Levin co-founded CleanTech OC, a clean energy trade association in Orange County,[7] and was profiled in an OC Metro "40 Under 40" piece in 2011 for his work at FlexEnergy, a company that developed a technology to capture and use methane from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities.[8] He was the director of government affairs at FuelCell Energy from 2014 to 2017.[9][dead link] He also served as vice president of Better Energy Systems, a consumer-facing cleantech startup based in Berkeley, California,[10] and on the board of directors of the Center for Sustainable Energy, an environmental organization based in San Diego.[11] In this capacity, Levin opposed the redevelopment of Encina Power Station, arguing that "the proposed Carlsbad plant contradicts the priorities that California has established to reduce pollution across our state as it will use combustion to generate power."[9]
On March 8, 2017, Levin announced his candidacy for the United States Congress in California's 49th congressional district to replace incumbent representative Darrell Issa.[11] The district had historically been one of Southern California's more Republican districts, but redistricting after the 2010 census cut out most of its heavily Republican inland portion, making it significantly more competitive. Issa had nearly been defeated in 2016 as Hillary Clinton carried the district.
At a town hall event that Issa held on March 11, 2017, Levin publicly confronted Issa and mentioned a book he had sent Issa in 2016, Climate Change for Beginners. Levin charged that Issa's solution to climate problems "is to build more natural gas plants and to keep the nuclear energy plants online for longer.... I think that's an unfathomable proposal for a progressive and environmentally-friendly place like San Diego."[15][16] On January 10, 2018, Issa announced his retirement.[17]
Due to the competitive character of the race as well as the absence of an incumbent, there were 16 candidates on the ballot in the primary.[18] The large number of candidates in the nonpartisan blanket primary led to fears that Democrats would be locked out of the general election.[19][20]
In the June 5 primary, Levin came in second to Republican State Board of Equalization chair Diane Harkey and advanced to the general election. This assured that the district would be represented by someone from the Orange County portion of the district, though the 49th is a San Diego district by weight of population. Levin is from San Juan Capistrano, while Harkey is from nearby Dana Point.
Levin defeated Republican Matt Gunderson in the 2024 general election.[24]
Tenure
Levin voted with President Joe Biden's stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis. This results in a Biden Plus/Minus score of +7.1 indicating more support for Biden's priorities than would be expected given the makeup of his district.[25]
Levin has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America and an F rating from the Susan B. Anthony List for his voting record on abortion-related issues.[33][34] He has emphasized his support for "a woman's right to a safe, legal abortion".[35]
Climate change
Levin has prioritized addressing climate change, which has garnered attention from national media outlets covering energy and environmental issues. During the 2022 elections, these outlets considered his reelection bid a high-profile race.[36] Levin voted for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the largest climate policy ever passed by Congress.[37]
Levin supported the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bill to address the country's infrastructure needs through investments in rebuilding and modernization.[40] The legislation also funds new initiatives aimed at enhancing the resilience of infrastructure against the effects of climate change and expanding the reach of broadband infrastructure. It passed with bipartisan support.[41]
Levin is a proponent of moving the Pacific Surfliner railway line, which runs along the coastal bluffs of Del Mar, to a safer location.[42] He pushed for additional Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding to be allocated for a rail tunnel under Del Mar, with the goal of completing the project by 2035.[43]
Gun policy
In 2022, Levin voted for H.R. 1808: Assault Weapons Ban of 2022, aimed at banning the sale and distribution of certain types of firearms.[44][45] He also supported the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was passed and signed into law. CNN called the bill "the most significant new federal gun safety measure in decades."[46][47]
