Ro Khanna, the Democratic congressman representing California's Silicon Valley, has become a controversial figure following his support for a proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires in California. This initiative, aimed at funding public education and mitigating cuts to federal healthcare, has drawn ire from some of Khanna's former supporters, including tech moguls like Eric Schmidt. Schmidt is now backing a super PAC to oppose the proposal and has endorsed Ethan Agarwal, a tech entrepreneur running against Khanna in the upcoming primary. Despite the backlash, Khanna has maintained a strong interest in understanding the complexities of tax policy, impressing experts like David Gamage, a tax law professor involved in crafting the initiative. However, this depth of engagement has not translated into support from the billionaire class, with many former allies now distancing themselves from Khanna as the political landscape shifts in response to his controversial stance.