In today’s episode of The Depolarizers, I’m in conversation with Rep. Ami Bera, who represents Sacramento County in California's sixth congressional district.
Bera, a medical doctor, is one of about 20 medical professionals in the U.S. House and is the son of Indian immigrants.
In April 2022, Bera was one of nine people attacked by a rabid fox outside the US Capitol. He quipped afterward, "I expect to get attacked if I go on FOX News; I don't expect to get attacked by a fox." This incident led him to introduce legislation to help uninsured people afford rabies treatment.
Bera is a true depolarizer. Despite being political opponents in 2010, Bera formed an unlikely friendship with Republican strategist Rob Stutzman, who designed attack ads against him for Bera’s Republican opponent. The two bonded over golf and their shared criticism of Donald Trump, demonstrating Bera's ability to form connections across party lines. More on that depolarizing friendship later.
I started out asking Bera how he’s approaching Trump’s second term, and if his approach differs from Trump’s first administration:
My approach to the current Trump administration is different from his first term in 2017. Back then, many felt the public disliked Hillary Clinton or that she ran a poor campaign, neglecting Pennsylvania or Michigan—places where she lost the election. 2025 is different. The American public knows who Donald Trump is; he campaigned openly about his intentions, and they elected him. It's important for us Democrats to understand what the public is saying. Essentially, they're expressing concerns like, "My life's not getting better. I'm worried about my kids, housing, or retirement." When Trump talks about "America first," he's tapping into this sentiment—people wondering, "What about my life?" Supporting NATO and engaging in wars abroad may be commendable, but it hasn't improved their daily lives. Democrats need to acknowledge that.
Under the Biden administration, we achieved a lot—passing landmark legislation, including the bipartisan infrastructure bill and significant climate legislation, which younger generations particularly value. But these weren't enough, as many people still feel their lives haven't improved. Our goal should be improving Americans' lives. That's why I'm willing to meet Republicans at the 40-yard line or even their 35-yard line—but we can't let them push us into the end zone, because then we'd have to oppose those initiatives. You, as depolarizers, know that addressing polarization means coming together in the center.
We also discussed bipartisanship and understanding where his Republican colleagues are coming from:
There are 435 members of Congress, and each represents about 750,000 Americans. I'm a reflection of the people in Sacramento County who vote for me, electing and re-electing me. By that logic, Marjorie Taylor Greene, who's my polar opposite, reflects her constituents in Georgia. They've elected and re-elected her. Instead of judging her, I should try to understand—what we're experiencing in California differs from what's happening in Georgia, Alabama, or elsewhere.
I genuinely try to get to know my Republican colleagues. Civility matters—understanding them personally and learning about their districts. Recently, I traveled to Arkansas to visit French Hill, a Republican member of Congress and good friend. We serve together on the Intelligence and Foreign Affairs Committees. His district in Little Rock is a river city, just like Sacramento. They face flooding issues, as we do. They grow rice; we grow rice. Suddenly, you realize we're not so different.
That's what's missing. If Democrats and Republicans spent more time getting to know each other personally, civility would follow. Now, I haven't visited Marjorie Taylor Greene's district yet—I'm a little afraid she might yell at me—but I'm definitely working up the courage to get to know her.
A big topic of discussion post-election has been how Democrats can improve their standing with men. We discussed this as well.
The first step is showing up, talking to people, and most importantly, listening. At times, the Democratic Party has taken certain base voters—like Hispanic or African American voters—for granted. But these communities aren't monolithic. We need to engage directly, listen, and meet them where they are.
The gender issue is particularly interesting. Before Congress, I was Dean of Admissions at UC Davis Medical School. For at least the past two decades, about 65% of our future doctors have been women, aligning with undergraduate trends. We see a rising feminine generation—I think this will be a feminine century. However, many young men, especially in African American and Hispanic communities, feel left behind.
I believe Trump addresses a sense of lost masculinity, resonating with certain segments of men. Democrats must recognize this and provide opportunities for these men as well. That may explain why we lost support among younger African American and Hispanic males, especially those 35 and under. We need to actively engage these communities.
Trump taps into aspects of toxic masculinity. Similarly, figures like Elon Musk and certain "tech bros" seem to reflect that same toxic masculinity. How this will ultimately unfold remains unclear.
Circling back to the depolarizing friendship, I asked Rep. Bera about his friendship with Republican strategist Rob Stutzman:
You're referring to Rob Stutzman, who ran the first two campaigns against me. We've gotten to know each other. And when you set aside politics—campaigns can be a contact sport—we both genuinely care about the Sacramento region. We have far more in common than differences. I think that applies to most Americans. Ultimately, we all want to care for our families, get our kids to school, retire comfortably, and look after our communities. There's far more that unites us as Americans than divides us.
As with all of our guests, I asked Rep. Bera how we can depolarize our lives.
People should turn off cable news—it's too much of an echo chamber. Pick up newspapers instead. Try getting to know someone from the opposite political party as an individual. That's something that's changed significantly since I was a kid, or even a young adult. Democrats now mainly consume Democratic cable news or visit Democratic websites, and Republicans do the same with their own sources. That isn't healthy.
Make an effort to meet someone who sees things differently. Don’t judge them; just genuinely listen.
Conversation lightly edited for clarity.
Like what you’re hearing? Listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you find your podcasts, and subscribe to hear new episodes of The Depolarizers. You can also support our work to depolarize American politics via our 501(c)3, The Welcome Democracy Institute. Be sure to join us at WelcomeFest on June 4 in DC!
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