Based on our analysis, there is no progressive candidate to recommend for your vote in this race.
About the Position
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 two-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.
About the District
California's 76th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County. Republicans held this district from 2012 to 2018, when Tasha Boerner Horvath won and flipped AD-76 from red to blue. The most recent election results show AD-76 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Tasha Boerner Horvath led Republican challenger Melanie Burkholder by a margin of 15 percent. Horvath’s campaign has raised $1,169,183 and has not committed to any campaign finance pledges. Burkholder’s campaign has raised $79,691, has not committed to any campaign finance pledges, has been taken to court for falsely portraying herself as a medical professional, and has defended the right of parents to refuse to vaccinate their children.
About the Candidate
Rep. Tasha Boerner Horvath is the Democratic incumbent, having served as Assemblymember since 2018. She scores a lifetime 40 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Horvath has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Her No votes include prohibiting landlords from rejecting applicants based on Section 8 status, capping rent increases and requiring landlords to provide just cause before evictions, allowing the sponsorship of public banks, restoring voting rights for people on parole, and repealing sentencing enhancements for those with prior offenses. Her abstains include decriminalizing truancy, prohibiting the state from charging inmates admin fees for medical visits, and multiple bills encouraging affordable housing development.
A review of Rep. Tasha Boerner Horvath’s financial disclosures reveals donations from numerous law-enforcement organizations, such as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Her campaign has accepted $108,400 from pharmaceutical companies and other health interests and over $50,000 from real estate and property development/management interests. Pfizer, her husband’s employer as of July 2020, has made multiple donations to the campaign. When compared with her voting record on law enforcement, renters’ rights, and health care, Rep. Horvath’s financial disclosures indicate a pattern of influence, one that does not reflect the values of her district.
Because the Democratic candidate in this race is considered to be a safe win in this district, we feel comfortable providing no recommendation in this race. Keep reading for progressive recommendations in other key races and on ballot measures where your vote can make a critical difference.
Based on our analysis, there is no progressive candidate to recommend for your vote in this race.
About the Position
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 two-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.
About the District
California's 76th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County. Republicans held this district from 2012 to 2018, when Tasha Boerner Horvath won and flipped AD-76 from red to blue. The most recent election results show AD-76 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Tasha Boerner Horvath led Republican challenger Melanie Burkholder by a margin of 15 percent. Horvath’s campaign has raised $1,169,183 and has not committed to any campaign finance pledges. Burkholder’s campaign has raised $79,691, has not committed to any campaign finance pledges, has been taken to court for falsely portraying herself as a medical professional, and has defended the right of parents to refuse to vaccinate their children.
About the Candidate
Rep. Tasha Boerner Horvath is the Democratic incumbent, having served as Assemblymember since 2018. She scores a lifetime 40 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Horvath has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Her No votes include prohibiting landlords from rejecting applicants based on Section 8 status, capping rent increases and requiring landlords to provide just cause before evictions, allowing the sponsorship of public banks, restoring voting rights for people on parole, and repealing sentencing enhancements for those with prior offenses. Her abstains include decriminalizing truancy, prohibiting the state from charging inmates admin fees for medical visits, and multiple bills encouraging affordable housing development.
A review of Rep. Tasha Boerner Horvath’s financial disclosures reveals donations from numerous law-enforcement organizations, such as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Her campaign has accepted $108,400 from pharmaceutical companies and other health interests and over $50,000 from real estate and property development/management interests. Pfizer, her husband’s employer as of July 2020, has made multiple donations to the campaign. When compared with her voting record on law enforcement, renters’ rights, and health care, Rep. Horvath’s financial disclosures indicate a pattern of influence, one that does not reflect the values of her district.
Because the Democratic candidate in this race is considered to be a safe win in this district, we feel comfortable providing no recommendation in this race. Keep reading for progressive recommendations in other key races and on ballot measures where your vote can make a critical difference.