Linda Sánchez
Re-elect Congressional Representative Linda Sánchez to keep CA-38 on the right track.
About the Position
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
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Voting has changed in Orange County this year. The Voter’s Choice Act was enacted in the county to make voting more convenient. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote Center in their county. Have questions about the changes to voting in Orange County? Find out how to vote in Orange County.
The President of the United States is the head of the Executive branch of the federal government, and the Commander-in-Chief for all branches of the armed forces. A president has the power to make diplomatic, executive, and judicial appointments, and can sign into law or veto legislation. Presidential administrations are responsible for both foreign and domestic policy priorities. Presidents are limited to serving two four-year terms in office.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is from Scranton, PA, and moved to Claymont, DE with his family when he was 10 years old. He has been a resident of Wilmington, DE, for most of his adult life. Vice President Biden came of age during the 1960s Civil Rights movement, which he cites as his inspiration for majoring in political science at the University of Delaware before earning his law degree at Syracuse University. His political career began in 1970 when he was elected to the New Castle County Council. Just two years later, at age 29, Vice President Biden ran for the Delaware Senate seat, and became one of the youngest people ever elected to the United States Senate. A few weeks after his election, his wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, and his two sons were badly injured. This personal tragedy shaped Vice President Biden’s public image as an empathetic leader and committed family man.
Vice President Biden spent 36 years representing Delaware in the Senate. He is often critiqued as being an unremarkable, status quo Democrat, and mid-career votes in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-drug legislation, and the Iraq War reaffirm that characterization. In 1991, Vice President Biden was the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and presided over the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, who had been credibly accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague, Anita Hill. Vice President Biden’s mismanagement of the hearing resulted in a targeted and unfair character assassination of Anita Hill, and remains a reminder of his complicity in the patriarchal and racist systems on which American government is built.
Vice President Biden has also been directly accused of unwanted contact by several women over the course of his career. Most of the accusations came to light as part of the #MeToo movement, and related to invasions of personal space that included the touching of shoulders, caressing of hair, and close whispering. He has apologized publicly for this behavior, and stated an understanding of his responsibility to conform to more modern social norms in his interactions with women.
Vice President Biden launched two unsuccessful campaigns for President during his time in the Senate, in 1988 and 2008. After ending his 2008 campaign, he was chosen by President Barack Obama to join his ticket as Vice President, and they served together for two terms. As Vice President, he was responsible for managing the 2009 economic recovery, helping to expand health care through the Affordable Care Act, and acting as the administration’s liaison to the Senate. In 2015, his oldest son, Beau Biden, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 46. Since leaving office in 2016, Vice President Biden has dedicated substantial resources to cancer research.
Although he was rarely a trailblazer, Vice President Biden’s record does demonstrate a consistent liberal evolution on many issues throughout his career. After voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he was the first member of the Obama Administration to advocate for marriage equality in 2012. After presiding over the Anita Hill hearings in 1991, he was the architect of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, and led the Obama Administration’s effort to reduce campus sexual assault through the It’s On Us campaign. After supporting the 1994 Crime Bill and aligning with the racist ‘tough on crime’ approach of that era, his current platform supports criminal justice reform, abolishing private prisons, and decriminalizing marijuana.
Vice President Biden has long been committed to building relationships with colleagues across the aisle, and bridging intra-party policy differences to establish compromise legislation for the American people. This commitment to civility resulted in Vice President Biden maintaining problematic working relationships with segregationist Senators James Eastland and Herman Talmadge during his time in the Senate. During the 2020 primary, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris, both Black candidates running for President, were outward in their critique of what they viewed as Vice President Biden’s defense of the reputations and decency of these segregationists. However, Vice President Biden has not apologized for his continued defense of collaborating with these segregationist colleagues, and maintains broad support in the Black community.
Vice President Biden’s commitment to compromise has extended to the left in recent months, and updates to his campaign platform are reflective of his interest in connecting with progressive voters. While he was a more moderate candidate in the larger 2020 field, he has been conscientious about including the popular perspectives of his progressive rivals, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, in his platform. He has recently issued proposals that include middle-class tax cuts, lowering Medicare eligibility to age 60, new benchmarks for greenhouse gas emission limits, free college tuition for families making less than $125,000 annually, and clean energy investments. While these proposals do not embrace the full scope of progressive ideals, they are an important indicator of his capacity for collaboration.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Vice President is the second-highest office in the Executive branch of the federal government. The officeholder is the first in the line of succession to the presidency and holds legislative authority as the president of the Senate. In this role, the Vice President presides over Senate deliberations and can cast a tie-breaking vote in close decisions. A Vice Presidential candidate is selected directly by a Presidential nominee who has won the democratic primary process. Vice Presidential candidates are elected indirectly as a part of the Presidential ticket in the general election. A Vice President serves four year terms, and there is no term limit for this position.
As of October 12th, Democratic challenger Vice President Joe Biden is leading Republican incumbent President Donald Trump in the polls by an average national margin of 9.2% (as of 10/24/20). Ten days before Election Day in 2016, Secretary Hillary Clinton held an average 4.9% polling lead over Donald Trump. Vice President Biden’s campaign has raised $952 million (as of 10/14/20) and is not funded by fossil fuel money. While his platform commits to establishing meaningful campaign finance reform, his 2020 campaign has received donations from special interest, corporate PAC, and lobbyist organizations. President Donald Trump has raised $601 million (as of 10/14/20) and has not taken any fundraising pledges. President Trump is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Citizens United, Proud Boys, and a variety of law enforcement organizations.
Senator Kamala Harris grew up in Berkeley, CA, and now resides in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of a Jamiacan father and an Indian mother who both emigrated to the Bay Area in the 1960s, and established themselves as activists in the Civil Rights movement in Oakland. Sen. Harris’ interest in justice and equal rights was instilled at a young age when she participated in civil rights protests in Oakland alongside her activist parents, and was further shaped when she was included in the second class of students to be bussed as part of Berkley’s efforts toward school integration. She attended Howard University, one of America’s HBCU institutions, for undergraduate studies, and completed her law degree at the University of California, Hastings.
After working for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for 8 years, Sen. Harris transitioned to a role as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Sen. Harris’ political career began in 2003 when she won her bid to become District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco. She served two terms in San Francisco before being elected as the Attorney General for the state of California in 2010. She was the first woman and the first person of color to hold this seat. In representing the needs and interests of Californians in each of these roles, Sen. Harris’ record was both progressive for the time and complicated by her moderate approach to policing and criminal justice. She has been criticized for failing to institute comprehensive police accountability measures, for not establishing meaningful prison reform, and for taking a hands-off approach to cases related to police misconduct. However, her lenient approach to policing was often punctuated by decidedly progressive support for social justice issues, including the establishment of an education and workforce reentry program designed to diminish recidivism. Similarly, as Attorney General, she declined to defend Proposition 8, a proposition to make same-sex marriage illegal in California, in court and officiated the first wedding in the state when marriage equality was restored in 2013.
In 2016, Sen. Harris became the first woman of color elected to represent California in the United States Senate. Sen. Harris has sponsored legislation on climate and environmental protections, rental and housing protections, women’s health, and pandemic relief. She was also an original cosponsor of the progressive Green New Deal authored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey. Sen. Harris sits on four committees: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Budget, Judiciary, and Select Committee on Intelligence. She has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump Administration, and has deftly used her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee to question judicial nominees and interrogate the hypocrisy of her Republican colleagues.
Sen. Harris formally launched her campaign for President in January 2019 at an Oakland rally with an estimated attendance of 20,000 supporters. As a candidate, she pushed forward a platform that opposed Medicare for All, supported expansion of the Affordable Care Act, sought to expand tax benefits for middle and low-income families, supported citizenship for Dreamers, and favored a ban on assault weapons. She ended her campaign in December 2019, and was tapped to join Vice President Joe Biden’s ticket ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August 2020.
The Biden/Harris campaign is endorsed by many progressive groups in the country. While the Biden/Harris platform is the most progressive platform ever adopted by a major party ticket, we encourage progressive advocates to continue to hold their administration accountable, and work to encourage progressive legislation throughout the country. With consideration to their records in public service, we unequivocally recommend Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below congressional districts on your ballot.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 38th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Democrats have held this district since 2002. This district has strongly supported Democrat candidates in recent state and federal elections, providing Gavin Newsom with 65 percent of the vote in 2018, and Hillary Clinton with 67 percent of the vote in 2016.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Linda Sánchez led Democrat challenger Michael Tolar by a margin of 55.4 percent. Rep. Sánchez’s campaign has received corporate PAC donations from a variety of donors, including Microsoft, FedEx, Entergy, and Charles Schwab. She has also received donations from Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, but has not yet taken the no police money or no fossil fuel money pledges. Tolar’s campaign has not committed to any pledges, and his fundraising has been insignificant, with no donation receipts yet formally filed with the FEC.
Rep. Sánchez, a 17-year congressional incumbent, is from Orange, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Sánchez is running for re-election to continue to improve the lives of working families in her district through her legislative efforts on issues like labor, economic growth, and taxes.
Rep. Sánchez’s priorities for CA-38 this year have included animal welfare, improving school safety and social-emotional supports, and elder protections. She currently sits on the Ways and Means Committee. This year, Rep. Sánchez has voted 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Sánchez voted in favor of the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and in agreement with the National Defense Authorization Act for FY20. Rep. Sánchez has sponsored 32 bills about education and school supports, labor protections, and elder services. Nearly all of those bills are currently referred to committee.
Rep. Sánchez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. She is the highest-ranking Latina in Congress, and she has used her influence to speak out about the importance of moving the party in a more progressive direction for the next generation. According to our analysis, Rep. Sánchez is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 39th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans held this district from 2011 to 2018, when Gil Cisneros won and flipped CA-39 from red to blue. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton won this district by an 8.6 percent margin. In 2018, Republican John Cox won this district in the gubernatorial general election by a narrow margin of 0.8 percent.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Gil Cisneros trailed Republican challenger Young Kim by a margin of 1.4 percent. Cisneros’s campaign has pledged not to take fossil fuel money and has followed through on that commitment. He also pledged not to take corporate PAC funding, but he did attend a fundraiser hosted by corporate lobbyists. Kim’s campaign is backed by the Republican Super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund, which is dedicated to winning a Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Cisneros, a veteran and education advocate, is from Los Angeles. According to campaign materials, Rep. Cisneros is running for re-election to ensure that future generations have access to a ladder of opportunities similar to what was available to him through the Navy.
Rep. Cisneros’s priorities for CA-39 this year have included advocating for Small Business Development Centers, education programs that serve Hispanic- and Minority-Serving Institutions, students with disabilities and English language learners, Emergency Solutions Grants to prevent homelessness and the Community Development Block Grants, and funding for public health agencies. He currently sits on two committees: Veterans' Affairs (ranks 11th) and Armed Services (ranks 20th). This year, Rep. Cisneros has voted 100 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 93 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. His divergence from Rep. Ocasio-Cortez included votes in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and appropriations for the Department of the Interior. Rep. Cisneros has sponsored 15 bills about armed forces, national security, and immigration this year. Of those bills, five have been referred to committee, eight are in committee, and two have been received by the Senate.
Rep. Cisneros is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district. He is also endorsed by the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association. However, the threat of Republican challenger and strong Trump supporter Kim’s potential policies greatly outweighs Cisneros’s moderate voting record and inaction on campaign financing. According to our analysis, Rep. Cisneros is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 46th Congressional District includes parts of Orange County. Republicans held this district until 2012, when district lines were redrawn and Loretta Sanchez won and flipped CA-46 from red to blue. In recent years, this district has voted for Democratic state and federal candidates, with 63 percent of the vote for Gavin Newsom in 2018, and 66 percent of the vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Lou Correa led Republican challenger James Waters by a margin of 30.8 percent. Rep. Correa’s campaign has not pledged to refuse fossil fuel, police, or corporate PAC money. Correa has received donations from several oil and gas companies, including Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Phillips 66. He has also received donations from Everytown for Gun Safety AF Inc. PAC. Waters’ campaign has not committed to any pledges and has recorded insignificant fundraising to date, with all raised funds coming directly from his family.
Rep. Correa, who has held elected office for over 20 years, is from Anaheim, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Correa is running for re-election to continue to improve quality of life and middle-class access for district residents.
Rep. Correa’s priorities for CA-46 this year have included grants to support community placement of police recruits, highlighting mental-health care and minority health disparities, and providing support to military veterans. He currently sits on two committees: Homeland Security (ranks 7th), and Judiciary (ranks 16th). This year, Rep. Correa has voted 99 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 94 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Correa voted in favor of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, and in agreement with the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act for 2020. Rep. Correa has sponsored 29 bills about veteran’s support, cannabis research and protections, and mental-health care access this year. Of those bills, two have been received in the Senate, and all remaining are in committee or referred to committee.
Rep. Correa is primarily endorsed by local unions, and does not have substantial endorsements from progressive organizations. He is also endorsed by a variety of law-enforcement organizations in the district, including California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, Santa Ana Police Officers Association, and Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs. However, the threat of Republican challenger James Waters’ potential policies greatly outweighs Rep. Correa’s moderate voting record and association with law-enforcement organizations. According to our analysis, Rep. Correa is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 53 congressional representatives. There is no term limit for this position.
California's 47th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Republicans held this district until 2002, when district lines were redrawn and Loretta Sanchez won and flipped CA-47 from red to blue. In recent years, this district has voted for Democratic candidates in state and federal elections, supporting Gavin Newsom with 61 percent in 2018, and Hillary Clinton with 62 percent in 2016.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Alan Lowenthal led Republican challenger John Briscoe by a margin of 28.6 percent. Rep. Lowenthal has not taken any funding pledges for this election cycle. He has accepted corporate funds from several entities, including Crowley Maritime Corporation, Amazon, and AES Corporation. Challenger Briscoe’s campaign has not committed to any pledges, and is sustained entirely through self-funding.
Rep. Lowenthal, a former city council member and California state senator, is a longtime resident of Long Beach, CA. According to campaign materials, Rep. Lowenthal is running for re-election to continue his human rights advocacy on behalf of his diverse constituency, and to push for further progress on climate change.
Rep. Lowenthal’s priorities for CA-47 this year have included funding STEM education, reinstating humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and Armenia, and reducing plastic pollution. He currently sits on two committees: Natural Resources (ranks 6th), and Transportation and Infrastructure (ranks 19th). This year, Rep. Lowenthal has voted 97 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In contrast to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Lowenthal voted in favor of making appropriations to the Department of State and the Department of Defense, and of the passage of the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act. This year, Rep. Lowenthal has sponsored 22 bills about public land and natural resources, human rights protections, and transportation and public works. Of those bills, the majority are in committee or have been referred to committee.
Rep. Lowenthal is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Rep. Lowenthal is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals.
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a four-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 65th Assembly District includes parts of Orange County. This is a historically red district that flipped blue when Sharon Quirk-Silva won in 2012. It went back to red in 2014, when she lost her incumbency, and then back to blue when she won again in 2016. The most recent election results show AD-65 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Sharon Quirk-Silva led Republican challenger Cynthia Thacker by a margin of 15.4 percent. Quirk-Silva’s campaign has raised $529,123.99. Her campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and has accepted funds from all three groups. No FEC filings have been made for Thacker’s campaign, and she is endorsed by the Republican Party of Orange County and the California Republican Party.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva moved to Fullerton when she was two, attended Orange County public schools, earned her bachelor's degree from Fullerton College and UCLA, and her teaching credential from CSU Fullerton. Quirk-Silva defeated a Republican incumbent for this seat in 2012, but lost her bid for re-election in 2014 to Republican Young Kim. She ran again in 2016, defeated Kim, and has served in this seat since. According to campaign materials, Quirk-Silva is running to keep working on education, climate, and economic issues that affect the state of California.
In the State Assembly, Quirk-Silva authored a fee waiver bill that allows the homeless to receive an ID and a copy of their birth certificate without paying for them. Quirk Silva served as chair of the Assembly Jobs Committee and secured $23 million for small businesses. Quirk-Silva currently sits on the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Communications and Conveyance Committee. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Quirk-Silva served on the Fullerton City Council starting in 2004 and was elected mayor in 2007.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva’s priorities for AD-65 this year include increased funding for schools, expanding the economy, public safety, and expanding access to affordable health care. She currently sits on thirteen committees, including the standing committee on Housing and Community Development and the select committees on Foster Care and Student Debt. Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has sponsored two bills about housing and homelessness this year. She scores 49 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Quirk-Silva generally votes progressive for bills that address California’s education system and climate change. That said, she has abstained from voting on policies that could help solve other issues, including police transparency.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva worked as a teacher in the Fullerton School District. She is a longtime supporter of affordable housing, quality education, and access to physical and mental-health services.
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. That said, she is also endorsed by police groups. However, the threat of Republican challenger and strong Trump supporter Thacker’s potential policies greatly outweighs Quirk-Silva’s moderate voting record and decisions regarding police accountability. Although we disagree with her relationships with the police, her district is vulnerable to flipping red. According to our analysis, Sharon Quirk-Silva is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a four-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
California's 65th Assembly District includes parts of Orange County. This is a historically red district that flipped blue when Sharon Quirk-Silva won in 2012. It went back to red in 2014, when she lost her incumbency, and then back to blue when she won again in 2016. The most recent election results show AD-65 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Sharon Quirk-Silva led Republican challenger Cynthia Thacker by a margin of 15.4 percent. Quirk-Silva’s campaign has raised $529,123.99. Her campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and has accepted funds from all three groups. No FEC filings have been made for Thacker’s campaign, and she is endorsed by the Republican Party of Orange County and the California Republican Party.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva moved to Fullerton when she was two, attended Orange County public schools, earned her bachelor's degree from Fullerton College and UCLA, and her teaching credential from CSU Fullerton. Quirk-Silva defeated a Republican incumbent for this seat in 2012, but lost her bid for re-election in 2014 to Republican Young Kim. She ran again in 2016, defeated Kim, and has served in this seat since. According to campaign materials, Quirk-Silva is running to keep working on education, climate, and economic issues that affect the state of California.
In the State Assembly, Quirk-Silva authored a fee waiver bill that allows the homeless to receive an ID and a copy of their birth certificate without paying for them. Quirk Silva served as chair of the Assembly Jobs Committee and secured $23 million for small businesses. Quirk-Silva currently sits on the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Communications and Conveyance Committee. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Quirk-Silva served on the Fullerton City Council starting in 2004 and was elected mayor in 2007.
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva’s priorities for AD-65 this year include increased funding for schools, expanding the economy, public safety, and expanding access to affordable health care. She currently sits on thirteen committees, including the standing committee on Housing and Community Development and the select committees on Foster Care and Student Debt. Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has sponsored two bills about housing and homelessness this year. She scores 49 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Quirk-Silva generally votes progressive for bills that address California’s education system and climate change. That said, she has abstained from voting on policies that could help solve other issues, including police transparency.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assemblymember Quirk-Silva worked as a teacher in the Fullerton School District. She is a longtime supporter of affordable housing, quality education, and access to physical and mental-health services.
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. That said, she is also endorsed by police groups. However, the threat of Republican challenger and strong Trump supporter Thacker’s potential policies greatly outweighs Quirk-Silva’s moderate voting record and decisions regarding police accountability. Although we disagree with her relationships with the police, her district is vulnerable to flipping red. According to our analysis, Sharon Quirk-Silva is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Depending on where you live, you may have the below races on your ballot.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating legislation that addresses issues within their district, as well as voting and debating on preexisting laws. The California State Senate has 40 congressional districts. Each represents a population of about 930,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Senate for a four-year term. Every two years, half of the Senate's 40 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to two four-year terms (eight years) in the Senate. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the State Senate and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 29 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 11 seats.
California's 29th Senate District includes parts of Orange, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles Counties. Republicans held this district from 1992 to 2016, when Josh Newman won and flipped SD-29 from red to blue. The most recent election results show SD-29 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat challenger Josh Newman trailed Republican incumbent Ling Ling Chang by a margin of 13.9 percent. Newman’s campaign has pledged not to accept money from the fossil fuel industry. Rep. Chang’s campaign has not committed to any such pledges and is backed by Pacific Gas and Electric, Chevron, and Phillips 66. Furthermore, Rep. Chang took office in 2018 only after spending hundreds of thousands of her own dollars on a campaign to recall Josh Newman after he defeated her in 2016. Republican Councilmember Carl DeMaio said Josh Newman was targeted due to his narrow margin of victory.
Josh Newman currently resides in Fullerton, CA, and, according to campaign materials, is running for election to strengthen veterans’ services, promote mental-health care, and ensure transparency in state-level politics.
Before running for office, Josh Newman founded and ran ArmedForce2Workforce, an organization that aims to integrate combat veterans back into their Southern California homes and workplaces. He is the former vice chair of the California Democratic Party Veterans Caucus and has been a longtime supporter of public education and health care, infrastructure improvement, and renewable energy.
Josh Newman is endorsed by a strong majority of local progressive groups in the district. The threat of Republican opponent and strong Trump supporter Ling Ling Chang’s potential policies greatly outweighs Newman’s moderate record. According to our analysis, Josh Newman is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district at the California State Capitol.
Proposition 14 asks voters to authorize a total of $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to continue the California stem cell agency that funds research, therapy, and grants to educational, nonprofit, and private entities for Alzheimer’s, Parkison’s, epilepsy, strokes, and other central nervous system and brain conditions and diseases. Prop 14 is an extension of Prop 71, which created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in 2004. The CIRM ran out of the original Prop 71 funds in 2019 and has not been funding new projects since then.
Vote YES to continue the CIRM, a state agency that has distributed a significant source of funding to scientific research programs and enterprises across the state, both nonprofit and for-profit.
Vote NO to not authorize the sale of $5.5 billion in state bonds for the CIRM and eliminate a financially burdensome stem cell research program that no longer has significant impact on medical research.
Robert N. Klein II, a Silicon Valley real estate developer and the top donor for Prop 14, was also the chief author of Proposition 71, which authorized $3 billion in bonds to create and maintain the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2004. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no notable misinformation about Proposition 14.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments by increasing property taxes on commercial and industrial properties based on current market value instead of the price they were purchased for. Based on the most recent report by Blue Sky Consulting Group, 10% of the biggest corporate property owners will pay 92% of the funding and more than 75% of total revenues will come from properties that have not been reassessed since prior to 1990 -- just 2% of all commercial and industrial properties! Proposition 15 will maintain the existing commercial and industrial property tax at a 1% limit and will also maintain existing exemptions for small businesses, homeowners, agricultural lands, and renters.
Prop 15’s main opponents include realty and industrial property owners, while the California Teachers Association and SEIU California State Council are main supporters.
Proposition 15 asks California voters to raise an estimated $6.4 billion to $11.5 billion in funding for local schools and governments
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, and contracting. If passed, Prop 16 will permit governments to consider those protected categories in order to promote inclusive hiring and admissions programs in California’s public universities, government, and public agencies.
Proposition 16 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to repeal Prop 209’s restrictions on local and state governments from considering race, sex, color,
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole. If passed, Prop 17 will restore voting rights to approximately 50,000 Californians currently on parole.
There are no contributions recorded for support or opposition to Prop 17.
Proposition 17 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to restore voting rights to persons who have been disqualified from voting while on parole.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by the following general election. At the age of 18, Californians are technically given the right to vote in all elections. However, those who are not 18 by the time of the primary are not able to have input on who would or would not appear on their ballot in the general election. A YES vote on Prop 18 solves this problem.
There are no recorded contributions in support of or opposition to Prop 18.
There is no prominent misinformation about Prop 18.
Proposition 18 asks California voters to amend the Constitution of California to allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary election if they
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for longtime homeowners. Prop 19 is almost exactly the same as Proposition 5, which was on the 2018 California ballot and overwhelmingly defeated by voters, with 60 percent having voted against the proposition. The main difference in the proposition this year is that Prop 19 includes an additional amendment to Prop 13 that narrows an existing inheritance property tax break and promises to distribute any revenue generated from that amendment toward fire protection agencies and schools.
Realtor associations have contributed $36,270,000 in support of Prop 19. There is no registered financial opposition.
There is no prominent misinformation about Proposition 19.
Proposition 19 asks voters to amend sections of 1978’s Proposition 13 to increase the number of times a property tax base can be transferred to three times for long
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for use in cold cases by repealing parts of Props 47 and 57. Prop 20 would expand the list of offenses that disqualify inmates from a parole program, consider an individual’s collective criminal history and not just their most recent offense, and impose stronger restrictions for a nonviolent offender’s parole program. Additionally, Prop 20 would reclassify theft between $250 and $950 as a felony.
If passed, Prop 20 increases penalties for low-level offenses and would create a state database that collects DNA samples from persons convicted of specified misdemeanors for us
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential properties. This proposition would affect residential properties over 15 years old and exempts individuals who own up to two residential properties. Additionally, Prop 21 would allow rent in rent-controlled properties to increase up to 15 percent over a period of three years with the start of a new tenancy. Prop 21 is more or less the same proposition voters rejected in 2018.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, which can be attributed to the overwhelmingly high median rates for rent throughout the state forcing residents to pay 50 percent of their income just toward rent.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits rent control on residential properties built after February 1, 1995. Since then, housing built in California has become accessible only to those who can afford uncontrolled rent increases, and low-income families have largely been shut out from newer housing developments.
According to a Stanford study, those who lived in rent-controlled properties when Costa-Hawkins passed ended up saving a cumulative total of $7 billion over 18 years, which confirms that rent control is an effective way to prevent displacement from the city.
Proposition 21 asks voters to amend state law in order to allow (not require) local governments at the city and county levels to establish and regulate rent control on residential p
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), so they can classify gig economy drivers from ride-share and delivery companies as independent contractors, not as employees. Additionally, Prop 22 would restrict local regulation of app-based drivers and would criminalize the impersonation of drivers.
By classifying workers as contractors and not employees, companies like Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash are exempted by state employment laws from ensuring basic protections to their workforce including minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.
Currently, rideshare and delivery workers are entitled under AB 5 to labor rights that every other employee in California receives, such as the right to organize, health insurance, and Social Security benefits. Prop 22 would take those rights away.
AB 5 also guarantees paid family leave, paid sick days, and unemployment insurance to those classified as gig employees. Proposition 22 asks voters to make gig-economy employees exempt from this law and replaces their rights with fewer benefits of much less value to their workers.
More than 2,000 drivers have filed claims against Uber and Lyft for over $630 million in damages, expenses, and lost wages. Prop 22 will codify Uber and Lyft’s abilities to systematically steal wages from drivers.
Uber and Lyft currently owe California $413 million in unemployment insurance contributions due to misclassifying drivers as independent contractors under AB 5. If Prop 22 passes, Uber and Lyft would get away with not paying what they owe.
"Prop 22 will guarantee 120% of minimum wage to all drivers." -- FALSE. The UC Berkeley Labor Center released a report that estimates Prop 22’s “pay guarantee” for their Uber and Lyft drivers would only end up being $5.64 per hour after accounting for all the expenses that drivers are responsible for themselves. At that rate, even if an individual worked 10 hour days, 7 days a week under Prop 22, they would be living below the California poverty line.
"Prop 22 will give health insurance to all drivers." -- FALSE. Under Prop 22, companies do not pay for health insurance, but instead provide a stipend to drivers. This stipend is valued at only 82% of the minimum coverage provided by state law, and is actually worth even less because workers would owe state and federal income taxes on the stipend. Prop 22 forces drivers to work more than 39 hours a week to qualify for the health stipend, so many workers would never even qualify for the stipend. For drivers who do qualify, Health Access California estimates that the health stipend would be just a couple hundred dollars—and could be just tens of dollars for younger workers—not enough for drivers to cover the purchase of their own health insurance.
If Prop 22 is passed, all future labor legislation surrounding Uber and Lyft would have to be approved by 7/8 of the total California State Legislature. Making this happen is virtually impossible considering Uber and Lyft have donated $2 million to the California Republican Party campaign committee. This is why Uber and Lyft are spending millions of dollars: to make their operations virtually untouchable in terms of regulation.
Proposition 22 asks voters to exempt companies like Lyft, Postmates, Uber, DoorDash, and others from a recently implemented state worker protection law, Assembly Bil
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every dialysis clinic to oversee operations, and mandating that each chronic dialysis clinic submit quarterly reports on dialysis-related infections to the California Department of Health. The on-site physician would assume a non-caregiving role, as they would not be required to be specially trained in nephrology or interact with patients at all. Additionally, Prop 23 would prohibit discrimination against patients based on their coverage or care.
Prop 23 would add sections to the California Health and Safety Code about how dialysis facilities can operate, requiring a physician to be on-site at every di
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order to protect their personal information while providing suboptimal services for Californians who cannot or do not want to pay more. Additionally, Prop 24 caters to tech companies by allowing them to upload a California resident’s personal information as soon as that resident’s device, computer, or phone leaves the state’s borders, and permits tech companies to completely ignore a programmable universal electronic “do not sell my information” signal. Under current law, privacy follows a Californian wherever they go, and businesses must honor the electronic signal.
Proposition 24 asks voters to amend the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) to include pay-for-privacy schemes, which provide better services and internet connection to those who pay more in order
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Proposition 25 is a referendum, which asks voters to directly weigh in on whether to keep or reject SB 10, a bill originally passed in 2018. Voting YES on Prop 25 will keep SB 10 in place and eliminate the cash bail system of pretrial incarceration in California, which is directly responsible for the disproportionate incarceration of Californians who cannot afford bail. The bail bond industry is directly responsible for placing Prop 25 on the ballot and calling SB 10 into question.
There are three major components to grassroots groups' objections to Prop 25. Here we provide our assessment of these concerns and how they can be addressed in the future if Prop 25 passes.
The bail bond industry has invested heavily in a No on the Prop 25 campaign in an attempt to spread misinformation and save the industry.
Vote YES on Prop 25 to eliminate the use of cash bail in pretrial incarceration.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. City councilmembers in Garden Grove are limited to two consecutive four-year terms and must take a two-year break if interested in serving again.
Garden Grove is Orange County’s fifth most populous city. Garden Grove City Council oversees the needs of 170,883 people, according to the 2010 Census, and manages an estimated budget of $255 million annually. Garden Grove is managed by a mayor-council structured government. Garden Grove’s District 2 includes North Garden Grove.
Julie Diep’s campaign has raised $13,774. The campaign has yet to pledge to refuse money from fossil fuels, corporate PACs, and police, but to date has not taken money from these sources, as her campaign is funded entirely by individual contributions. Incumbent and Mayor Pro Tem John O’Neill’s campaign has raised $7,250. He has not committed to any of the pledges and is funded by the Garden Grove Police Association PAC.
Julie Diep, a therapist and business owner, is from Garden Grove, CA. Diep is the founder and president of OC Autism Foundation, a nonprofit that provides resources, advocacy, workshops, and speech therapy to families and children with autism. She also worked as a speech-language pathologist for Garden Grove Unified School District and currently works as a clinical director for New Hope Therapy Center in Garden Grove. She is a longtime supporter of eliminating language barriers for Latino and Vietnamese families, she seeks resources for children with autism, and she received a 2019 Distinguished Women’s Award for her work by City Council Member Sergio Contreras. According to campaign materials, Diep is running for election to bring a fresh outlook on the issues that matter most, such as helping to support small-business development.
Diep’s priorities for Garden Grove this term include affordable housing, public safety, community resources during the pandemic, tourism, and small businesses.
Diep is endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County. At this time, she does not have any problematic endorsements. Incumbent Councilmember O’Neill’s problematic policies greatly outweigh Diep’s unfamiliarity with elected office and lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Julie Diep is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council. A city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. City councilmembers in Garden Grove are limited to two consecutive four-year terms and must take a two-year break if interested in serving again.
Garden Grove is Orange County’s 5th most populous city. Garden Grove City Council oversees the needs of 170,883 people, according to the 2010 Census, and manages an estimated budget of $255 million annually. Garden Grove is managed by a mayor-council structured government. Garden Grove’s District 5 includes Eastern Garden Grove.
Robert (Bob) Tucker’s campaign has raised $8,845 and is not funded by police, corporate PACs, or fossil fuels, though he has not taken any campaign finance pledges. Incumbent Stephanie Klopfenstein’s campaign has raised $20,175. She has not committed to any of the pledges we highlight, and is funded by several real estate corporations and the Garden Grove Police Association PAC. For the 2016 election, Klopfenstein signed a No Union Money pledge.
Bob Tucker, a former labor relations representative with California School Employees Association, is from Garden Grove, CA. Tucker also served as a board member and Youth Council chair for Santa Ana Workforce Investment Board, personnel commissioner for Garden Grove Unified School District, and as chapter President for CSEA. He is a longtime advocate for labor and health-care policy at both the state and local levels. According to campaign materials, Tucker is running for election to be Garden Grove’s local advocate and make sure the city’s budget reflects its values.
Tucker’s priorities for Garden Grove this term include reallocating funds from the police department to community support services, obtaining COVID-19 relief for families and businesses throughout the city, and increasing transparency and responsiveness within Garden Grove City Council.
Tucker is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and elected officials, such as the Democratic Party of OC, OC Labor Federation, OC Civic Engagement Table, and Garden Grove City Councilmember for District 6 Kim Nguyen. At this time, he does not have any problematic endorsements. Incumbent Klopfenstein's policies greatly outweighs Tucker’s lack of campaign finance pledges. According to our analysis, Bob Tucker is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council.
Depending on where you live, you may have the below races on your ballot.
Orange Unified School District contains 49 schools, and serves over 29,000 students annually. Members of the Orange Unified Board of Education are elected in an at-large race every even-numbered year. The term limit for this position is four years.
Orange Unified School District is located in Orange County, Southern California. The district oversees a budget of $250.6 million. The district is fairly diverse, with a 36 percent Latinx student population and 13 percent Asian student population.
Tiger Kennedy Cosmos, a senior manager at Hyundai Motor America and community volunteer, is from Orange County. According to campaign materials, he is running for election to improve the safety and quality of education in Orange County, ensure that Measure S funding is spent strategically, and prioritize a STEM curriculum.
As a first-generation college student, Cosmos is aware of the impact a quality education provides. He is focused on ensuring that students not only possess the resources they need to succeed today, but also a curriculum that prepares them for the modern workforce. He believes that raising the quality of education in the district will attract young families and stimulate economic growth in Orange County. Cosmos is especially focused on supporting students with special needs, as he has personal experience dealing with dyslexia.
Cosmos is an active member of the Orange Unified School District community. His experience with dyslexia has led him to devote time toward adult literacy programs and tutoring students with special needs. His community work includes leading STEM sessions for at-risk youth through the GRIP program, promoting autism awareness through organizations like Best Buddies, and installing fire alarms for low-income families through Sound the Alarm OC. Cosmos’s additional volunteer work includes with the American Red Cross and Read Across America. Cosmos serves on the board of Friendly Center, a community resource for families to overcome poverty. He has also chaired the selection committee for Autism Society of America’s 2018 and 2019 AutFest Film Festivals. He is the father of two daughters who are currently enrolled in the Orange Unified School District.
Tiger Kennedy Cosmos is endorsed by multiple progressive groups in the district, including Planned Parenthood Action, Democratic Party of Orange County, and Women for American Values and Ethics. According to our analysis, Cosmos is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Orange Unified School District contains 49 schools, and serves over 29,000 students annually.
Depending on where you live, you may have the below races on your ballot.
Dr. Alfonso Alvarez, the Santa Ana Unified School Board clerk and a Santa Ana native, is a social service worker who has been supporting young students for the past 25 years. He has worked in gang intervention and prevention and served on the board of directors of Santa Ana organizations the Foundation for Survivors of Human Trafficking and SER Jobs for Progress, Inc. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, he has been instrumental in ensuring that students are receiving supplemental services, such as remote-learning technology, food, and mental-health support. Rodriguez has long been an advocate for homeless students and is endorsed by the Santa Ana Teachers Union, California School Employees Association Chapter 41, and the Santa Ana Educators Association.
Dr. Alfonso Alvarez, the Santa Ana Unified School Board clerk and a Santa Ana native, is a social service worker who has been supporting young students for the past 25 years.
Carolyn Torres, a middle school teacher, is a lifelong Santa Ana resident whose family has been based in the area since the 1920s. She prioritizes expanding the use of classroom and remote-learning technology, budgeting for consistent and quality teacher training, and ensuring that classified staff can conduct their work in a safe environment. As a community activist, Torres has helped both students and parents understand their rights and navigate often complex government systems. As an educator, she has coordinated and run professional development courses on curriculum development and teaching strategies that create a welcoming and affirming class environment. Her thesis titled “Grassroots in Santa Ana: Conceptualizing Identity and Community,” gives a history of Santa Ana and highlights the role of schools in developing a strong community. The first in her family to graduate high school, college, and earn a master’s degree, Torres is endorsed by the Santa Ana Teachers Union, Planned Parenthood, the California School Employees Association, Chapter 41, and Walter Muneton, the Garden Grove Unified School Board President.
Carolyn Torres, a middle school teacher, is a lifelong Santa Ana resident whose family has been based in the area since the 1920s.
Dr. Rigoberto Rodriguez, president of the Santa Ana Unified School Board, is a professor of Latina/o Public Policy in the Department of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Cal State University Long Beach and 30-year community activist. He prioritizes equitable education across class boundaries, ensuring that students are holistically and mentally well, and providing an inclusive curriculum, fighting for ethnic studies to become a regular part of the syllabus. Rodriguez began his career in Santa Ana public service in 1993 at the Delhi Center, a nonprofit agency where he coordinated health, family, and neighborhood programs and participated in a neighborhood movement to construct the largest community center in Santa Ana. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Delhi Center, and has also served on the City of Santa Ana’s Community Redevelopment and Housing Commission and Planning Commission. Rodriguez is endorsed by the Santa Ana Educators Association, Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino, and the California School Employees Association, Chapter 41.
Dr. Rigoberto Rodriguez, president of the Santa Ana Unified School Board, is a professor of Latina/o Public Policy in the Department of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Cal State University Long Beach and 30-year community activist.
Elect Alfonso Alvarez, Rigoberto Rodriguez, and Carolyn Torres to keep the Santa Ana Unified School District on the right track.
About the Position
Members of the Santa Ana Unified School District Board are elected in an at-large race and go on to serve three-year terms. No term-limit data is apparent on the school board website.
About the District
Santa Ana Unified School District is located in Orange County and includes nine high schools, nine middle schools, and 35 elementary schools, serving a population of roughly 58,000 students.