Sonoma County business owner Chris Coulombe has reached the top two in the primary election results and will advance to the runoff in the North Coast’s Second Congressional District. His distinctive sixteen year military career and his experience in business have prepared him well to serve in Congress.
In contrast with his opponent, Chris Coulombe brings a deep understanding of defense policy and strategy and international relations. While in college ROTC, he worked at an internship at the Pentagon’s Strategic Studies Group, studying military policy and strategy. He then attended the select Washington Semester program in International Law and Organizations and studied organizations such as NATO, the European Union, and the International Criminal Court. After he was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer, he led a reconnaissance platoon and then ran the Army’s air assault school in Hawaii, training thousands in helicopter assault operations. He subsequently worked at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, a defense think tank. He also earned a master’s degree in diplomacy with a thesis on challenges in the South China Sea and solutions to avoid war.
In 2016, Chris returned home to Sonoma County and began working as a business and political consultant. Later he started a state-wide cannabis distribution company and co-founded a trade association which worked with regulators, legislators, and the governor’s office to address regulation and taxation issues. He left the industry a few years ago and now runs his own small business, which advises companies on business plans, strategy, and process improvement.
Coulombe says he is running to protect our Republic, because it protects our rights as individuals and businesses. He says, “It is time to vote out the political class, and choose leaders who will prioritize the people. It is time to choose a better future.”
Coulombe identifies three high priority issues. The first is the economy, where he says we could be living in a golden age but instead find our currency and manufacturing base threatened. He proposes a middle class tax cut. The second issue is education, where he will work to give parents options and schools needed resources. The third is the environment, where he says, “We could be energy independent… We could power our cars, homes, and buildings with renewable energy that does not damage our water or air,” but we lack the leadership to do it. He says hydrogen, micro nuclear plants, and fission could contribute to our power needs.
The Second Congressional District runs north up the coast from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border and includes Marin, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte Counties and part of Sonoma County. Over two thirds of the district population is in the Bay Area – in Marin and Sonoma Counties.
Born and raised in Sonoma County, Chris Coulombe loved hiking and camping and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He joined the military at age 18 and served an enlisted stint. Then he was sent to college to prepare to be an officer. He attended Santa Rosa Junior College, transferred to the University of San Francisco to earn his bachelor’s in politics, and went to Washington, D.C.
Chris enjoys supporting scouting and has served in several positions, from assistant scout master to president of the Redwood Empire Council. He is an avid runner and likes to hike across California with his dog Xorro. You can learn more about Chris Coulombe on his campaign website, ChrisToCongress.com .