LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal Congressional candidate Anna Wilding, CA32, issued a forceful call for accountability this week, rebuking President Donald Trump's public dismissal of women connected to the Jeffrey Epstein case and demanding long-overdue reform inside Congress itself.

"No woman shall be ignored on my watch," Wilding said. "Every woman's voice is important, no matter if they have been abused or not"

Wilding stated plainly that the Epstein files must be released and that no President, political party whether Democrat or Republican, or institution has the right to demean or diminish women who speak the truth.

"We pride ourselves on being a modern democracy, yet women are still silenced, dismissed, or treated as collateral damage when powerful men are exposed. That is unacceptable."

In her remarks, Wilding also directly challenged Rep. Brad Sherman, criticizing Congress for operating under outdated internal rules and norms dating back to the 1970s, many of which she says protect incumbency rather than democracy.

"Congress is not functioning in the modern world," Wilding said. "Its internal systems were built for a different era, before the internet, before modern media, before the scale of today's economy, shared knowledge and technology. That failure hurts the American people."

Calling for Term Limits and Responsible Transition

Wilding questioned the absence of meaningful term limits in Congress and proposed a clear framework for leadership transition.

"Ten years is enough. But leadership also means responsibility. There must be an exit path and strategy for departing members of Congress so institutional knowledge is transferred without entrenching power for decades."

She emphasized that renewal does not mean disrespect but that stagnation is no longer sustainable

Historic Challenge to Automatic Endorsement System

Despite suffering two broken ribs and a broken foot, Wilding said she initiated the effort to halt Rep. Brad Sherman's automatic pre-endorsement by the Democratic Party with coordination and support from another campaign in the final stretch marking the first block of an automatic endorsement since 2012.

"This didn't happen by accident," Wilding said. "It happened because people chose democracy, accountability, and choice."

The effort underscored Wilding's ability to lead under extraordinary circumstances.

Wilding noted that the Democratic Party's endorsement process currently makes it extraordinarily difficult to challenge sitting incumbents particularly at the convention level even when voters are demanding change.

She added that Rep. Sherman, as a long-term incumbent, has been able to stack the delegate deck cycle after cycle, benefiting from structural advantages that deter meaningful competition.

"Rep. Sherman has used money, influence, and institutional leverage to control the delegate process election after election," Wilding said.

"When systems prevent competition, prevent accountability, and prevent new leadership, democracy suffers regardless of party."

Wilding's Platform Resonated Strongly Addressing Voters' Urgent Concerns

In her speech, Wilding addressed the issues she says voters raise most often across the district:

• the rising cost of living
  
  
• the housing crisis
  
  
• Education and teachers
  
  
• the collapse of major industries, including entertainment
  
  
• public safety and emergency preparedness
  
  
• water access and climate resilience
  
  
• protection of women and children online
  
  
• restoring dignity to work and retirement

Wilding also highlighted the crisis facing more than 259,000 union entertainment workers, many of whom spent decades working as independent contractors without health care, pensions, or safety nets.

"When an industry that has powered America's cultural economy for a century collapses, leadership must respond — not look away."

She confirmed she has already raised these concerns at the White House and in direct discussions with national leadership.

A Call for Courageous Leadership

Wilding closed with a message aimed squarely at both voters and delegates:

"Leadership is not about holding power forever. It's about knowing when to step up — and when to pass the torch. Our district deserves leadership that meets this moment."

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SOURCE Committee Electing Wilding for California