Mike Honda tries to tie rival to Donald Trump

One of the speakers at last week’s Republican National Convention caught the eye of Rep. Mike Honda, D-San Jose, who came in behind challenger

Ro Khanna in the primary election and is now fighting to save the seat he’s held for eight terms.

While the congressman didn’t directly attack Silicon Valley billionaire venture capitalist

Peter Thiel, he called on Khanna, a Fremont attorney, to explain why he accepts donations from such quarters.

“My question for Ro is will he denounce Donald Trump or continue aligning himself with Republican donors in order to get elected?” Honda asked in a statement the day Thiel gave a speech in Cleveland.

Thiel has donated $7,800 to Khanna since 2011, including $2,700 in the latest campaign. That doesn’t make up much of the $1.5 million currently banked, but it’s the thought that counts, said Honda’s camp.

Honda has also accepted money from right-side donors, although perhaps none as high profile as Thiel. Hari Sevugan of the Khanna campaign called the attacks a sign that the incumbent is scraping the bottom.

“It’s sad to see what desperate lengths Congressman Honda will go to now to keep his seat,” said Sevugan, adding that Khanna has denounced Trump and endorsed and contributed to

Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Khanna said in a statement that “it is true that Thiel has supported me and other Democrats such as Gavin

Newsom.” He added that “although I disagree with Peter on many issues, I am and will always be impressed by his founding PayPal and early backing of Facebook. I respect his courage tonight.”

Sevugan slapped the Honda campaign for its reliance on political action committees, which account for about a quarter of the contributionsit has collected this season.

“If Mike Honda won’t say ‘no’ to PACs and lobbyists,” Sevugan said, “you know his attacks on Ro are as bankrupt as a Donald Trump casino.”