September 27, 2021

PHILADELPHIA — Today, 314 Action Fund announced its endorsement of Quaye Quartey in the race to represent California’s 25th congressional district. Quartey earned a master’s degree in systems engineering with a focus on cyber security, and served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy, leading counterintelligence operations on five continents before becoming a military diplomat and small business entrepreneur.

In the 2020 election, Joe Biden carried CA-25 by 10.1 percent despite Republican Congressman Mike Carcia being elected to a full term, making it clear that the district will be a priority for Democrats in 2022. 

“The past 18 months have highlighted why we need people with science backgrounds in office — and why as a STEM professional, Quaye Quartey’s experience makes him far and away the best candidate in the race. From responding to the pandemic, to protecting and preparing for the next one, to dealing with the very real threats to cyber security, Quaye’s training as a STEM professional and an entrepreneur make him uniquely qualified to serve,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action. “The people of California’s 25th district deserve a representative who will put their interests above those of corporations and fight for policies that are rooted in science. Quaye will be a champion of pro-science policies from day one in the House, and we can’t wait to help him win next November.”

“It’s an honor to be endorsed by 314 Action,” said Quaye Quartey. “During my time as an intelligence officer, I was trained that the best way to solve hard problems is by working with others to find evidence-based solutions that reflect the facts. As our elected leaders face increasingly complex issues that range from climate change to our changing economy, I’ll use my STEM background in Congress to fight for progress for California families!”

In 2022, 314 Action Fund will aim to spend $50 million to elect scientists across all levels of government, with initial targets of seven U.S. Senate races, forty U.S. House races, and twenty-one statewide races. 

ABOUT QUAYE QUARTEY:

John Quaye Quartey, II is the son of an immigrant, a veteran, an entrepreneur, and a proud husband and father.

Quaye’s father immigrated from Ghana to the United States, where he earned a college degree and worked as a chemist. His parents raised Quaye and his four brothers to have a strong work ethic, value teamwork, and give back to their community. A product of California schools, Quaye excelled on and off the field. He earned a spot at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he played varsity football and ran track. Upon graduation, Quaye began his life-long dedication to public service and was commissioned as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy.

Quaye served in combat in Kosovo and Iraq while also supporting counterterrorism and cyberwarfare operations around the globe. Quaye spearheaded intelligence operations on five continents before serving as a military diplomat in France, and then Central Africa, where he commanded special forces to combat ISIS-inspired terrorists and protect American interests abroad.

Quaye honorably retired from two decades of active-duty military service at the rank of Commander. He returned home to California and enrolled in Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Management. Combining his military experience with his passion for giving back, Quaye started a small business whose mission is to grow other small businesses that serve working families in their communities.

On January 6th, 2021, as Quaye watched as extremists carried out a Trump-fueled insurrection at our nation’s Capitol, he felt a call to serve his country and his community at home.

Quaye lives in Santa Clarita with his wife, Nancy, and their two children, ages 9 and 11.

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314 Action Fund is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people working to elect scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care. In 2018 and 2020, we played a pivotal role in flipping the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, electing eleven Democratic scientists to federal office, as well as over 100 to state and local offices. In 2021 and 2022, 314 Action Fund will continue working to elect science leaders and defeat climate deniers in Congress and legislatures across the country.