Joshua Keck Harder (born August 1, 1986) is an American politician and venture capital investor who has served as the U.S. representative for California’s 9th congressional district since 2023, after serving the 10th district from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he first gained office in 2018 by defeating Republican incumbent Jeff Denham by five points.^[1] After the 2020 redistricting, he won reelection in the newly drawn 9th district, which covers the majority of San Joaquin County and includes Stockton, Tracy, and Manteca.^[2]

Harder was born on August 1, 1986, in Turlock, California, in the Central Valley.^[3] His great-great-grandfather settled nearby in Manteca, where he started a peach farm.^[4] Harder attended Modesto High School,^[5] and during that time, he interned for then state senator Jeff Denham.^[6] He went on to attend Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008. He later obtained a joint Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy from Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government.^[3]

In 2014, Bessemer Venture Partners hired Harder in its New York office. He moved to San Francisco two years later and became a vice president of the company.^[6][7] In 2017, Harder left Bessemer to campaign full-time. He moved back to Turlock^[7][8][9] and taught business at Modesto Junior College.^[10]

In May 2017, Harder announced his candidacy, joining three other Democrats to challenge Republican Jeff Denham, who had represented California’s 10th congressional district since 2013 and represented the 19th district from 2011 to 2013.^[11] As a result of California’s top-two primary system, Denham and Harder advanced to the general election, with Denham taking 37.5% of the primary vote and Harder 16.7%.^[12][13]

California’s 10th district was included on the list of Republican-held seats being targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.^[14] On election night and for days after the election, Denham led in the reported results.^[15] On November 9, Harder pulled ahead as absentee ballots were counted.^[16] Days later, news outlets projected Harder’s victory,^[17] and on November 14, Denham conceded.^[18]

Harder ran for reelection in 2020, finishing first in the top-two open primary with 44% of the vote. He bested Republican opponents Ted Howze and Bob Elliott. Harder and Howze advanced to the general election on November 3, which Harder won with 55.2% of the vote to Howze’s 44.8%.^[19] In 2020, former president Barack Obama endorsed Harder.^[20]

Following redistricting, Harder defeated San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican, with 56% of the vote in California’s 9th congressional district.^[21]

In the 2024 general election, Harder defeated Republican Kevin Lincoln with 51.8% of the vote, or approximately 9,000 votes.^[22]

Harder took office on January 3, 2019, as the U.S. representative for California’s 10th congressional district.^[23] During the 116th Congress, he served on the Agriculture Committee and the Education and Labor Committee.^[23] In November 2019, he co-introduced the Ban Corporate PACs Act with Representative Max Rose, which aimed to prohibit corporate-funded political action committees as part of a broader anti-corruption effort. The bill was designed as a complement to the For the People Act, which faced opposition from Republicans.^[24]

After Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, Harder received hate mail intended for Josh Hawley, a United States senator with a similar name who objected to certifying Joe Biden‘s electoral college victory.^[25] In the 117th Congress, he was appointed to the Appropriations Committee while continuing to serve on the Agriculture Committee.^[26] In November, Harder attended the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, which he helped shape by securing funding for Central Valley priorities such as water storage, wildfire prevention, and highway improvements.^[27]

In 2025, Harder was one of 46 House Democrats who joined all Republicans to vote for the Laken Riley Act.^[28]

For the 119th Congress:^[29]

• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
  • Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

• New Democrat Coalition^[30]
• Problem Solvers Caucus^[31]

Harder has been described as a moderate Democrat.^[32] He supports legal abortion rights.^[33]

In February 2023, Harder introduced the Stop the Delta Tunnels Act, a bill which would forbid the Secretary of Army from issuing a permit related to the project, effectively stopping all federal support for the Delta Conveyance Project.^[34] In May 2023, Harder criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom‘s plan to fast-track projects, including the Delta Tunnel project, which Harder had opposed for five years, saying that that project could negatively impact the ecosystem of the Delta in the San Joaquin Valley and affect fishery and agriculture industries.^[35]

Harder opposes defunding the police and has said that he wants to rebuild trust between the public and police. He voted for a police reform bill that would ban chokeholds and establish a policy for use of force that would be standard around the country.^[36] In 2023, he introduced a bill to create a grant program that would allow smaller police departments to recruit and retain more officers.^[37]

Harder and his wife, Pamela, met as undergraduate students at Stanford University. They were married at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Virginia in 2018.^[38] Harder and his wife have two daughters.^[39]

• Congressman Josh Harder official U.S. House website
• Josh Harder for Congress campaign website
• Appearances on C-SPAN

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart