by Roger Riffenburgh
Silicon Valley businessman Peter Coe Verbica brings leadership and financial expertise to his campaign for the 19th Congressional District.
Managing Director at Silicon Private Wealth, he worked previously as a Chief Financial Officer in the technology industry. His professional background includes real estate, law, and investment banking. He taught as an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Economics Department at San Jose State University. He is the author of Hard-Won Cowboy Wisdom as well as several collections of short stories and poetry.
Among Peter Verbica’s priorities are to: 1) cut red tape and fees to lower housing costs, 2) lower food costs by providing water to farmers, 3) address the CA insurance crisis to help homeowners, 4) bring back jobs by restoring our business climate, and 5) reform and streamline immigration to help farmers and tech companies.
As a political leader, Verbica has risen rapidly. After leading its local chapter SPARC, he served as president of the California Congress of Republicans, a statewide volunteer organization. In 2022, he ran for the state Board of Equalization, getting over 900,000 votes and earning a spot in the top two by defeating the scion of one of San Francisco’s most prominent Democratic families. From 2023-24 he served as the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Central Committee.
Peter has an extensive record of community service. As a volunteer, he has actively supported schools, military service men and women, youth ballet, the symphony, Asian-American culture, and California State Parks. His volunteer activities have been recognized by Rotary International, DeAnza College, the City of San Jose, and Bank of America.
Congressional District 19 runs from South San Jose south over the coastal mountains to Santa Cruz and down the coast to Paso Robles. It contains portions of Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties. The incumbent is Democrat Jimmy Panetta, who benefits from the name of his father, Leon Panetta, who was elected nine times to Congress and served in both the Clinton and Obama administrations.
Peter Verbica grew up on a cattle ranch in the hills of Northern California, where he learned a strong work ethic and an appreciation for the land. He graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose. He earned his BA in English at Santa Clara University, a JD from Santa Clara University School of Law, and an MS in Real Estate Development at MIT.
His family donated the heart of Henry W. Coe, Jr. State Park, which is now California’s second largest state park. It’s located in the hills east of Morgan Hill and is named after Peter’s great grandfather.
Peter is an unabashed advocate of cowboy culture and enjoys creative writing, hiking, and tennis. He is married to his wife Tiffany, whom he met playing tennis. He has four adult daughters who have pursued careers in both private sector and public service. You can learn more about Peter Verbica’s campaign on his campaign website, PeterVerbica.com.