Hacienda La Puente Unified school board member Jay Chen came to Wilson High School on Thursday and announced his run for Congress in the redrawn 39th District before about 50 enthusiastic supporters.

The 33-year-old native of Hacienda Heights and owner of a real estate investment firm, billed himself as a moderate Democrat whose outside-the-beltway status would breathe new life into a polarized, do-nothing Congress.

“The incumbents in Washington, D.C. – they simply don’t get it. They are fighting amongst each other to prevent progress. They are too busy protecting their own jobs to create jobs for the rest of us,” he said from the stage of the band room at his alma mater.

Chen was referring to his opponent, conservative Republican incumbent Ed Royce, who has spent two decades in Congress and has amassed a $3 million war chest for re-election, according to campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Read more in Steve Scauzillo’s story CHEN.