A life rooted in service — not politics.
A life rooted in service — not politics.
Karen Leigh Matthews didn’t plan to run for Congress.
She planned to serve.
She wore the uniform because she believes America is more than a government.
She became a doctor because care should be about people, not profit.
She built a small business because communities thrive when neighbors invest in each other.
After years of watching Washington stop listening, she decided it was time to step up.
Not to be a politician — but to be a representative.
Karen Leigh Matthews was born in Loma Linda and learned early what it means to work hard. She grew up believing in a simple promise: If you do your part, the system shouldn’t leave you behind.
Karen was born in Loma Linda, graduated from medical school at Loma Linda University, and went on to serve more than 20 years in the United States Navy as a radiologist. She led medical teams, cared for service members and veterans, and wore the uniform because she believes America is more than a government — it’s a promise we make to each other.
After leaving the Navy, Karen started a small business to help veterans get the benefits they earned. Along the way, she saw how broken systems, endless paperwork, and political inaction can stand between people and the support they deserve.
Karen is a veteran who knows what it means to show up, do the job, and take responsibility.
While career politicians argue and protect the status quo, families here are feeling the squeeze — rising rent, higher costs, and paychecks that aren’t keeping up. Karen lives those same pressures, and she’s running because she knows they aren’t abstract problems. They’re everyday realities.
This campaign is about sending one of us to Congress to represent all of us.
Because Washington won’t start working for California’s 23rd District until it’s represented by someone who actually lives its reality — and is willing to roll up their sleeves and fix what’s broken.