11th Assembly District

Christine “Chris” Bubser is from Pennsylvania and has lived in Mammoth Lakes for over 13 years. According to campaign materials, she’s running for office to bring responsive representation to California’s 8th Congressional district.  

Bubser is a biotech engineer and healthcare advocate. The 2017 attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act led her to advocate in Washington, and she decided to run for office after the indifference she experienced. In her community, Bubser is a trustee at her Temple and a co-founder of HODG (HangOutDoGood), a grassroots community of hundreds of volunteers who work to elect progressive candidates. 

Bubser is running against nine other candidates: Bob Conaway (D), James Ellars (D), Tim Donnelly (R), Jerry Laws (R), Jay Obernolte (R), Jeremy Staat (R), Justin David Whitehead (R), Jeff Esmus (NPP). Incumbent Paul Cook (R) is not seeking re-election. Recent election results show it's hard for Democrats to win this seat. Chris Bubser is the best progressive choice thanks to endorsements from over a dozen progressive organizations, elected officials, and community leaders. 

According to our analysis, Chris Bubser is the strongest choice for progressive leadership in office.

Jerry McNerny is from New Mexico and has lived in California since 1990. He is the incumbent, having served in this position since 2007. According to campaign materials, he is running for re-election to continue to be an independent voice for the 9th District. 

Jerry McNerney currently serves in the House of Representatives, where he has written and passed laws that include the better treatment of veterans returning home with traumatic brain injury, as well as improved training for new green jobs and increased investment in infrastructure for electric vehicles. He currently serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce as well as the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Prior to his election to Congress, he worked as a renewable energy engineer and founded a company that manufactures wind turbines.

Jerry McNerney has introduced a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would limit funding for candidates and ballot measures from direct donations from individual citizens, restrict campaign contributions, and essentially eliminate Political Action Committees. 

Jerry McNerney is running against William Martinek (R) and Antonio Amador (R). According to recent election results, Democrats can win this seat but it's often a close race. Though we disagree with McNerney’s often punitive stances on immigration, as well as calls for increased funding for law enforcement and surveillance at the border, his position in Congress helps to advance progressive policies on issues such as climate change and makes him the strongest choice for in this race.

Rep. Josh Harder lives in his hometown of Turlock, CA. He is the incumbent, having beat the sitting republican in a tight race in 2018, which helped Democrats to win back control of Congress. According to campaign materials, Harder is running for re-election to protect access to health care, create good-paying jobs, reform our broken immigration system, and to secure and grow his area’s water supply.

In Congress, Rep. Harder has advocated for the needs of the agriculture industry by addressing issues of climate change, and has fought to support California’s farmers. Rep. Harder currently sits on the House Committees on Education and Labor, as well as the Agriculture Committee. Prior to serving in congress, Harder was a business professor at Modesto Junior College. Harder has also passed on his small business knowledge to developing economies through volunteer efforts. While working at Boston Consulting Group, he took a leave of absence to help small farmers in Kenya and Uganda organize for economic cooperation and development.

Rep. Harder is running against Michael “Mike” Barkley (D), Ryan Blevins (D), Bob Elliot (R), Maria Sousa Livengood (R), and Ted Howze (R). According to recent election results, it's difficult for Democrats to win this seat as Rep. Harder did in 2018. His strong progressive track record as well as his recent win in a recently flipped district make him the strongest choice in this race.