Denise Ducheny is running to replace Rep. Bob Filner in the 51st Congressional District. Filner vacated his seat in the Democrat-heavy district to run for San Diego mayor.
Ducheny is also no political novice. She served three terms in the state Assembly and two in the state Senate until she was termed out in 2010.
Imperial County has the highest unemployment rate in the country - 26.8 percent - but Ducheny has ideas to turn that around.
The Imperial Beach resident told KPBS she wants to decrease wait times at border crossings, work on geothermal projects and maintain the region's agricultural economy.
She also said she thinks Republicans and Democrats can reach a deal on immigration.
"We were very close to a deal in '07," she said.
She added that she wants to change quotas for the number of immigrants allowed into the U.S. from different countries and to simplify the visa system's structure.
Ducheny also said she is concerned about the donations her opponent Juan Vargas has received from insurance companies.
"He is very beholden to the insurance industry," she said. "He talks about my role at a state service on the unemployment board, but he went from being Assembly insurance chair to being insurance executive, and now is back with insurance."