out a series on congressional contests in which prominent techies are facing stiff competition. First up is Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

An entrepreneur by trade who chairs the House subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, Rep Issa is getting an unexpectedly strong challenge from Doug Applegate (D-CA), an attorney and former US Marine who took 45 percent of the vote in a top-two-advance primary on June 7, while Rep Issa captured 51 percent. The incumbent has held the seat, covering parts of San Diego and Orange counties, since 2001, and proven to be a stalwart Republican presence in a state where Democrats dominate. During his time in Congress, Rep Issa has become known for his tech-savvy background and support for innovation, notably defending internet platforms during the SOPA fight in 2012 and backing Apple in its clash over backdoor encryption. Rep Issa has also proposed legislation to update H1-B visa policies, promote open data in government, and protect intellectual property. Because of his tech-friendly efforts, he's been lauded by industry groups like the Internet Association and CTA (Issa was once Chairman of the Board, back when the organization was still called CEA).

Rep Issa also has made a name for himself -- not always in a positive way -- for his aggressive, partisan chairmanship of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where he garnered national headlines for going after the Obama Administration over issues ranging from the Benghazi attack to the "Fast and Furious" botched gun operation. But he never won a slam-dunk victory in any of his partisan crusades and eventually drew criticism even from within his own party. His successor at the helm of House Oversight, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), needled Rep Issa for a look-at-me leadership style that emphasized "big press releases" over hard-hitting reports. "Darrell Issa didn't do many reports," Chairman Chaffetz said in Dec 2014 , noting that his style would be different: "It's not the 'Jason Chaffetz Show.'"

Donald Trump's long shadow may not be a safe place for a Republican to reside in a blue state this fall. Rep Issa has previously called the candidate an "obvious choice" for President.