Suely Saro
Elect Suely Saro for City Council to push Long Beach in the right direction.
About the Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council.
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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 council members in Long Beach are limited to three terms.
Long Beach is Los Angeles County’s second most populous city. Long Beach City Council oversees the needs of 494,709 people, according to the 2010 Census, and manages an estimated budget of $2.5 to $3 million annually. Long Beach is managed by a mayor-council structured government. Long Beach’s District 6 includes Long Beach Community College, Burnett Library, and the neighborhood of Wrigley.
In the March 3 primary election, challenger Suely Saro led incumbent Councilmember Dee Andrew by a margin of 16.21 percent. Saro’s campaign has raised $109,905, and while it is not funded by corporate PACs, fossil fuels, or police money, she has yet to pledge to refuse donations from those groups. Councilmember Dee’s campaign has raised $74,976. He has not committed to any of the pledges and is backed by problematic donors, like Long Beach Police Officers Association and Southern California Edison.
Saro, an adjunct faculty member at CSU Los Angeles, is an immigrant, born to parents who survived the Cambodian genocide and found refuge in Los Angeles, then Long Beach. Saro was the first Cambodian American executive director of Khmer Girls in Action and currently serves as board chair of the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Professional Network in Long Beach. Additionally, she joined the Health Access Project at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles and co-founded the Women for Women Foundation, for which she is the board chair. She is a longtime supporter of labor rights and public safety, having previously served as chair of Long Beach’s Citizen Police Complaint Commission. According to campaign materials, Saro is running for election to fight for equity for working families, youth, immigrants, and women.
Saro’s priorities for Long Beach this term include economic development and opportunities, housing solutions and livable neighborhoods, improving infrastructure and public safety, protecting the environment, and promoting health equity and accessibility across District 6. Saro’s detailed plans can be accessed in full on her campaign website, linked below.
Saro is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups and officials, such as the Working Families Party, several local chapters of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and three of the current Long Beach City Councilmembers. At this time, Saro does not have any problematic endorsements. According to our analysis, Suely Saro is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council.
The Long Beach City Council comprises nine council districts. Each council member is elected by the voters of the district they represent. 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 council members in Long Beach are limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.
Long Beach is Los Angeles County District 8’s most populous city. Long Beach City Council oversees the needs of 462,268 people and manages an estimated budget of about $3 billion annually. Long Beach uses a council-manager structure of government. Long Beach City’s District 8 includes neighborhoods in Bixby Knolls and North Long Beach.
Following the March 3 primary election, challenger Thrash-Ntuk is leading incumbent Al Austin by a margin of 6.3 percent. Her campaign has raised $79,584.92 and she has signed the No Cop Money in California pledge, but has not committed to refusing corporate PAC or fossil fuel money. Austin’s campaign has raised around half the amount as Thrash-Ntuk, with $42,634.92, and has also not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money.
Tunua Thrash-Ntuk is a native Angeleno and the executive director of Los Angeles Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LA LISC), which supports community development across the country. According to campaign materials, Thrash-Ntuk is running for election to advocate for inclusionary housing policies and economic development. Thrash-Ntuk’s priorities for Long Beach this term include investing in affordable housing, economic development, health, financial stability, and leadership development.
Thrash-Ntuk is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is a 15-year community and economic development practitioner with experience in the nonprofit and private sectors. She is a longtime supporter of urban initiatives, focusing on affordable housing, commercial development, and transit-oriented projects. Prior to her work at LISC, Thrash-Ntuk served as executive director of West Angeles Community Development Corporation, during which she was responsible for asset management and oversight of the entity’s real estate portfolio. She serves as a board member and advisory board member to many organizations, including the Federal Home Loan Bank San Francisco’s Affordable Housing Council, Housing California, and the City of L.A. Measure HHH Citizens Oversight Commission.
Tunua Thrash-Ntuk is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district including Working Families Party California. Austin is endorsed by two police groups. Austin has been criticized for voting in 2017 against a proposal requiring hotels to provide workers with panic buttons to safeguard against sexual harassment or assault and then for giving tiny panic buttons as Christmas gag gifts to women councilmembers. He later voted to add a similar measure to the ballot in 2018, which voters approved. According to our analysis, Thrash-Ntuk is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
The Long Beach City Council comprises nine council districts. Each council member is elected by the voters of the district they represent.
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Senate 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 33rd Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County. Notable cities within the district include the Los Angeles County cities and communities of Bell Gardens, Vernon, and most of Long Beach. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show SD-33 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by large margins.
In March 3 primary election, Democrat incumbent Representative Gonzalez led Democrat challenger Elizabeth Castillo by a margin of 99.6 percent. Gonzalez’s campaign has raised $312,573. Gonzalez’s campaign has signed pledges to refuse fossil fuel money and police money. After doing so, she returned all fossil fuel money that had been donated to her campaign in 2019 and 2020 and, at the request of #nocopmoneyca, has donated all cop money she received during the special election in 2019 to community groups like Black Lives Matter. The opposing candidate Castillo has pledged to refusing fossil fuel money but has not pledged to refuse police money. Because her campaign has not made any filings available through Cal-Access on the CA Secretary of State's website, we are unable to verify whether her campaign's pledges are reflected in the contributions.
Lena Gonzalez is a current state senator residing in Long Beach. She was first elected to her post in a 2019 special election to succeed Ricardo Lara, who left after being elected state Insurance Commissioner. According to campaign materials, Sen. Gonzalez is running for re-election to protect the environment, provide quality education and economic opportunity, safe neighborhoods, and affordable health care within the district.
As state senator, Gonzalez has prioritized expanding access to education and more equitable hiring practices. Legislation of note while in office includes SB1255, which she authored and passed, which ensures that Californians living with HIV receive life & disability insurance.
Prior to her election to the State Senate, Sen. Gonzalez served as a councilmember for the Long Beach City Council. Gonzalez currently sits on the Senate Health Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. In 2019, as a state senator, Gonzalez scored 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records showing that she consistently votes against corporate influences and stands up for her constituents.
Sen. Gonzalez has proven her community-driven leadership and voice for progress in the city of Long Beach by endorsing and supporting two progressive women of color, Tunua Thrash-Ntuk and Suely Saro, challenging two moderate City Council incumbents in 2020.
Gonzalez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district, including the Stonewall Democratic Club and LEAP Forward. Other key endorsements include United Auto Workers, the California Teachers Association, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Based on our analysis, Senator Gonzalez 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.
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 or 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 35th Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County and includes the cities of Inglewood, Torrance, and Long Beach. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show SD-35 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Bradford led American Independent Party challenger Anthony Perry by a margin of 51.4 percent. Bradford’s campaign has raised $1,162,607.30. Bradford has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and has accepted money from corporate and fossil fuel groups. No FEC filings have been made about opponent Perry’s campaign’s funding.
State Senator Steven Bradford is from Gardena, CA. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2017. According to campaign materials, he is running for State Senate to advance policies to help local working-class families.
As a state senator, Bradford has authored numerous pieces of legislation that promote a clean environment, climate justice, and civil rights, and enhance public safety. Bradford currently serves as chair of the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee and sits on the Public Safety, Governmental Organization, Appropriations Committees, as well as the Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. Prior to his election to the State Senate, he served in the Gardena City Council and the State Assembly.
Sen. Bradford’s priorities for SD-35 this year include health care, jobs, public safety, and economic revitalization. Sen. Bradford has sponsored and co-sponsored three bills about social justice and equitable housing this year. He scores 86 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Senator Bradford has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Sen. Bradford has not supported key legislation that provides environmental protections in the district.
Prior to his election to the State Senate, Sen. Bradford was a public affairs manager for Southern California Edison, district director for the late Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, and program director for the LA Conservation Corps.
Rep. Bradford is endorsed by many progressive and moderate groups in the district. According to our analysis, Rep. Bradford 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.
Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below State Assembly races on your ballot.
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.
California's 63rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County and includes Bell Gardens and parts of Long Beach. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 77.4 percent of AD-63 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 74.6 percent of the district voted for Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Anthony Rendón led another Democratic challenger Maria Estrada by a margin of 16 percent. Rendón’s campaign has raised $1,343,191.78. His campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and is funded by all three groups. Estrada’s campaign has raised $27,581.76, the bulk of which comes from individual donors. While her campaign has not taken corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, Estrada has yet to pledge to refuse such funds.
Rep. Anthony Rendón, assemblymember since 2012 and speaker of the California State Assembly since 2016, is the son of working-class parents and grandson of Mexican immigrants.
He currently sits on the Arts Committee and the Rules Committee. As assemblymember, Rendón has passed key progressive legislation, including on environmental protections, gun violence prevention, affordable housing, and minimum wage.
He scores a lifetime score of 97 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Anthony Rendón has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, in 2017 Rep. Rendón used his power as speaker to sideline legislation that would have established single-payer health care in California after receiving $100,000 from pharmaceutical groups and $50,000 from medical insurance groups, so his Courage Score is misleading.
Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Rep. Rendón served as executive director of Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, which provides child development, social, and medical services to families in Los Angeles County. He is a longtime supporter of child education.
Anthony Rendón is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. He is also endorsed by several police organizations. Although we disagree with Rendón’s ties to corporate, fossil fuel, and police interests, and know that a stronger progressive candidate would more accurately represent SD-15, Rendón is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office. That said, we encourage more progressive candidates that will better reflect this community’s needs to run formidable campaigns in future cycles.
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.
California's 63rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County and includes Bell Gardens and parts of Long Beach. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 77.4 percent of AD-63 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 74.6 percent of the district voted for Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Anthony Rendón led another Democratic challenger Maria Estrada by a margin of 16 percent. Rendón’s campaign has raised $1,343,191.78. His campaign has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and is funded by all three groups. Estrada’s campaign has raised $27,581.76, the bulk of which comes from individual donors. While her campaign has not taken corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, Estrada has yet to pledge to refuse such funds.
Rep. Anthony Rendón, assemblymember since 2012 and speaker of the California State Assembly since 2016, is the son of working-class parents and grandson of Mexican immigrants.
He currently sits on the Arts Committee and the Rules Committee. As assemblymember, Rendón has passed key progressive legislation, including on environmental protections, gun violence prevention, affordable housing, and minimum wage.
He scores a lifetime score of 97 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Rep. Anthony Rendón has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, in 2017 Rep. Rendón used his power as speaker to sideline legislation that would have established single-payer health care in California after receiving $100,000 from pharmaceutical groups and $50,000 from medical insurance groups, so his Courage Score is misleading.
Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Rep. Rendón served as executive director of Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, which provides child development, social, and medical services to families in Los Angeles County. He is a longtime supporter of child education.
Anthony Rendón is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. He is also endorsed by several police organizations. Although we disagree with Rendón’s ties to corporate, fossil fuel, and police interests, and know that a stronger progressive candidate would more accurately represent SD-15, Rendón is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office. That said, we encourage more progressive candidates that will better reflect this community’s needs to run formidable campaigns in future cycles.
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.
California's 64th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-64 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democratic challenger Fatima Iqbal-Zubair trailed Democratic incumbent Representative Mike Gipson by a margin of 35 percent. Iqbal-Zubair’s campaign has pledged not to accept money from law enforcement or the fossil fuel industry. Gipson’s campaign has not committed to any such pledges and is backed by Chevron, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Phillips 66, Valero, Tesoro, Gilead, DaVita Inc., and many more problematic organizations.
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is from Dubai and has lived in the United States since her teenage years. According to campaign materials, she is running for election to challenge systemic racism and ensure that progressive values are taken seriously in Sacramento. Her goals for the district include holding politicians responsible for serving oil and tobacco companies above their constituents, increasing funding for public schools and achieving free public college, cleaning the water supply, and securing housing as a right for all.
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is an educator, having taught in the Watts public school system at both the high school and college levels. During her time in Watts’s high school system, she served as science department chair and started the first ever robotics team in the district, winning several team awards in the process. Teaching college courses introduced Iqbal-Zubair to students who were in foster care or homeless, and she discovered that the football field contained traces of toxic chemicals, spurring her move into politics to address the obvious disparities between neighborhoods in Los Angeles. She served as commissioner for her opponent, Rep. Mike Gipson, and says of her experience, “When I challenged the status quo and the way he voted, my voice wasn’t welcome. In this capacity, I saw that the voices of community activists were not truly heard or accounted for, in a way that could lead to real, systemic change.”
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is endorsed by many local progressive groups in the district. Rep. Mike Gipson’s tenure in AD-64 has included numerous problematic votes and endorsements, earning him a lifetime 72 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. According to our analysis, Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
About Courage California’s Endorsement
After a comprehensive interview with Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, we have determined that she is committed to criminal justice reform, environmental justice, racial equity and justice, and immigrant rights. Her experience in the community and pledges to refuse money from corporate PACs, police, and the fossil fuel industry are in alignment with the progressive future Courage California hopes to achieve in which special interests have no place in politics. Iqbal-Zubair’s ideas and proposals are thoroughly well-thought out and demonstrate her strong, structural grasp on the issues Californians face. We are confident that she will co-govern in the interests of all Californians and actively fight for anti-racist legislation. Courage California is proud to endorse Fatima Iqbal-Zubair for AD-64.
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.
California's 64th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles Counties. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-64 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democratic challenger Fatima Iqbal-Zubair trailed Democratic incumbent Representative Mike Gipson by a margin of 35 percent. Iqbal-Zubair’s campaign has pledged not to accept money from law enforcement or the fossil fuel industry. Gipson’s campaign has not committed to any such pledges and is backed by Chevron, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, Phillips 66, Valero, Tesoro, Gilead, DaVita Inc., and many more problematic organizations.
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is from Dubai and has lived in the United States since her teenage years. According to campaign materials, she is running for election to challenge systemic racism and ensure that progressive values are taken seriously in Sacramento. Her goals for the district include holding politicians responsible for serving oil and tobacco companies above their constituents, increasing funding for public schools and achieving free public college, cleaning the water supply, and securing housing as a right for all.
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is an educator, having taught in the Watts public school system at both the high school and college levels. During her time in Watts’s high school system, she served as science department chair and started the first ever robotics team in the district, winning several team awards in the process. Teaching college courses introduced Iqbal-Zubair to students who were in foster care or homeless, and she discovered that the football field contained traces of toxic chemicals, spurring her move into politics to address the obvious disparities between neighborhoods in Los Angeles. She served as commissioner for her opponent, Rep. Mike Gipson, and says of her experience, “When I challenged the status quo and the way he voted, my voice wasn’t welcome. In this capacity, I saw that the voices of community activists were not truly heard or accounted for, in a way that could lead to real, systemic change.”
Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is endorsed by many local progressive groups in the district. Rep. Mike Gipson’s tenure in AD-64 has included numerous problematic votes and endorsements, earning him a lifetime 72 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. According to our analysis, Fatima Iqbal-Zubair is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
About Courage California’s Endorsement
After a comprehensive interview with Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, we have determined that she is committed to criminal justice reform, environmental justice, racial equity and justice, and immigrant rights. Her experience in the community and pledges to refuse money from corporate PACs, police, and the fossil fuel industry are in alignment with the progressive future Courage California hopes to achieve in which special interests have no place in politics. Iqbal-Zubair’s ideas and proposals are thoroughly well-thought out and demonstrate her strong, structural grasp on the issues Californians face. We are confident that she will co-govern in the interests of all Californians and actively fight for anti-racist legislation. Courage California is proud to endorse Fatima Iqbal-Zubair for AD-64.
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 69th Assembly District includes parts of Orange County and the cities of Anaheim, Orange, and Santa Ana. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-69 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Daly led Republican challenger Jon Paul White by a margin of 47.8 percent. Daly’s campaign has raised $658,495.02. Daly has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and his campaign has accepted all three. Challenger White has not reported any campaign fundraising this cycle, and his campaign has also not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money.
Assemblymember Tom Daly is from Anaheim, CA, and is a lifelong resident of Orange County. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2012. According to campaign materials, Daly is running for re-election to ensure a balanced budget, maintain and improve statewide infrastructure, and reduce bureaucratic red tape while promoting government efficiency.
In the State Assembly, Assemblymember Daly has been responsible for a variety of bills that have been signed into law that protect Californians and reduce barriers to opportunity for them. In 2019, Daly authored legislation that protects homeowners’ access to insurance policies in high or very high fire hazard severity zones and eliminates fees for Californians who have been involved in the juvenile-justice system to request the sealing of their juvenile records. He currently serves as chair of the Insurance Committee, and also serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Transportation Committees, among others.
Assemblymember Daly has also championed increased efficiency through the modernization of technology and record-keeping, improving access for veterans and businesses. That said, he often abstains from taking positions on key progressive bills in areas that include affordable housing, criminal-justice reform, and worker protections. Assemblymember Daly has a lifetime score of only 32 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislators’ progressive voting records. Daly’s priorities for AD-69 this year include government efficiency. As an assemblymember, Daly has co-sponsored one bill expanding worker protections to cover COVID-19 illness or death this year. He scores 32 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Daly has supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Daly has not supported key legislation for economic justice or consumer and environmental protection.
Assemblymember Daly is endorsed by labor organizations in the district. He is also endorsed by police groups and Crime Victims United, a group that pushes for stronger punishments for offenders. However, the threat of Republican challenger and strong Trump supporter Jon Paul White’s potential policies greatly outweighs Daly’s moderate voting record. Though we disagree with Assemblymember Daly's stance on the many issues named above, and know that a stronger progressive candidate would more accurately represent the 69th district, Daly is the most progressive candidate on the ballot. That said, we encourage more progressive candidates that will better reflect this community’s needs to run in future cycles.
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 69th Assembly District includes parts of Orange County and the cities of Anaheim, Orange, and Santa Ana. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-69 voted for Clinton for president in 2016 and Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Daly led Republican challenger Jon Paul White by a margin of 47.8 percent. Daly’s campaign has raised $658,495.02. Daly has not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, and his campaign has accepted all three. Challenger White has not reported any campaign fundraising this cycle, and his campaign has also not committed to refusing corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money.
Assemblymember Tom Daly is from Anaheim, CA, and is a lifelong resident of Orange County. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2012. According to campaign materials, Daly is running for re-election to ensure a balanced budget, maintain and improve statewide infrastructure, and reduce bureaucratic red tape while promoting government efficiency.
In the State Assembly, Assemblymember Daly has been responsible for a variety of bills that have been signed into law that protect Californians and reduce barriers to opportunity for them. In 2019, Daly authored legislation that protects homeowners’ access to insurance policies in high or very high fire hazard severity zones and eliminates fees for Californians who have been involved in the juvenile-justice system to request the sealing of their juvenile records. He currently serves as chair of the Insurance Committee, and also serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Transportation Committees, among others.
Assemblymember Daly has also championed increased efficiency through the modernization of technology and record-keeping, improving access for veterans and businesses. That said, he often abstains from taking positions on key progressive bills in areas that include affordable housing, criminal-justice reform, and worker protections. Assemblymember Daly has a lifetime score of only 32 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of a legislators’ progressive voting records. Daly’s priorities for AD-69 this year include government efficiency. As an assemblymember, Daly has co-sponsored one bill expanding worker protections to cover COVID-19 illness or death this year. He scores 32 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Daly has supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Daly has not supported key legislation for economic justice or consumer and environmental protection.
Assemblymember Daly is endorsed by labor organizations in the district. He is also endorsed by police groups and Crime Victims United, a group that pushes for stronger punishments for offenders. However, the threat of Republican challenger and strong Trump supporter Jon Paul White’s potential policies greatly outweighs Daly’s moderate voting record. Though we disagree with Assemblymember Daly's stance on the many issues named above, and know that a stronger progressive candidate would more accurately represent the 69th district, Daly is the most progressive candidate on the ballot. That said, we encourage more progressive candidates that will better reflect this community’s needs to run in future cycles.
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 70th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County and includes the cities of Avalon, Long Beach, San Pedro, and Signal Hill. Democrats typically hold this district. The most recent election results show AD-70 voted for Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democratic incumbent Patrick O’Donnell led Republican opponent David Thomas by a margin of 48.8 percent. Neither candidate has signed a pledge to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money.
Democratic incumbent Patrick O’Donnell has not lived up to voter expectations, earning an F grade of 53 from Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. In 2019, he opted out of voting on numerous progressive bills, including legislation on workplace protections, oil spill regulations, and decriminalizing truancy. Furthermore, he has voted to deny formerly incarcerated people the right to sit on a jury, to protect no-rehire policies that harm victims of workplace harassment, and to enhance mandatory sentencing requirements. AD-70 regularly polls as one of the more progressive districts in the state. We cannot condone O’Donnell’s voting record and acceptance of large sums of police and fossil fuel money as in alignment with progressive values.
Keep reading for recommendations in other key races and on ballot measures where your vote can make a critical difference.
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 44th Congressional District includes parts of Los Angeles Counties. Republicans held this district until 2012, when Janice Hahn won and flipped CA-44 from red to blue. The most recent election results show 83 percent of CD-44 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 81.4 percent of the district voted for Newsom for governor in 2018.
In the primary, Democrat incumbent Representative Barragán led Democratic challenger Analilia Joya by a margin of 49 percent. Barragán’s campaign has pledged to refuse fossil fuel money, but has yet to pledge to refuse corporate PAC and police money. While Barragan’s campaign has signed the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge, it has still accepted money from Edison International, whose subsidiaries still use fossil-fuel-generating facilities. Barragan’s campaign is also funded by corporate PACs and labor organizations. Analilia Joya’s campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, or police money, nor has it made any FEC filings.
Representative Nanette Barragán is from Los Angeles and currently resides in San Pedro, CA. She is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2017. According to campaign materials, she is running for re-election to fight for immigration reform, veterans, access to quality health care, and the environment.
In Congress, Rep. Barragán works to protect vulnerable communities, social security, and Medicare from Republican attacks. She became a leading critic and leader against the administration's policy of child separations. Prior to her election to Congress, she served as mayor of Beach City and worked at the NAACP to address racial health disparities and discrimination.
Rep. Nanette Barragán’s priorities for CA-44 this year have included advocating for protecting the USPS, improving air-quality monitoring, and increasing federal support for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She currently sits on two committees: the Committees on Homeland Security and on Natural Resources. This year, Rep. Barragán has voted 97 percent of the time with Nancy Pelosi and 96 percent of the time with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Rep. Barragán has co-sponsored five bills this year--about expanding childcare, policy accountability, and protecting the USPS--all of which have successfully passed the House but remain in the Senate.
Rep. Nanette Barragán is endorsed by a strong majority of progressive groups in the district. According to our analysis, Rep. Nanette Barragán 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.
Vote YES on Measure US to increase the oil production tax to raise an estimated $1.6 million annually for the city’s general purpose fund.
Measure US asks Long Beach voters to decide whether to adjust the tax collected on each barrel of oil produced in the City of Long Beach. Currently, the city receives 48 cents of each barrel produced, and distributes 33 cents to special purposes and 15 cents to general purposes. Measure US seeks to double the tax contribution to the general purpose fund by raising it to 30 cents. This would increase the overall oil production tax to 62 cents per barrel. This tax is only paid by individuals and entities who have mineral rights or produce oil in Long Beach, and will not have an impact on the tax rates of residents who have no affiliation with the oil industry. The proposed tax increase, with an annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment applied to oil barrels, would add an estimated $1.6 million to the city’s general purpose fund during the first year. Oil production diminishes annually, so these funds would decrease by nearly 10 percent year over year. If approved by voters, this increase of the oil production tax would go into effect on October 1, 2021.
Why voting YES on Measure US matters:
At this time, no committee contributions opposing Measure US have been filed with the Long Beach City Clerk’s office. Notable supporters of this measure include the California Donor Table, which has recommended a YES vote on Measure US.
The district attorney (DA) serves as the chief prosecutor for their designated county. The district attorney’s duties include reviewing police reports, determining criminal charges, and prosecuting criminal cases. The district attorney oversees a staff of prosecutors, who are responsible for presenting cases against individuals suspected of breaking the law, initiating investigations and recommending sentencing. The district attorney holds the power to grant immunity, conduct investigations of individuals, plea bargain with defendants, and is responsible for conducting investigations into every police misconduct incident.
Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States. It encompasses a population of over 10 million, with significant Latinx, Black, and Asian populations. Notable cities within the county include Los Angeles, Inglewood, Long Beach, and Compton. Notable issues within the county’s criminal justice system include high rates of incarceration and police brutality.
In the March 3 primary election with three candidates, challenger George Gascón qualified along with incumbent Jackie Lacey, who failed to secure over 50 percent of the vote. At that time, Gascón trailed DA Lacey by a margin of 20 percent. Since then, as a result of the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations, DA Lacey has been under increasing pressure to account for her problematic record of not listening to community groups and failing to prosecute police officers. Several elected officials have also rescinded their endorsements of DA Lacey since the start of the demonstrations.
Gascón’s campaign is largely funded through individual donations, as well as contributions from labor unions and law firms. He has joined forces with San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin and Contra Costa DA Diana Becton to call all DAs and DA candidates to reject police union support as a conflict of interest. Gascón has not received any police, corporate, or fossil fuel money.
Opponent Jackie Lacey’s campaign’s funding is mostly composed of law-enforcement contributions, including a $1 million donation from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, $800,000 from the L.A. County sheriff’s deputies, and over $100,000 from the Peace Officers Research Association of California. Unions such as the Los Angeles Police Protective League have also contributed over $1 million to an anti-Gascón PAC. This push against Gascón from law enforcement is a direct result of Gascón’s commitment toward stricter oversight of police use of force.
George Gascón, a Cuban immigrant and longtime Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) police officer is known as a groundbreaking progressive leader in criminal justice reform in the country. Gascón is running for district attorney in Los Angeles because he believes the way the criminal justice system operates in Los Angeles must change.
George Gascón moved back to L.A. to run for district attorney there, leaving his role as district attorney in San Francisco, where he was appointed to the seat in 2011, and he was re-elected twice. As the San Francisco DA, Gascón led a slate of progressive reforms, including lowering incarceration rates, expunging more than 9,000 marijuana convictions dating back to 1975, and launching a first-of-its-kind website that provides data on prosecutions, caseloads, and trial outcomes to the public in order to increase accountability and transparency in the criminal justice system.
Gascón started his career as a cop in Los Angeles. His trajectory took him to the top of the LAPD, where, as assistant chief, he oversaw operations of more than 9,000 officers. Throughout his career, Gascón has demonstrated the ability to think in new ways about complex problems in criminal justice and to create meaningful change in the culture and operations of police departments, including the LAPD, the Mesa Police Department, and the SFPD.
In his role as San Francisco DA, Gascón increased the prosecution of sexual assault cases, and created response teams, education programs, partnerships, and a new law-enforcement unit focused on addressing child abuse and sexual assault. He implemented practices and resources that centered on survivors and is currently proposing policies that protect undocumented, LGBTQ, and student survivors while prioritizing cultural and linguistic competency.
Gascón’s priorities for Los Angeles County address issues of immigration, corruption, and climate justice. Gascón has experience prosecuting both corporations and individual polluters and has committed to protecting the environment. Additionally, Gascón promises to fight against public corruption and promote accountability among Los Angeles County officials. Gascón is committed to opposing the death penalty and the use of money bail, both of which disproportionately target Black and brown populations.
One of Gascón’s most notable priorities is addressing police brutality and holding law enforcement accountable. This is particularly relevant, considering Los Angeles County police have killed nearly 900 people since 2000, of which a majority are Black and brown victims. Only two officers have been charged for shooting civilians while on duty. This discrepancy is largely due to incumbent DA Jackie Lacey’s failure to prosecute the officers. In nearly all 886 cases of police violence, DA Lacey deemed use of force as legally justified.
Gascón’s track record and position on law-enforcement accountability is rare, particularly for someone with a law-enforcement background. During his term as San Francisco DA, Gascón prosecuted more than 30 police officers for criminal conduct. In 2019, while many police, law-enforcement officials, and prosecutors fought against its passage, Gascón advocated for Assembly Bill 392, also known as the Stephon Clark Bill, or the deadly use of force bill, which created a stricter standard for police use of force. He remains the only law-enforcement official in California to advocate for this legislation; every other prosecutor, including incumbent L.A. County DA Jackie Lacey, refused.
Throughout all these initiatives, Gascón has demonstrated an awareness of underserved communities’ needs. His awareness of the intricacies of racial bias is necessary, now more than ever, for the district attorney’s office. That awareness, however, is not what makes Gascón an ideal choice. While critics tend to focus on his background as a police officer who rose through the ranks, it is his departure from policing in pursuit of systemic reform that sets him apart.
In a time of heightened injustice, Gascón stands out from other political candidates in that he has studied his past actions and outcomes, listened to communities affected by the system, and changed his views and behaviors in response to become a more effective and compassionate leader. His willingness to prosecute police brutality cases and his track record on creating solutions that have become models for criminal justice reform advocates are highlights of his case for becoming Los Angeles’s next district attorney.
Gascón is a compelling challenger to incumbent Jackie Lacey, who has consistently resisted public pressure to hold police accountable for the more than 618 people who have been killed by police in Los Angeles County since her election in 2013. According to our analysis, George Gascón is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
About Courage California’s Endorsement
After a comprehensive review of George Gascón’s record and from local partners, we have determined that he is committed to criminal justice reform, environmental justice, racial equity and justice, and immigrant rights. His experience in the community and pledges to refuse money from corporate PACs, police, and the fossil fuel industry are in alignment with the progressive future Courage California hopes to achieve in which special interests have no place in politics. Gascón’s dedication to holding law enforcement accountable for police brutality demonstrates the integrity Californians need more now than ever. We are confident that he will rule cases with equity and justice. Courage California is proud to endorse George Gascón.
The district attorney (DA) serves as the chief prosecutor for their designated county.
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50 percent), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. Once a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial courts, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
The Superior Court of Los Angeles comprises the appellate, civil, criminal, family law, juvenile, mental health, probate, small claims, and traffic courts. The court system sees 2.7 million new cases per year. As of 2016, Los Angeles County’s incarceration rate was 609 per 100,000 adults aged 18–69, higher than California’s overall 486 per 100,000 average.
In the March 3 primary election, Myanna Dellinger trailed challenger Steve Morgan by a margin of 3 percent. Dellinger’s campaign has raised $104,439.91 and is 55 percent self-funded, with the rest coming from individuals. Dellinger’s campaign has pledged to avoid fossil fuel money, and records show no donations from fossil fuels, police unions, or corporate PACs. Morgan’s campaign has raised $96,919.29, is 26 percent self-funded, and has received contributions from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, SEIU 721, and Govern For California (GFC). Morgan’s campaign has not committed to any campaign finance pledges.
Myanna Dellinger is from Denmark, graduated at the top of her law school class, and moved to Southern California in 1997. Dellinger lives in Eagle Rock with her husband and is currently a law professor teaching human rights, contracts, sales, and public international law. According to campaign materials, she is running for re-election to help reduce racial disparity in the criminal-justice system and to provide greater access to justice.
Dellinger has worked on thousands of cases with state and federal judges at the trial and appellate levels, including the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Dellinger also researches and writes extensively on the intersection between climate change and business law. She has personally translated and interpreted in such projects as multimillion-dollar patent-infringement lawsuits and Holocaust-survivor class-action lawsuits against Swiss banks. Her research has contributed to contemporary understanding about endangered species law and policy, and in particular the potential effects of trophy hunting to threatened and endangered species.
Myanna Dellinger is endorsed by many local progressive groups in the district. Her opponent, Steve Morgan, is endorsed by more moderate groups. According to our analysis, Myanna Dellinger is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms.
David Berger is a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. During his career, Berger has served as alternative sentencing designee for the District Attorney's Office, where he worked with judges, public defenders, and rehabilitation programs to place suitable nonviolent candidates into intensive programs through the Community Collaborative Courts. This includes Drug Court, Veterans Court, Co-Existing Disorders Court, and Second Chance Women’s Re-Entry Courts -- programs that are designed to give people opportunity, guidance, and support to exit the criminal-justice system. Berger is endorsed by many local progressive groups in the district, including the Stonewall Democratic Club and Our Revolution SCV. He is also endorsed by the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
David Berger is a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Klint James Mckay is an Administrative Law Judge based in Los Angeles County. Throughout his career McKay has served in a variety of roles, including administrative judge, judge pro tempore and statewide liaison between the California Department of Justice and the Board of Psychology, Emergency Medical Services Authority, and the Acupuncture Board. In addition to these roles, McKay ran a law firm that prosecuted doctors and health care professionals for over a decade. He also wrote the Department of Justice practice manual for the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Additionally, he has served on the Board of Directors for the Exceptional Children’s Fund. McKay values judicial temperament and discretion, and believes that a judge should “understand we are all more than the worst thing we have done”. He has received endorsements from some progressive organizations, including LA Progressive majority Voter Guide and SEIU Local 721.
Klint James Mckay is an Administrative Law Judge based in Los Angeles County.
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50 percent), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. Once a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial courts, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
The Superior Court of Los Angeles comprises the appellate, civil, criminal, family law, juvenile, mental health, probate, small claims, and traffic courts. The court system sees 2.7 million new cases per year. As of 2016, Los Angeles County’s incarceration rate was 609 per 100,000 adults ages 18–69, higher than California’s overall 486 per 100,000 average.
In the March 3 primary election, Scott Yang led David Diamond by a margin of 18 percent.
David Diamond, a practicing attorney and professor of law is a lifetime resident of Los Angeles County. Diamond graduated from Southwestern Law School, and has over 20 years of experience practicing law. He has also served as temporary judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court, as chairperson of the Burbank Police Commission, and currently works as a university professor of courts and criminal law. In addition to his extensive legal work, Diamond is the co-founder of the CACJ National Criminal Trial Advocacy Competition, vice president of the local Little League, and member of the National Sports Coaches Association, and he also serves as a volunteer football and baseball coach. David Diamond is endorsed by many progressive organizations, including the Action Network, LA Progressive, and AFSCME 36. However, he has five police commissioner endorsements.
David Diamond, a practicing attorney and professor of law is a lifetime resident of Los Angeles County. Diamond graduated from Southwestern Law School, and has over 20 years of experience practicing law.
Scott Yang, a deputy district attorney for more than 11 years, is originally from Vietnam and settled with his family in Echo Park in 1984. Yang graduated from Southwestern University School of Law and previously worked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney in the Victim Impact Program, where he prosecuted cases that ranged from domestic violence to child murder. Scott Yang has led victim advocacy trainings for the Desert Oasis Center of the Antelope Valley, supporting volunteers who help domestic violence and sex crimes victims advocate for their rights and access to services. Yang has also worked with the Los Angeles County DA’s Law Clerk Program to help mentor college and law school students interested in a legal career. Scott Yang is endorsed by many local progressive organizations, including Honor PAC and the Stonewall Democratic Club; however, he is also endorsed by multiple law-enforcement organizations.
Scott Yang, a deputy district attorney for more than 11 years, is originally from Vietnam and settled with his family in Echo Park in 1984.
Measure HH asks voters to approve a flat-rate parcel tax of $68 on developed land in the Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills, directing approximately $1,940,000 toward much-needed fire-prevention measures. This work will be carried out by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which does not receive permanent ongoing funding from local or state taxes. Unimproved parcels are exempt from the tax, as are families earning at or below 50 percent of the median family income for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale areas. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Metro Fair Market Rents Areas are also exempt from the tax, ensuring that only those who can afford it are asked to pay.
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure HH.
Measure HH asks voters to approve a flat-rate parcel tax of $68 on developed land in the Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills, directing approximately $1,940,000 toward much-needed fire-prevention measures. This work will be carried out by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which does not receive permanent ongoing funding from local or state taxes. Unimproved parcels are exempt from the tax, as are families earning at or below 50 percent of the median family income for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale areas. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Metro Fair Market Rents Areas are also exempt from the tax, ensuring that only those who can afford it are asked to pay.
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure HH.
Measure RR asks voters in the Los Angeles Unified School District to extend the current property tax rate that was previously authorized by voters. According to the ballot text itself, the rate and the duration of the tax may vary over the term of repayment but is estimated to be approximately $21 per $100,000 of assessed property value through 2055. Measure RR is estimated to generate roughly $330 million annually. This measure requires 55 percent voter approval.
The committee created in support of Measure RR “Yes on Measure RR - Committee for Safe, Updated, Modernized Schools” has yet to file any contributions with the Secretary of State’s office. We are unable to provide monetary information until contributions are filed.
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure RR.
Measure RR asks voters in the Los Angeles Unified School District to extend the current property tax rate that was previously authorized by voters. According to the ballot text itself, the rate and the duration of the tax may vary over the term of repayment but is estimated to be approximately $21 per $100,000 of assessed property value through 2055. Measure RR is estimated to generate roughly $330 million annually. This measure requires 55 percent voter approval.
The committee created in support of Measure RR “Yes on Measure RR - Committee for Safe, Updated, Modernized Schools” has yet to file any contributions with the Secretary of State’s office. We are unable to provide monetary information until contributions are filed.
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure RR.
Measure J will divert at least 10 percent of Los Angeles County’s unrestricted funding to community-based programs, such as affordable housing and rent assistance, job training, and mental-health and social services. These funds will not be invested in police departments, jails, or prisons. Based on the current $34.9 billion budget, an estimated $360 million to $490 million will go to community-based needs. In the event of a budget emergency that threatens mandated programs, county supervisors can vote to decrease that amount.
Los Angeles County runs the world’s largest jail system, with an inmate population of 17,000, nearly one-third of whom have mental-health concerns, making the system the largest de facto mental-health facility in the country.
According to the RAND Corporation, more than half of the inmates in the Mental Health Unit at Los Angeles Jail are candidates for diversion to community programs rather than incarceration.
California’s penal code criminalizes poverty, substance abuse, and mental-health illness while denying residents of color their fair share of community resources needed to thrive.
In recent years, residents and advocates have won key victories with the Board of Supervisors, creating new investments in housing and care for those experiencing homelessness. The essential element to scale up these interventions is funding. With more than 40 percent of Los Angeles County’s local tax revenues going to incarceration and policing, there are not enough resources for programs that can make a real difference in communities. Measure J could help close this gap.
This measure responds to the growing calls from the community to defund the police and prioritize public services by requiring that at least 10 percent of the county’s local revenues go to investments that support communities – including affordable housing, community counseling, mental-health services, youth-development programs, small businesses, and job creation.
Measure J will divert at least 10 percent of Los Angeles County’s unrestricted funding to community-based programs, such as affordable housing and rent assistance, job training, and mental-health and social services. These funds will not be invested in police departments, jails, or prisons. Based on the current $34.9 billion budget, an estimated $360 million to $490 million will go to community-based needs. In the event of a budget emergency that threatens mandated programs, county supervisors can vote to decrease that amount.
Los Angeles County runs the world’s largest jail system, with an inmate population of 17,000, nearly one-third of whom have mental-health concerns, making the system the largest de facto mental-health facility in the country.
According to the RAND Corporation, more than half of the inmates in the Mental Health Unit at Los Angeles Jail are candidates for diversion to community programs rather than incarceration.
California’s penal code criminalizes poverty, substance abuse, and mental-health illness while denying residents of color their fair share of community resources needed to thrive.
In recent years, residents and advocates have won key victories with the Board of Supervisors, creating new investments in housing and care for those experiencing homelessness. The essential element to scale up these interventions is funding. With more than 40 percent of Los Angeles County’s local tax revenues going to incarceration and policing, there are not enough resources for programs that can make a real difference in communities. Measure J could help close this gap.
This measure responds to the growing calls from the community to defund the police and prioritize public services by requiring that at least 10 percent of the county’s local revenues go to investments that support communities – including affordable housing, community counseling, mental-health services, youth-development programs, small businesses, and job creation.
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.
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.
There are two candidates for this seat. Courage California does not have enough information to recommend one over the others in this race and other progressive organizations are split on their endorsements, so we have compiled basic biographical information for your reference. The two candidates for this position have distinct visions for Los Angeles County. Challenger David Berger promises to prioritize juvenile justice reform and drug offender rehabilitation. Challenger Klint James McKay promises to promote fairness and impartiality in the court, and resolve disputes with competence and empathy.
About the Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms. Once voted in, a judge can run for retention at the expiration of their term. A retention election is a process by which voters decide whether an incumbent judge should remain for another term. If the judge, when not facing an opponent, does not obtain a certain percentage of voters (often 50 percent), they are removed from the position. Many judges join the court through a gubernatorial appointment. Once a judge is appointed, they compete in the next general election following the appointment.
California has 58 trial courts, or superior courts, one in each county. In the more than 450 courthouses of the superior courts, a judge and sometimes a jury hears witness testimony and other evidence. These courts hear civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, traffic, and juvenile cases. The judge decides cases through the application of relevant law to the relevant facts.
About the Jurisdiction
The Superior Court of Los Angeles comprises the appellate, civil, criminal, family law, juvenile, mental health, probate, small claims, and traffic courts. The court system sees 2.7 million new cases per year. As of 2016, Los Angeles County’s incarceration rate was 609 per 100,000 adults aged 18–69, higher than California’s overall 486 per 100,000 average.
About the Race
In the primary, challenger David A. Berger led challenger Klint James McKay by a margin of 7.4 percent. Berger’s campaign has raised $105,396.11 and is 47 percent self-funded, with the rest primarily made by individual donors. Berger’s campaign has received contributions from the Los Angeles Police Protective League and Govern For California (GFC), a donor network led by Stanford professor David Crane, who lost his position on the UC Board of Regents after criticizing the value of collective bargaining rights for California's teachers, nurses, firefighters, university employees, and other public sector workers. Berger’s campaign has not signed on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels, police unions, or corporate PACs, and has not received funding from these sources. McKay’s campaign has not filed any public reports with the California Secretary of State and has not signed on to any pledges to avoid money from fossil fuels or police unions.