Saikat Chakrabarti Campaign Hires Oscar Arbulu as Chief Organizing Officer

Veteran campaign strategist and San Francisco native brings deep organizing expertise from Rashida Tlaib campaigns and progressive movement building.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Saikat Chakrabarti for Congress campaign today announced the hiring of Oscar Arbulu as Chief Organizing Officer, bringing one of the progressive movement's most experienced field strategists to lead the campaign's grassroots organizing efforts in San Francisco.

Arbulu, a proud San Francisco native who grew up in the Portola neighborhood, brings a unique combination of local roots and national campaign expertise to the role. Most recently serving as Deputy Political Director at Common Defense, the progressive veterans organization, Arbulu has built a reputation as one of the most effective organizers in progressive politics.

"Oscar represents exactly what our campaign is about – working-class San Franciscans who understand the struggles our neighbors face and have the skills to build the movement we need to win," said Saikat Chakrabarti. "His track record speaks for itself – from helping elect one of the first Muslim American women to Congress to building winning coalitions across diverse communities. He knows how to organize, and more importantly, he knows San Francisco."

From the Portola to Progressive Politics

Arbulu's journey from the working-class neighborhoods of San Francisco to the heights of national progressive politics embodies the American dream that has become increasingly out of reach for many. A graduate of Archbishop Riordan College Preparatory, Arbulu served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves with the 23rd Marines Regiment, 4th Division, as a logistics manager, earning an honorable discharge in 2006.

After his military service, Arbulu earned a degree in International Relations from Sacramento State University while working in various fields, from the entertainment industry to fitness training. His commitment to service continued through his work with the International Rescue Committee, where he helped refugee families navigate resettlement in Sacramento.

A Proven Record of Electoral Success

Arbulu's political organizing career began in 2018 when he joined Rashida Tlaib's historic first campaign for Congress. Starting as a field organizer, he quickly rose through the ranks, ultimately serving as Campaign Manager for her successful 2022 re-election, where she won by a commanding 64% margin in Michigan's newly drawn 12th Congressional District.

His achievements with the Tlaib campaigns include:

Successfully managing a $2.97 million campaign budget
Creating field plans that contacted over 200,000 voters
Leading teams that canvassed more than 42,000 doors during the COVID-19 pandemic
Achieving a 21% increase in voter turnout in primary elections
Building and maintaining coalitions across Michigan's diverse communities

"Oscar didn't just run campaigns – he transformed them into movements," noted his former colleagues. "During the pandemic, he innovated our entire field strategy, turning campaign infrastructure into a lifeline for communities, conducting wellness checks on over 100,000 residents while maintaining our electoral organizing."

Building Progressive Power

Between his work on the Tlaib campaigns, Arbulu served in key roles that deepened his understanding of both governance and grassroots organizing. As a Congressional Aide to Representative Barbara Lee, he assisted over 100 constituents with federal agency issues while working on critical policy areas including veterans affairs, criminal justice, and pandemic recovery.

At Common Defense, Arbulu helped guide the progressive veterans movement through the challenges of the 118th Congress, bringing his expertise in racial, economic, and social justice to bear on foreign policy and organizing efforts ahead of the 2024 election cycle.

A Vision for San Francisco

As Chief Organizing Officer, Arbulu will oversee all field operations, volunteer recruitment, and coalition building for the Chakrabarti campaign. His immediate priorities include building a volunteer army of San Franciscans ready to have thousands of conversations with their neighbors about the future of their city.

"San Francisco is at a crossroads," Arbulu said. "We can either accept that our city will only be for the wealthy, or we can organize to make it a place where working families like mine can thrive. I know which side I'm on, and I'm ready to help build the movement that will transform not just our city, but our entire country."

The campaign's organizing strategy will focus on meeting voters where they are – from the bustling streets of Chinatown to the hills of Bernal Heights, from the Mission to the Marina. Under Arbulu's leadership, the campaign plans to knock on every door in the district and build the kind of people-powered movement that can overcome the advantages of incumbency.

About the Campaign

Saikat Chakrabarti is challenging 20-term incumbent Nancy Pelosi for California's 12th Congressional District, calling for new Democratic leadership to confront Trump's authoritarian agenda and address San Francisco's affordability crisis. The campaign has pledged to refuse all corporate PAC money and focus on direct voter engagement through regular Zoom calls, house meetings, and community forums.

Arbulu joins a growing team of organizers and volunteers committed to bringing transformative change to San Francisco and building a new generation of Democratic leadership in Washington.