Los Angeles County

Reelect US Senator Alex Padilla to keep California on the right track for progress.

Sen. Alex Padilla’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of California and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse state.

Progressive endorsements: Sen. Padilla has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Equality California, NARAL Pro-Choice California, Giffords PAC, and many labor unions. He is also endorsed by a broad coalition of federal and local elected officials, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Karen Bass, Rep. Katie Porter, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and many California mayors.

Top issues: Voter protections, economic growth, police reform, immigration, environmental protections, education, consumer and worker protections, homelessness and housing, and water conservation.

Priority bills: This year, Sen. Padilla’s priorities for California have included 50 bills about environmental and water protections, the economy, immigration, and child welfare. Of these, nearly all are currently in committee or referred to committee. In his brief time in the Senate, Sen. Padilla has signed on as a sponsor of the Green New Deal and Medicare for All, and has been a strong supporter of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. He has also secured federal funding for housing, infrastructure, education, and employment projects in Southern California, and over $11 million for statewide health-care facilities and mental-health services.

Committee leadership/membership: Sen. Padilla currently serves on five committees, including Judiciary, Budget, and Environment and Public Works. He serves as chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety.

Governance and community leadership experience: Sen. Padilla was appointed to the Senate by Governor Gavin Newsom in January 2021, which will make this his first general-election campaign for the seat. He was previously elected to serve as the California’s secretary of state in 2014, winning his 2018 reelection bid over Republican Mark Meuser by 29 points.

Prior to his appointment, Sen. Padilla served Californians in several elected roles, including two terms each on the Los Angeles City Council, in the state Senate, and as the California secretary of state. Sen. Padilla is a longtime supporter of environmental justice, and credits his parents with introducing him to activism around this issue in the Los Angeles community where he was raised. Sen. Padilla has also been a longtime supporter of voting rights and democratic protections, which was the cornerstone of his work as secretary of state. In the Senate, he co-authored the Freedom to Vote Act, and was a strong supporter of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Other background: Sen. Padilla, a longtime public official, is from the San Fernando Valley. He grew up in a tough and underserved neighborhood of Los Angeles, and his public service was inspired by his community and his parents, who engaged him in the organizing process at a young age.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results to fill the last few months of the current term had ten candidates, and the results included incumbent Sen. Alex Padilla (D), 55%; Mark Meuser (R), 22%; James Bradley (R), 7%; and Jon Elist (R), 6%.

The June 2022 results to seat the next full six-year term had 27 candidates, and the results included Sen. Alex Padilla (D), 54%; Mark Meuser (R), 15%; Cordie Williams (R), 7%; Jon Elist (R), 4%; Chuck Smith (R), 4%; James Bradley (R), 3%; and Douglas Howard Pierce (D), 2%.

Sen. Alex Padilla and Mark Meuser will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election in both the current-term and next-term races.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Sen. Padilla’s campaign has raised $10.6 million and is not funded by police interests. His problematic donors include Mortgage Bankers Association PAC, Google LLC, FedEx Corporation PAC, Edison International PAC, and Comcast Corporation. He has also received donations from defense contractors, including Employees of Northrop Grumman Corporation PAC and Lockheed Martin Employees’ PAC.

Opposing candidate: Republican Mark Meuser

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Meuser’s campaign has raised $495,000 and is funded almost entirely by individual donors.
 

The District

State: California is the most populous state in the United States, and includes 58 counties and 331 million residents.

Voter registration: Of the 22 million registered voters in the state, 47% are Democrat, 24% are Republican, and 23% have no party preference. Democrats have held the lieutenant governor seat since 2011.

District demographics: 39% Latino, 16% Asian, and 7% Black

Recent election results: California voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 29 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 24 points.
 

The Position

Members of the Senate represent and advocate for the needs of their state constituency and share legislative responsibility with the House of Representatives. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues of national importance. Senators have the exclusive responsibility of providing advice and consent to the executive branch on treaties, and on the nomination and approval of cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, and federal judges. The Senate also has the sole authority to bring and try an impeachment of a high official, up to and including removal from office with a two-thirds majority vote.

Each state, regardless of population, is represented by two senators. Senate elections are statewide, and senators are elected to serve a six-year term. There is no term limit for this position.

Elect Nikki Pérez for City Council to put Burbank on the right track for progress.

Nikki Pérez’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of the city council and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Equality California, and Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. She has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including a police commissioner.

Electoral History: Pérez has not run for public office previously.

Top issues: Quality of life, economy, traffic, environment, and housing.

Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is the project manager for Kids First, an LA City pilot project that she developed to increase academic success for unhoused students in the San Fernando Valley. She is also a scholarship chair for the Zonta Club of Burbank, which she does to ensure that young women in our community have the financial opportunity to advance their careers. She has worked to build a broad coalition of Burbank residents to advocate for a package of proposals dubbed the "Green New Deal for Burbank,” many of which have been approved by the council, and has been a longtime supporter of environmental protection. Pérez serves as vice chair of the Burbank Library Board of Trustees.

Other background: Pérez was born and raised in Burbank. She is a former staff member of Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign).
 

The Race

Primary election results: There was no primary race for this election. Five candidates have qualified for three seats on the November ballot: Nikki Pérez, Tamala Takahashi, Sharon Springer (incumbent), Ziette Mullins, and Carmenita Helligar.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Perez’s campaign has raised $23,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC money.
 

The District

City: Burbank is Los Angeles County’s 14th most populous city. Burbank’s City Council includes Downtown and Magnolia Park.

Governance structure: Burbank City Council oversees the needs of 107,000 people and manages an estimated operating budget of $578,000 million annually. Burbank is managed by a mayor-council structured government.
 

The Position

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 Burbank are ‎limited to two terms, or eight years in office total.

Elect Vice Mayor Rex Richardson for mayor to keep Long Beach on the right track for progress.

Vice Mayor Rex Richardson’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Long Beach and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Vice Mayor Richardson has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including LA League of Conservation Voters, California Working Families Party, California Environmental Voters, Black Women Organized for Political Action PAC, and many labor organizations. He has also received the endorsement of local leaders, including Senator Alex Padilla, Governor Gavin Newsom, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, and LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, public safety services, economic recovery and growth, infrastructure investments, sustainability, and open land protections.

Key initiatives: Vice Mayor Richardson has supported many successful initiatives as a member of city council, including the recent purchase of a dilapidated hotel for conversion to temporary housing, a gun-buyback event, and plans to expand a local library to include an early-childhood education space. He has provided leadership in moving the city forward on infrastructure and community resources, including the development of the Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center, restoring the DeForest Park wetlands, and creating bridge housing resources.

Governance and community leadership experience: Vice Mayor Richardson has served in this seat since 2014, when he was elected with over 73% of the vote. In 2018, he won his reelection against a challenger by 60 points.

After participating in student government during college, he became involved in union organizing as a young professional and eventually worked with a Long Beach councilmember to create coalitions to support labor issues. This work inspired his run for city council and his collaborative style of leadership.

Other background: Vice Mayor Richardson has lived in California since he was a teenager and currently resides in the Collins neighborhood of North Long Beach. He is the son of working-class parents, and experienced job and housing instability as a child. Vice Mayor Richardson is the youngest person ever elected to the Long Beach City Council.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Councilmember Rex Richardson, 44%; Susan Price, 38%; Joshua Rodriguez, 9%; J. Raul Cedillo, 5%; Franklin Sims, 3%; and Deb Mozer, 2%. Councilmember Richardson and Susan Price will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Richardson’s campaign has raised $536,000 and has received donations from fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.

Opposing candidate: Susan Price

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Price’s campaign has raised $706,000 and is funded by real estate, police, and fossil fuel interests.
 

The District

City: Long Beach is Los Angeles County’s second most populous city. Long Beach’s mayoral seat is elected at large.

Governance structure: The Long Beach mayor and city council oversee the needs of 465,000 people and manage an estimated operating budget of $3.2 billion annually. Long Beach is managed by council-manager structured government.
 

The Position

Long Beach uses a council-manager government structure, in which the mayor is elected at large and acts as chair of the nine-member city council. The mayor and city council serve as the legislative branch of government and have the responsibility of establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and appointing the city manager and city clerk. In Long Beach, a mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of three consecutive terms.

Elect Faisal Gill to put the city of Los Angeles on the right track for progress.

Faisal Gill’s policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles and will work effectively for the best interests of this diverse city.

Progressive endorsements: Gill has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including LA Forward Action, Abundant Housing LA, and many local union organizations. He has also received the endorsement of elected leaders, including Congressmember Ilhan Omar, Congressmember Ro Khanna, State Senator Sydney Kamlager, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, and LA City Council member Mike Bonin.

Electoral history: Gill has not run for public office before.

Top issues: Criminal-justice reform, police reform, homelessness and housing, accountability across corporations and government, environmental justice, protecting civil rights, and consumer protection.

Governance and community leadership experience: Gill is a civil rights attorney, which he does to provide advocacy for individuals who are experiencing discrimination from governments or law-enforcement systems. After law school, he served as a JAG Corp officer in the United States Navy before transitioning to government work with the Office of Personnel Management during the George W. Bush administration. Gill later learned that as a result of his Muslim faith and political engagement, he had been unlawfully surveiled by the NSA. This experience contributed to his interest in providing civil rights legal support and advocating on the behalf of marginalized groups.

Gill’s campaign platform has a strong progressive foundation, including police reform, ending cash bail, ending the criminalization of homelessness, and protecting residents from corporate pollution and worker exploitation. He has encountered some controversy for his proposed 100-day moratorium on the prosecution of new misdemeanor crimes, with exceptions for time-sensitive and egregious crimes, to review policies and consider diversion. Notably, Gill ran for office in Virginia in 2007 as a Republican, argued against LGBTQIA+ marriage equality during that race, and had ties to the Federalist Society, a conservative legal community. He changed his registration to Democrat in 2007 when he connected the religious and racial discrimination he faced to broader civil rights issues, and now supports marriage equality.

Other background: Gill immigrated from Pakistan as a child, grew up near Washington, DC, and has lived in California for many years.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Faisal Gill, 24%; Hydee Feldstein Soto, 20%; Marina Torres, 20%; Richard Kim, 17%; Kevin James, 9%; Sherri Onica Valle Cole, 5%; and Teddy Kapur, 5%. Faisal Gill and Hydee Feldstein Soto will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Gill’s campaign has raised $1.5 million and is not funded by police, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.

Opposing candidate: Hydee Feldstein Soto

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Feldstein Soto’s campaign has raised $816,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
 

The District

City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 3.9 million people and manage an estimated operating budget of $11.2 billion annually.

District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Los Angeles had a demographic breakdown of 48% Latino, 12% Asian, and 9% Black.

Recent election results: Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 41 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
 

The Position

The Los Angeles city attorney acts as the lead prosecutor for the city. The city attorney writes municipal law, provides legal advice to the mayor and city council, liaises with city departments and commissions, and serves as defense for the city during litigation. The work of the city attorney includes the prosecution of misdemeanor crimes, and engaging in legal work to protect consumers and the environment. City attorneys are elected to four-year terms and may serve no more than two terms, or eight years, in office.

Elect Kenneth Mejia for LA city controller to put Los Angeles on the right track for progress.

Kenneth Mejia’s experience and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse city.

Progressive endorsements: Mejia has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Working Families Party, Youth Climate Strike LA, and Grassroots Law Project. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Assemblymember Alex Lee, Alhambra Mayor Sasha Renée Pérez, and many local organizers and activists.

Electoral history: Mejia has run for the 34th congressional seat three times, including general elections in 2016 and 2018 and a special election in 2017. In 2017 and 2018, he ran as a Green Party candidate, and advanced to the general election only in 2018. He lost that race to incumbent Rep. Jimmy Gomez by 45 points.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, climate and environmental protections, transportation and infrastructure, public safety, and animal welfare.

Governance and community leadership experience: Mejia is a certified public accountant, which he does to ensure that public and private companies are held to account for their financial transactions. In 2016, he became involved in housing justice as a founding member of the We Can Make a Difference LA community group, and as a member of the LA Tenants Union. Both groups seek to provide resources and advocacy on behalf of unhoused people, and those experiencing injustice through slum landlords, evictions, and rental increases. Mejia built on this work with a brief stint on the board of the Neighborhood Council, where he advocated for housing justice before the Los Angeles City Council. During his campaign, he has demonstrated his interest in creating greater transparency in governance by providing the public with information and analysis on the city budget and Los Angeles Police Department traffic stops.

Mejia’s campaign has faced some notable criticism. His CPA license was inactive or expired from 2016 to January 2022. Some of Mejia’s campaign associates have disrupted mayoral and city council events throughout the campaign cycle. Mejia has also faced a controversy over now-deleted 2020 Twitter posts that criticized President Joe Biden.

Other background: Mejia is from the San Fernando Valley. He was raised by a single mother in a working-class neighborhood, and cites his upbringing as inspiring his efforts to advocate for marginalized communities.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Kenneth Mejia, 43%; Councilmember Paul Koretz, 24%; Stephanie Clements, 16%; David Vahedi, 7%; J. Carolan O’Gabhann, 4%; Reid Lidow, 4%; and Rob Wilcox, 2%. Kenneth Mejia and Paul Koretz will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Mejia’s campaign has raised $685,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.

Opposing candidate: Councilmember Paul Koretz
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Koretz’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by real estate, corporate PAC, and police interests.
 

The District

City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 3.9 million people and manage an estimated operating budget of $11.2 billion annually. The Los Angeles city controller provides audit and oversight for the spending of those budget funds.

District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Los Angeles had a demographic breakdown of 48% Latino, 12% Asian, and 9% Black.

Recent election results: Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 41 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
 

The Position

The Los Angeles city controller serves as the elected paymaster, auditor, and chief accounting officer of the city’s budget. The city controller oversees Audit Services, Accounting Operations, and the Financial Reporting and Analysis divisions, including 160 municipal employees who process payroll, create financial reports, and conduct city audits. The city controller is elected every four years, and can serve no more than two terms, or eight years, in office.

Courage California endorses Karen Bass for LA mayor to keep Los Angeles on the right track for progress.

Bass’s extensive experience and policy successes demonstrate that she is uniquely qualified to lead and will continue to be a progressive champion and govern in the best interest of this diverse city.

Progressive endorsements: Bass is endorsed by many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, LA Voice Action, California Women’s List, California Black Women’s Democratic Club, ACCE Action, Stonewall Democratic Club, and Westside Young Democrats, as well as the Los Angeles Times. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Katie Porter, State Senator Sydney Kamlager, and L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, workforce development, mental-health care access, public safety and criminal-justice reform, economic growth, clean energy, and sustainable environmental policy.

Priority bills: This year, Rep. Bass’s priorities for her congressional district, CD-37, have included 37 bills about crime and law enforcement, health care, foster care, and child welfare. Of these, nearly all are currently in committee.

Committee leadership/membership: In Congress, Rep. Bass currently serves on the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees, and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Rep. Bass is former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and a member of a variety of legislative groups, including Medicare for All Caucus; Congressional Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus; Congressional Progressive Caucus; and Congressional Social Work Caucus.

Governance and community leadership experience: Rep. Bass has served in Congress since 2010, when she was elected with over 86% of the vote. In 2020, she won her reelection against Republican challenger Errol Webber by 72 points.

Rep. Bass started her career as a nurse and a physician’s assistant, and was moved to action by the intimate view that her work provided of the crack epidemic in Los Angeles. In 1990, she founded Community Coalition, an organization she is still involved with today, to identify local solutions to the economic inequities that contribute to crime, addiction, violence, and poverty. Rep. Bass joined the State Assembly in 2004, and rose to the Speaker’s seat in 2008, as California was facing a severe recession. She was instrumental in negotiating a federal stimulus for Californians and passing legislation that secured affordable health care and improved child welfare services. During her six terms in Congress, Rep. Bass has established herself as an effective progressive leader, focusing much of her work on equity legislation. She has passed bills to protect the LGBTQIA+ community, has founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Caucus on Foster Youth, and has authored the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to transform policing.

These experiences in health care, coalition-building, economic recovery, and racial-justice reform are the foundation of her approach to moving Los Angeles forward as mayor. Through a collaborative approach, her administration would focus on eliminating bureaucratic barriers to affordable housing development, working with individual communities to address local safety issues and hate-crime prevention, and tailoring interventions to support local economic recovery from COVID-19. In a city with both extreme wealth and extreme poverty, Rep. Bass’s policies would aim to narrow the economic gap and return dignity to individuals who have been failed by inefficient public systems. She is a longtime supporter of social equity and justice initiatives, and remains actively involved as a board member with the National Foster Youth Institute, which she co-founded.

Other background: Rep. Karen Bass is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Rep. Karen Bass, 43%; Rick Caruso, 36%; Kevin de León, 8%; and Gina Viola, 7%. Rep. Karen Bass and Rick Caruso will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rep. Bass’s campaign has raised $5 million and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC donors.

Opposing candidate: Rick Caruso

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Caruso’s campaign has raised $41 million, including $40 million that he has donated personally to his campaign. He has not disclosed funding from any problematic donors. Caruso is a billionaire real estate developer who switched his registration from Republican to Democrat in January 2022, prior to announcing his mayoral campaign. He contributed $50,000 to the failed effort to recall LA District Attorney George Gascón earlier this year, and has given to anti-abortion candidates and leaders, including Republicans Senator Mitch McConnell and Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
 

The District

City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 3.9 million people and manage an estimated operating budget of $11.2 billion annually.

District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Los Angeles had a demographic breakdown of 48% Latino, 12% Asian, and 9% Black.

Recent election results: Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 41 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
 

The Position

Los Angeles uses a mayor–city council government structure, in which the mayor is elected at large and acts as chair of the 15-member city council and as the city’s chief executive officer. The city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. The mayor of Los Angeles has veto and emergency powers and is responsible for managing dozens of departments and agencies. They also carry out ordinances, ensure coordination among different branches of city government, and submit an annual budget proposal to the L.A. City Council. In Los Angeles, a mayor is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two consecutive terms.

Elect Nelly Nieblas to put the Montebello Unified School District on the right track for progress. 

Nelly Nieblas’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive champion for the Montebello Unified School District community and will work effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Nieblas has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Los Angeles County Democratic Party, East Area Progressive Democrats, National Women’s Political Caucus of the San Gabriel Valley, and many labor organizations. She has also received the endorsement of some local leaders, including labor organizer Dolores Huerta, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, and City of Montebello Councilmembers Salvador Melendez and Angie Jimenez.

Electoral history: Nieblas has not run for public office before.

Top issues: Special-education funding, public school improvement, smaller class sizes, accountability and transparency from charter school networks, support for education professionals, early-childhood education, dual-language program funding, student mental-health supports, facility upgrades, and green-space protections.

Governance and community leadership experience: Nieblas is a public-policy professional and advocate, which she does to improve access and success for individuals and communities who are often underserved by our institutions. She has nearly 20 years of experience across a spectrum of public organizations, including working as a congressional fellow to secure disability-education funding, serving as an Americorps member to help Spanish-speaking immigrants, working as a legislative deputy for L.A. Supervisor Gloria Morina to improve public parks, and working as a research analyst for the L.A. County Department of Social Services with a focus on program implementation. Nieblas has also served as the national director of policy and external affairs for Public Allies, a nonprofit social justice and service organization. She focused her work in California when she was appointed by former Gov. Jerry Brown to serve as the legislative manager for the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, before applying her knowledge of disability rights to environmental policy as the legislative manager for Breathe of Los Angeles County. Nieblas has cerebral palsy and dyslexia, and has been a longtime advocate of disability rights, equitable access to education and resources, and equal implementation of the law. Her legislative work is inspired by the programs and resources that supported her academic and professional success. 

Other background: Nieblas is from Montebello. She is a first-generation American and college graduate, and holds a master of public administration degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Politics.

The Race

Primary election results: There was no June 2022 primary for this seat. There are six candidates vying for three open seats in the November 8 general election, including Nelly Nieblas, Carlos Cerdan, Aaron Reveles, James Santana, incumbent Board Member Marisol Uribe, and incumbent Board Member Jennifer Gutierrez. 

Cerdan is a teacher with LAUSD and currently serves in an elected role with the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. He is endorsed by Congressmember Linda Sanchez, Assm. Cristina Garcia, and California Teachers Association. Santana is an operations manager with Amazon, is supported by Run for Something, and is endorsed by Equality California and California Teachers Association. Board Member Uribe is a community college instructor and is running for a second term on the board. She has the endorsement of California Teachers Association. Board Member Gutierrez currently serves as the board president, is a college advisor, and is running for a second term. 

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Campaign finance information is not publicly available for the candidates in this race. 
 

The District

School system: Montebello Unified School District is located in Los Angeles County, which is California’s most populous county. Montebello Unified School District includes five high schools, six middle schools, 17 elementary schools, and four adult-education centers, serving a population of roughly 29,000 Californians. 

Governance structure: Montebello Unified School District has a five-person board that provides administrative oversight and manages a budget of $360 million annually.  

The Position

Members of the Montebello Unified School District are elected to an at-large seat. Board members are responsible for determining the school district’s vision, maintaining the organizational structure, and providing educational leadership for the district and the community. Members are elected to four-year terms.
 

Elect Erin Darling for LA City Council to put Los Angeles on the right track for progress.

Erin Darling’s experience and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of District 11 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Darling has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Working Families Party, Sierra Club, Our Revolution LA, Stonewall Democratic Club, and many labor unions. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, outgoing LA City Councilmember Mike Bonin, and labor organizer Dolores Huerta.

Electoral history: Darling has not run for elected office before.

Top issues: Housing and homelessness, small-business supports, affordable housing and urban accessibility for seniors, reproductive justice, transportation and infrastructure, climate protections, and gun and public safety.

Governance and community leadership experience: Darling is a civil rights and criminal defense attorney. He is a longtime supporter of tenant rights, housing for all, and protecting the environment. After graduating from law school, Darling began working at a local nonprofit called Eviction Defense Network, where he represented low-income tenants facing eviction. He later worked for Public Counsel, focusing on large class actions, including on behalf of the United Farm Workers and individual General Relief recipients. Darling has also worked as a deputy federal public defender in the Central District of California. He currently works in private practice with a focus on civil rights, where he has co-counseled with the ACLU of Southern California and the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). He has also represented women who were sexually assaulted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies and Probation Department employees while in custody. Locally, Darling has served on the Venice Neighborhood Council and Beaches and Harbor Commission.

Other background: Darling is a lifelong resident of Venice.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Erin Darling, 33%; Traci Park, 30%; Greg Good, 10%; Allison Holdorff Polhill, 9%; Mike Newhouse, 7%; Jim Murez, 5%; Mat Smith, 4%; and Midsanon Lloyd 2%. Erin Darling and Traci Park will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Darling’s campaign has raised $228,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.

Opposing candidate: Traci Park

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Park’s campaign has raised $735,000 and is funded by police and real estate interests.
 

The District

City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 3.9 million people and manage an estimated operating budget of $11.2 billion annually. The 11th city council district includes the west side neighborhoods of Brentwood, Del Rey, Ladera, Mar Vista, Pacific Palisades, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Venice, West Los Angeles, Sawtelle, and Westchester.

District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Los Angeles had a demographic breakdown of 48% Latino, 12% Asian, and 9% Black.

Recent election results: Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 41 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
 

The Position

Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council. Due to its size and population, Los Angeles maintains a 15-person city council. The city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. In Los Angeles, council-passed ordinances are subject to approval or veto by the mayor. City council members in Los Angeles are ‎limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.

Elect Hugo Soto-Martinez for LA City Council to put Los Angeles on the right track for progress.

Soto-Martinez’s organizing experience and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 13 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Soto-Martinez has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Working Families Party, Unite Here! Local 11, Democratic Socialists of America Los Angeles, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, CHIRLA Action Fund, and many labor organizations. He has also received the endorsement of some local leaders, including labor organizer Dolores Huerta, LA City Council member Nithya Raman, and State Senator María Elena Durazo.

Electoral history: Soto-Martinez has not run for public office before.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, climate and water protections, mental-health care, transit and infrastructure, immigration reform, reproductive justice, and labor protections.

Governance and community leadership experience: Soto-Martinez has spent his career as an organizer with UNITE Here! Local 11, which he does improve access and opportunity for workers. He was inspired to this work when, as a college student, he helped form a union at a hotel where he had worked since high school, resulting in greater employment dignity for the staff. During his career, Soto-Martinez has organized against law enforcement, including leading a campaign to unseat corrupt Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona, and working to expose deputy gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He has also worked with DSA-LA and the NOlympics LA campaign, which has allowed him to advocate on some of the issues that affect local communities the most, including homelessness and housing, and immigration. Through his organizing work, Soto-Martinez has gained a strong understanding of how to effectively organize community power around important issues, and would seek to bring that expertise to his representation of constituents on the city council.

Other background: Soto-Martinez, a labor organizer, is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles. He is a first-generation American.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Hugo Soto-Martinez, 38%; Mitch O’Farrell, 34%; Kate Pynoos, 15%; Steve Johnson, 8%; and Albert Corado, 4%. Hugo Soto-Martinez and incumbent Mitch O’Farrell will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Soto-Martinez’s campaign has raised $493,000 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.

Opposing candidate: Incumbent Mitch O’Farrell

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: O’Farrell’s campaign has raised $2.4 million and is funded by corporate PAC and police interests, and a significant number of real estate organizations.
 

The District

City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles’s mayor and city council oversee the needs of 3.9 million people and manage an estimated operating budget of $11.2 billion annually. The 13th city council district includes the neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Echo Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Hollywood, Filipinotown, Little Armenia, Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown, Silver Lake, and Thai Town.

District demographics: As of the 2020 Census, Los Angeles had a demographic breakdown of 48% Latino, 12% Asian, and 9% Black.

Recent election results: Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 41 points and for Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 44 points.
 

The Position

Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council. Due to its size and population, Los Angeles maintains a 15-person city council. The city council is responsible for establishing policy, passing local laws (called ordinances), voting on budget appropriations, and developing an overall vision for the city. In Los Angeles, council passed ordinances are subject to approval or veto by the Mayor. City council members in Los Angeles are ‎limited to three terms, or 12 years in office total.

Elect Caroline Menjivar to put SD-20 on the right track for progress.

Caroline Menjivar’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-20 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Menjivar has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Stonewall Democratic Club, NARAL Pro-Choice California, California Working Families Party, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Sen. Connie Leyva, Los Angeles Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, and Sen. Henry Stern.

Electoral history: Menjivar has not run for public office before.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, mental-health care, environmental protections, economic improvements, and education.

Priority bills: Menjivar’s record of community engagement includes hosting nightly conference calls to update residents with the latest information from the city after the COVID-19 pandemic began. Menjivar currently serves on the GLSEN Los Angeles Chapter Board and the Help Group’s Kaleidoscope Advisory Board, which she does to create more inclusive learning and family environments for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. Menjivar has also sat on the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Review Committee.

Governance and community leadership experience: Menjivar is a Marine Corp veteran, and has worked as a field deputy with city councilmember Nury Martinez, and as the East Valley representative for Mayor Eric Garcetti. Driven by her passion for gender equity that is inclusive of women of color, she began a career in policy development and implementation. Menjivar obtained a license as an emergency medical technician during the last years of her military career, during which time she confronted the need for more mental-health resources, including in the homeless community. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who served in the military under “don’t ask, don’t tell,” Menjivar has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion and continues to volunteer her time to GLSEN Los Angeles to support young people in the queer community.

Other background: Menjivar, a Marine veteran and public administrator, was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. She put herself through college after her military career, eventually receiving a master’s degree in social welfare with a concentration in public leadership and policy development.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Daniel Hertzberg (D), 31%; Caroline Menjivar (D), 30%; Ely De La Cruz Ayao (R), 26%; and Seydi Alejandra Morales (D), 14%. Caroline Menjivar and Daniel Hertzberg will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Menjivar’s campaign has raised $152,000. Her campaign has received a high volume of individual donations, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC donors.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Daniel Hertzberg

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Hertzberg’s campaign has raised $865,000 and is funded by corporate PAC, real estate donors.

 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 20th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 16% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, SD-20 is 3% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 50% Latino, 11% Asian, and 5% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.

Recent election results: SD-20 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 43 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 46 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Reelect State Senate Representative Ben Allen to keep SD-24 on the right track for progress.

Sen. Ben Allen’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-24 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Sen. Ben Allen has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including NARAL Pro-Choice, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and labor unions, like California Labor Federation, United Healthcare Workers, National Nurses United, and SEIU.

Top issues: Sen. Allen’s top issues include environmental protections, investment in green infrastructure, transparency in campaign finance, and addressing the housing shortage.

Priority bills: This year, Sen. Allen’s priorities for SD-24 have included 46 bills about environmental protection and conservation, election reform, education, and housing. Of these, 34 have successfully been passed by the state Senate. He has sponsored and passed legislation to facilitate and fund affordable housing, increase transparency in campaign finance, improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure, improve the accuracy of products labeled recyclable, and outfit communities against rising sea levels and climate change. He scores a lifetime Courage Score of 91 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Sen. Allen has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Sen. Allen currently sits on four committees, including the committees on Governmental Organization, Transportation, and Natural Resources and Water. He chairs the committee on Environmental Quality.

Governance and community leadership experience: Sen. Allen has served in this state senate seat since 2014, when he was elected with over 60% of the vote. In 2018, he won his reelection against an Independent challenger by 54 points.

Prior to his election to the state Senate, Sen. Allen was an attorney, a university lecturer, and president of the Santa Monica-Malibu School District. Sen. Allen has been a longtime supporter of environmental protections, education, and housing. In the state Senate, he has authored several pieces of legislation to limit or ban pollutants, and most recently sponsored and passed legislation that will reduce single-use plastics in California. In 2019, Sen. Allen introduced legislation to repeal a constitutional limit on affordable housing construction. Though the measure failed, he has continued to author legislation that promotes affordable housing and increases funding for homelessness-prevention programs.

Other background: Sen. Ben Allen, a former attorney and school board president, is from Santa Monica. He earned his BA from Harvard, a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Cambridge, and a law degree from UC Berkeley.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Ben Allen (D), 96%; and Kristina Irwin (R), 4%. Irwin withdrew her campaign prior to the primary election, so Ben Allen will be running unopposed in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Sen. Ben Allen’s campaign has raised $417,294 and is not funded by the police, although he has accepted donations from the correctional officers union. He has accepted nearly $20,000 from the real estate industry, and nearly $10,000 from the fossil fuel industry. He is also funded by corporate PACs, including nearly $10,000 from the financial services industry.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 24th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, SD-24 is 3% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 13% Latino, 16% Asian, and 5% Black.

Recent election results: SD-24 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 43 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 39 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Reelect State Senator María Elena Durazo to keep SD-16 on the right track for progress.

Sen. María Elena Durazo’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-26 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Sen. María Elena Durazo has had the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups in the district and statewide, including CHIRLA Action Fund, Los Angeles County Young Democrats, Planned Parenthood, and California Environmental Justice Alliance Action. She has also received endorsements in past cycles from a significant number of national and local leaders, including State Controller Betty Yee, LA Supervisor Hilda Solis, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Top issues: Taxation, public lands, workforce development, economic recovery, environmental protections, criminal-justice reform, and housing.

Priority bills: This year, Sen. Durazo’s priorities for her current district, SD-24, include 39 bills about workforce development, employment, education, and taxation. Of these, nine have been signed into law, four have died, and the rest remain in committee. Notably, the legislation she’s sponsored this year includes bills that aim to expand student loan eligibility, protect employment rights, and prohibit discrimination in child custody cases. She scores a Lifetime CS of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Sen. Durazo has supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Sen. Durazo currently serves on five committees, including Labor, Public Employment, and Retirement, and Budget and Fiscal Review.

Governance and community leadership experience: Sen. Durazo has served in the state senate since 2018, when she was elected with over 67% of the vote.

Prior to her election to the state Senate, Senator Durazo established herself as a labor organizer, an attorney, and a public servant. She served as executive vice president of the UNITE-HERE INTERNATIONAL labor union, and later as secretary-treasurer of the LA County Federation of Labor. Sen. Durazo has also been a dynamic leader in democratic politics, serving as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, a national co-chair of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, and as a member of the Los Angeles Commission of Airports and the California State Coastal Commission. Through all of these roles, Sen. Durazo has remained a steadfast advocate for labor and union organizing. Though she has expanded her portfolio to include legislation related to ending broader discrimination, she has remained committed to labor reform as a tool to establish more equity across California.

Other background: Sen. MarÍa Elena Durazo is the daughter of migrant workers and grew up in California and Oregon. In the 1980s, she was responsible for establishing methods for disseminating comprehensive information to workers about their employment and negotiation rights, and ensured that information was available in more than one language.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Sen. María Elena Durazo (D), 99.6%; and Claudia Agraz (W/I), 0.4%. Incumbent Sen. María Elena Durazo and Claudia Agraz will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Sen. Durazo’s campaign has raised $1 million and has received donations from real estate, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and police donors. Her problematic funders include Sempra Energy, PG&E Corporation, L.A. County Probation Officers Union AFSME Local 685 PAC, and California Real Estate PAC.

Opposing candidate: Republican Claudia Agraz
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Agraz’s campaign has not recorded any fundraising receipts with the Secretary of State’s office as of September 2022.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 26th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 62% Democrat, 9% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, SD-26 is as Democratic as it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 50% Latino, 19% Asian, and 6% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.

Recent election results: SD-26 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 65 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 71 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Courage California endorses Lola Smallwood-Cuevas for state Senate to put SD-28 on the right track for progress.

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas’s track record of community organizing and policy advocacy demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-28 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Smallwood-Cuevas has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including UNITE HERE Local 11, Heart of LA, SEIU California, and California Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of many local elected officials, including Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Assemblymember Laura Friedman, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, and State Senator Sydney Kamlager.

Electoral history: Smallwood-Cuevas has not run for public office before, but was appointed to the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board in 2021 and was elected by her fellow commissioners to serve as secretary/treasurer.

Top issues: Workforce development and organized labor, homelessness, affordable housing, universal health care, criminal-justice reform, clean energy, and environmental protections.

Priority bills: Smallwood-Cuevas sees workers’ rights as the clear intersection of racial equity, economic insecurity, health-care access, education, and the housing crisis. It’s through this lens of worker dignity and protection that she would approach social-equity legislation in the state Senate. She has proposed a public employment benefit for those returning from incarceration, a two-year jobs bill to create quality employment opportunities during the COVID-19 recovery, a reinstatement of pandemic sick leave and hero pay, and increased funding for affordable housing initiatives. In supporting workers’ rights, Smallwood-Cuevas hopes her approach would dismantle wealth inequality and create improved health, education, and economic outcomes across generations. She has frequently collaborated with local organizations and lawmakers, including labor unions, Working Families Partnership, and Community Coalition, and would bring this coalition approach to her work in the state Senate.

Governance and community leadership experience: Smallwood-Cuevas is a longtime supporter of the development of organized labor and currently serves as project director at the UCLA Labor Center. She directs projects for the Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity Work and focuses on furthering policies that benefit working families. She has received national recognition for this work from Labor Secretary Tom Perez and former President Barack Obama. She currently serves as treasurer of the LA County Workforce Development Board, and has also served as a researcher and political organizer with SEIU Local 1877, plus co-founded the LA Black Worker Center to increase employment equity.

Other background: Lola Smallwood-Cuevas has lived in the district for twenty years. She was raised by a single mother in a working family, and spent her early career in journalism before transitioning to research and community organizing in the labor sector.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Lola Smallwood Cuevas (D), 45%; Cheryl Turner (D), 30%; Joe Lisuzzo (R), 15%; Kamilah Victoria Moore (D), 7%; and Jamaal Gulledge (D), 4%. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas and Cheryl Turner will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Smallwood-Cuevas’s campaign has raised $512,000 and is not funded by corporate PAC or fossil fuel donors. She has received donations from the California Apartment Association PAC and L.A. County Probation Officers Union AFSME Local 685 PAC.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Cheryl Turner

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Turner’s campaign has raised $64,000 and is funded by real estate donors. Additionally, she has made several significant donations to her own campaign fund.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 28th Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 65% Democrat, 8% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Prior to redistricting, Republicans typically held this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, SD-28 is 2% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 33% Latino, 9% Asian, and 29% Black

Recent election results: SD-28 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 71 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 72 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Reelect State Senate Representative Archuleta to keep SD-30 on the right track for progress. 

Sen. Archuleta has a history of supporting bad bills and not voting for progressive bills. This is a safe district and once elected, he will need to be held accountable by voters in SD-30 and will need to be pressured to govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive Endorsements: Sen. Archuleta has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Orange County Labor Federation and National Union of Health Workers (NUHW). 

Top issues: The environment and housing.

Priority bills: This year, Sen. Archuleta’s priorities for SD-30 have included 49 bills about environmental issues and real estate. Of these, 21 have successfully been passed by the state Senate. He has sponsored and passed legislation to require any trash receptacle larger than three feet to have reflective fluorescent taping, and a bill to protect immigrants’ addresses during background checks for situations when supervisory or disciplinary power over a minor or another in their care. He scores a CS of 79 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Sen. Archuleta has supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Sen. Archuleta has not supported prohibiting prosecutors from striking prospective jurors from jury pools on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, and other identities, ending minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, or setting carbon neutrality goals for 2045. 

Committee leadership/membership: Sen. Archuleta currently serves on five standing committees and one select committee, including the Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Governance and community leadership experience: Sen. Archuleta has served in this state Senate seat since 2018, when he was elected with over 66% of the vote. 

Prior to his election to the state Senate, Sen. Archuleta was appointed by President Barack Obama as a member of the Board of Visitors to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Sen. Archuleta has been a longtime supporter of the military. 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Archuleta (D), 36%; Mitch Clemmons (R), 34%; and Martha Camacho-Rodriguez (R), 16%. Archuleta and Clemmons will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election. 

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Sen. Archuleta campaign has raised $1,860,084 and is funded by police money, corporate PACs, real estate money, and fossil fuel money.

Opposing candidate: Republican Mitch Clemmons

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Clemmons’s campaign has raised $5,000 and is funded by primarily individual donors. 
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 30th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Voter registration: 49% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since at least. Since the 2021 redistricting process, SD-30 is about the same as it was in the 2020 cycle. 

District demographics: 57% Latino, 20% Asian, and 4% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation. 

Recent election results: SD-30 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 32 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 30 points.

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.
 

Reelect State Senate Representative Tom Umberg to keep SD-34 on the right track for progress.

Sen. Umberg’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of SD-34 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Sen. Umberg’s has the endorsement of some labor unions, including SEIU California and California Labor Federation.

Top issues: Veterans, violence prevention, and nonprofit support.

Priority bills: This year, Sen. Umberg’s priorities for SD-34 this year have included 15 bills about supporting veterans, nonprofits, campaign transparency. Of these, four have successfully been passed by the state Senate. He has sponsored and passed legislation to support veterans and remove barriers for foster-care benefits. He has failed to support legislation that offers protections to formerly incarcerated people, protect tenants, and distribute affordable housing funds. He scores a Lifetime CS of 60 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Sen. Umberg has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Sen. Umberg currently sits on three committees, including the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary, the Senate Select Committee on Growing Impact of Artificial Intelligence in California and the Joint Select Committee on the Census.

Governance and community leadership experience: Sen. Umberg has served in this state Senate seat since 2018, when he was elected with over 50% of the vote.

Prior to his election to the state Senate, Sen. Umberg was a retired Army Colonel and a former federal criminal prosecutor. He is a longtime supporter of small businesses.

Other background: Sen. Umberg, a past deputy drug czar for President Clinton, lives in Orange County. He founded and built a successful veteran-owned small business in Orange County.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Tom Umberg (D), 58%; and Ronda Schader (R), 42%. Umberg and Schader will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Sen. Umberg’s campaign has not yet made any campaign-finance filings.

Opposing candidate: Republican Ronda Shader

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Shader’s campaign has not yet made any campaign-finance filings.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 34th State Senate District includes parts of Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats] have held this district since 1998.

District demographics: 52% Latino, 19% Asian, and 3% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.

Recent election results: SD-34 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 13 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 26 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Elect Kimberly Carr for state Senate to put SD-36 on the right track for progress.

Kimberly Carr’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative voice for the constituents of SD-36 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Carr has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Labor Federation, Sierra Club, Equality California, Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE), and Planned Parenthood. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Rep. Katie Porter, State Senator Dave Min, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, and Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris.

Electoral history: Carr ran for her seat on the Huntington Beach City Council in a nonpartisan 2018 election, and was one of four individuals elected to serve at-large on the council in that race. She earned 11% of the vote.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, environmental protections, public safety, economic security, and reproductive freedom.

Priority bills: During Carr’s first term as mayor in 2021, a catastrophic oil spill occurred off the coast of Huntington Beach. She was responsible for navigating the local response, ensuring the safety of residents, and limiting the impact on local wildlife. Although she has touted a community-focused approach to homelessness and mental health, she has also supported an increase in police patrols of high-crime areas, where alternative programs and resources may have provided more holistic support.

Governance and community leadership experience: Carr has served in local public leadership for the past ten years, including serving as the Public Works commissioner and as a member of the Huntington Beach City Council, and by spending a year as mayor. As a third-generation Californian, she does this work to use her local knowledge to address issues of civic importance, like economic development. She also serves as a board member for the California Commission on Aging, OC Sanitation, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, CalCities Executive Water Board–OC Division, and the National Water Research Institute.

Other background: Carr grew up in the district and has lived in Huntington Beach for more than 25 years. She also worked as a sales and marketing executive in the media industry for over 25 years, working with small and large businesses throughout her career, citing a commitment to building long-term relationships as a cornerstone of her success.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Janet Nguyen (R), 57%; and Kimberly Carr (D), 43%. Kimberly Carr and Assm. Janet Nguyen will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Carr’s campaign has raised $288,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC donors.

Opposing candidate: Republican Incumbent Assm. Janet Nguyen

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Nguyen’s campaign has raised $444,000 and is funded by corporate PAC, real estate, police, and fossil fuel donors. Her problematic funders include Chevron, California Real Estate PAC, California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC, and AT&T.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 36th Senate District includes parts of Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 34% Democrat, 36% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Republicans typically hold this district.

District demographics: 17% Latino, 26% Asian, and 2% Black

Recent election results: SD-36 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 1 point and John Cox for governor in 2018 by 5 points.
 

The Position

State senators represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

The California State Senate has 40 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 31 seats in the California State Senate, while Republicans hold 9 seats.

Elect Juan Carrillo for State Assembly to put AD-39 on the right track for progress.

Carrillo’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-39 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Carillo has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including the California Teachers’ Association, High Desert Progressive Democrats, NARAL Pro-Choice California, Equality California, SEIU CA. He is also endorsed by elected officials and leaders, including civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and Assemblymember Robert Rivas.

Electoral history: Carrillo ran for city council of Palmdale and won a seat against ten other candidates.

Top issues: Protecting against COVID-19, fighting for worker equity, and housing.

Priority bills: As a city councilmember, he has been a strong supporter of bills to promote greater equity in the community in housing and health care.

Governance and community leadership experience: Carrillo is a city councilmember, which he does because he wants to make college and housing a reality. He has accomplished a plan for $5,000 rental assistance aid in the city and has been a longtime supporter of expanding access to health care.

Other background: Carrillo, a former city planner, is from Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. He attended an ESL program when he was 15.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Juan Carrillo (D), 30%; Paul Marsh (R), 38.1%; and Andrea Rosenthal (D), 21.7%. Carrillo and Marsh will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Carrillo’s campaign has raised $381,519 and is not funded by police.

Opposing candidate: Republican Paul Marsh

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Marsh’s campaign has raised $3,500 in two contributions.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 39th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.

Voter registration: 47.4% Democrat, 21.7% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. No incumbent resided within this new district, which is a safe Democratic district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-39 is 13% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 50.3% Latino, 3.5% Asian, and 17% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-39 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 9.8 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 21.22 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Courage California endorses Pilar Schiavo for State Assembly to put AD-40 on the right track for progress.

Pilar Schiavo’s policy positions and organizing experience demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-40 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Schiavo has the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups, including AFSCME California, UNITE HERE!, California Stonewall Democratic Club, Daybreak PAC, and Project Super Bloom. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, Board of Equalization member Malia Cohen, State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, Assm. Laura Friedman, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.

Electoral history: Schiavo has not run for public office before.

Top issues: Economy and jobs creation, Health Care for All, homelessness and housing, mutual aid, women’s issues, and environmental protections.

Priority bills: Schiavo has long been involved in labor-organizing work. She served as political director for the San Francisco Labor Council, which guaranteed health care in San Francisco. Schiavo also recruited and trained new organizers at the AFL-CIO Organizing Institute and represented mental-health workers for SEIU in Massachusetts, where she also did low-income tenant organizing. While with the California Nurses Association (CNA), she worked closely with nurses to organize a statewide coalition for a single-payer system in California, including coordinating the field campaign for SB 562. Her work with CNA also involved time as a field coordinator to deploy nurses for disasters and humanitarian missions to hurricane sites, border shelters, California wildfires, and a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in South Los Angeles. In her more recent organizing, Schiavo co-founded West Valley Homes YES! (WVHY) to fight for housing for unhoused neighbors. In 2020, the organization became the largest mutual-aid program in the San Fernando Valley.

Governance and community leadership experience: Schiavo has worked in the labor movement for two decades and for the California Nurses Association (CNA) for almost 13 years, which she does to uplift working families and ensure that all people have access to housing, health care, and a good-paying job. She also has extensive experience in organizations outside her district, including organizing for Healthy California Now and Medicare for All in California. Moreover, she has worked with APEN and a broad coalition in the East Bay on environmental issues, and with Jobs with Justice SF, the Chinese Progressive Association, and various SEIU Local and unions in San Francisco while at the San Francisco Labor Council. Schiavo co-founded the West Valley People’s Alliance to advocate for racial justice, affordable housing, and environmental justice.

Other background: Schiavo is from Southern California’s West Valley and currently lives in Chatsworth.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included incumbent Assm. Suzette Martinez Valladares (R), 47%; Pilar Schiavo (D), 34%; and Annie Cho (D), 19%. Pilar Schiavo and Suzette Martinez Valladares will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Shiavo’s campaign has raised $754,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, corporate PAC, or police donors.

Opposing candidate: Republican Assm. Suzette Martinez Valladares

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Martinez Valladares’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and is funded by corporate PAC, real estate, police, and fossil fuel interests. Her problematic donors include Chevron Policy Government and Public Affairs, California Real Estate PAC, California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC, and AT&T Services Inc.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 40th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 42% Democrat, 29% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until 2018 when James Ramos won and flipped it from red to blue. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-40 is 8% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 27% Latino, 15% Asian, and 6% Black

Recent election results: AD-40 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 16 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 10 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Holden to keep AD-41 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Holden’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-41 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Holden has the endorsement of some labor unions, including SEIU CA and California Labor Federation.

Top issues: Transportation, health care, and prison reform.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Holden’s priorities for AD-41 have included 43 bills about health care and health-care facilities, prison confinement, and victims’ compensation. Of these, 26 have been successfully chaptered into law. He has sponsored legislation on safer drinking water, the reporting of excessive-force violations, and other bills. He scores a Lifetime CS of 94 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Holden has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Holden currently sits on four standing committees, including chairing the Appropriations Committee, as well as co-chairing the Select Committee on Corporate Board and California Workplace Diversity and chairing the Select Committee on Regional Transportation Solutions.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Holden has served in this assembly seat since 2012, when he was elected with 58% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 31 points.

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Holden was a mayor and city council member in Pasadena. Assm. Holden has been a longtime supporter of efforts to fight wildfires and foster environmental justice.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Chris Holden (D), 96.7%; and Michael McMahon (R), 3.3%. McMahon was a write-in. Holden and McMahon will compete in the November 8 run-off election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Holden’s campaign has raised $1,000,275 and has some problematic funders, like California Correctional Peace Officers Association PAC, California Real Estate PAC, and some other corporate PACs.

Opponent: Michael McMahon

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The McMahon campaign has not filed any fundraising disclosures with the secretary of state’s office for this race.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 41st Assembly District includes parts of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 28% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since at least 1992. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-41 is 5% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 26% Latino, 13% Asian, and 8% Black.

Recent election results: AD-41 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 17 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to keep AD-42 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Jacqui Irwin’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a representative leader for the constituents of AD-42. While she has opposed some significant progressive legislation during her time in the Assembly, our analysis shows that she will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district if she is subject to increased community accountability.

Progressive Endorsements: Assm. Irwin has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and California Labor Federation. She has also received the endorsement of many state and local elected officials, including Senator Alex Padilla, State Senator Henry Stern, and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. However, she is also endorsed and funded by many police leaders and organizations, including California Correctional Peace Officers’ Association, Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, and Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs Association. She is the recipient of campaign donations from many problematic donors across industries, including Sempra Energy, PG&E Corporation, Facebook, California Real Estate PAC, and Fox Corporation.

Top issues: Technology and information security, pandemic recovery, economic growth, public health and health care, and STEM education.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Irwin’s priorities for her current district, AD-44, have included 47 bills about health care, technology and information security, and education. Of these, twelve have been chaptered into law, eleven are enrolled, seven have died, and the majority of the others remain in committee. Assm. Irwin scores a Lifetime CS of 47 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Irwin has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. This term, she failed to vote on reductions to youth probation, a retroactive implementation of the California Racial Justice Act of 2020, and limitations on law-enforcement agencies acquiring military equipment. She also voted against several criminal-justice reform bills, including those to seal criminal records for individuals who have completed sentences, repealing loitering laws to reduce the harassment of sex workers, and removing mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Irwin currently serves on five standing committees, including as chair of Revenue and Taxation. She also serves as chair of the Select Committee on Cybersecurity.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Irwin has served in this assembly seat since 2014, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2020, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 22 points.

Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Irwin spent ten years on the Thousand Oaks City Council, including two terms as mayor. In this local role, she worked for increased public safety and the preservation of open lands. She started her career in engineering, and has championed Assembly bills centered on the expansion of STEM education centers and improved cybersecurity policies.

Other background: Assm. Irwin, an engineer and a public official, has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included incumbent Assm. Jacqui Irwin (D), 56%; Lori Mills (R), 29%; and Ted Nordblum (R), 15%. Assm. Jacqui Irwin and Lori Mills will contend in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Irwin’s campaign has raised $899,000 and has received donations from many problematic organizations, including those in the police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate industries.

Opposing candidate: Republican Lori Mills

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Mills’s campaign has raised $81,000 and is funded by real estate interests.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 42nd Assembly District includes parts of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 41% Democrat, 30% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans and Independents typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-42 is 5% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 14% Latino, 9% Asian, and 2% Black

Recent election results: AD-42 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by ten points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Luz Rivas to keep AD-43 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Luz Rivas’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-43 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Rivas has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Labor Federation, Sierra Club, and Equality California. However, she has received financial support from a variety of problematic funders, including Sempra Energy, Edison International, Amazon, and AT&T.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, STEM education, environmental and water protections, and transportation.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Rivas’s priorities for her current district, AD-39, have included 43 bills about homelessness and housing, early childhood and post-secondary education, and transportation. Of these, 17 have been chaptered into law, five have died, and the rest remain in committee. Notably, she authored AB 71, which seeks to establish a permanent source of funding for long-term solutions to homelessness in California through a state taxation adjustment. This bill has not yet passed the Assembly and the Senate, but is demonstrative of her innovative approach to resolving social issues. She scores a Lifetime CS of 98 out of 100 and is an All-Star on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Rivas has supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Rivas currently serves on six standing committees, and is chair of the Natural Resources committee and chair of the Select Committee on the Non-Profit Sector.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Rivas has served in the assembly since 2018, when she was elected with over 77% of the vote. In 2020, she won her reelection against Republican challenger Ricardo Benitez by 48 points.

Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Rivas spent her early career as an electrical engineer, where she developed a strong interest in early STEM education. She completed a master of education program before, in 2011, founding DIY Girls, which is a nonprofit organization that partners with local schools to expose girls to STEM programming. Before winning election to the Assembly in 2018, she served as Public Works Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles.

Other background: Assm. Rivas is a lifelong resident of the San Fernando Valley.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Luz Rivas (D), 98%; and Siaka Massaquoi (W/I), 2%. Incumbent Assm. Luz Rivas and Siaka Massaquoi will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Rivas’s campaign has raised $605,000 and is not funded by police interests. She has received donations from real estate, corporate PAC, and fossil fuel interests, including Tesla Inc., California Real Estate PAC, Google, Meta Platforms Inc., and SoCAL Edison.

Opposing candidate: Independent Siaka Massaquoi

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Massaquoi’s campaign has raised $10,000 and is primarily funded by individual donors.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 43rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 56% Democrat, 25% Republican, and 13% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-43 is 4% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 64% Latino, 9% Asian, and 5% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-43 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 50 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 56 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Friedman to keep AD-44 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Friedman’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-44 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Friedman has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including SEIU California, Emily’s List, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and others.

Top issues: Housing, health care, environment, and working families.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Friedman’s priorities for AD-44 have included 40 bills about firearm safety, wildfires, and housing and development. Of these, 19 have been chaptered into law. She has sponsored and passed legislation to encourage property owners to build accessory dwellings on their property. She scores a Lifetime CS of 99 out of 100 and is an All-Star on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Friedman has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Assm. Friedman has also supported a bill to remove critical oversight of telecom companies.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Friedman currently serves on five standing committees, two subcommittees, and twelve subcommittees, including chairing the Transportation Committee, the Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Subcommittee, and the Select Committee on Urban Development to Combat Climate Change.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Friedman has served in this assembly seat since 2016, when she was elected with 29% of the vote. In 2020, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 30 points.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Friedman was a member of the Glendale City Council. Assm. Friedman has been a longtime supporter of health care and environmental justice.

Other background: Assm. Friedman, a former vice president of development at a film production company, is from South Florida. She also served a term as the mayor of Glendale.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Friedman (D), 73.2%; and Barry Jacobsen (R), 26.8%. Friedman and Jacobsen will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Friedman’s campaign has raised $662,414.40 and is not funded by police.

Opposing candidate: Republican Barry Jacobsen

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Jacobsen’s fundraising is not available this cycle.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 44th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since 2014. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-44 is 2% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 18% Latino, 11% Asian, and 5% Black.

Recent election results: AD-44 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 38 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 42 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Gabriel to keep AD-46 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Gabriel’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-46 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Gabriel has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Sierra Club California, California Labor Federation, and Planned Parenthood.

Top issues: Police officer training, voting rights, and housing.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Gabriel’s priorities for AD-46 have included 54 bills about pandemic relief, wildfires, and homelessness. Of these, 21 have been successfully chaptered into law. He has sponsored and passed legislation to make social media more transparent, and to require violence-prevention services to be covered by insurance. He scores a Lifetime CS of 84 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Gabriel has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Assm. Gabriel has not supported the repeal of sentencing enhancements for those with prior offenses.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Gabriel currently serves on five standing committees and four select committees, including chairing the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee and the Select Committee on Jobs and Innovation in the San Fernando Valley.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Gabriel has served in this assembly seat since 2018, when he was elected with 70% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 33 points.

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Gabriel was counselor to former US Senator Evan Bayh. Assm. Gabriel has been a longtime supporter of expanding legal services to low-income Californians.

Other background: Assm. Gabriel, a former lawyer for the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, is from Berkeley. He represented survivors of abuse and other notable groups, like Holocaust survivors, in his legal practice.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Jesse Gabriel (D), 67%; and Dana Caruso (R), 33%. Gabriel and Caruso will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Gabriel’s campaign has raised $1,045,320.79 and is not funded by fossil fuel money.

Opposing candidate: Republican Dana Caruso

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Caruso’s fundraising is not available.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 46th Assembly District includes parts of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since at least 2012. After the 2021 redistricting process, AD-46 is 4% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 29% Latino, 12% Asian, and 6% Black.

Recent election results: AD-46 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 35 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 40 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 56 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats. One seat is held by an Independent and four seats are currently vacant.

Reelect Assemblymember Mike Fong to keep AD-49 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Mike Fong’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-49 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Fong has the endorsement of many labor organizations and the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus. He has also received endorsements from many local leaders, including Congressmember Judy Chu, State Controller Betty Yee, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Assemblymember Alex Lee, and Los Angeles Supervisor Hilda Solis.

Top issues: Education, workforce development, disability access, environmental protections, homelessness and housing, and technological infrastructure.

Priority bills: Since winning the special election for his Assembly seat in February 2022, Assm. Fong’s priorities for AD-49 have included eight bills about climate protections, higher-education funding, workforce development, and disability access. Of these, two have been chaptered into law, two have been enrolled, one has been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. He has sponsored and passed legislation to improve infrastructure and digital access for disabled people, improve broadband access for Californians, provide ethics training for educational agencies, improve the diversity of curriculum for the California State university system, and support student retention for universities.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Fong currently sits on five committees, including Appropriations, Rules, and Banking and Finance.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Fong won a special election for this seat in 2022 with 67% of the vote after Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Assm. Ed Chau to serve on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Fong served in seat number 7 on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees after winning his 2020 election with 42% of the vote.

Assm. Fong served as director of policy and government relations for the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, which he did to support local integration of public services. Before holding this role, Fong served as the East Area director for Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa. He also served as commissioner of the Alhambra Transportation Commission, and as an advisory board member for LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program. Throughout his career, Fong has shown a commitment to supporting education initiatives and programs that allow young people to transition from the classroom through workforce-development opportunities and into meaningful careers in their communities.

Other background: Assm. Fong is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included incumbent Assm. Mike Fong (D), 70%; and Burton Brink (R), 30%. Assm. Mike Fong and Burton Brink will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Fong’s campaign has raised $640,000 and has received donations from police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests. His problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Huntington Beach Police Officers Association PAC, California Real Estate PAC, and AT&T Services.

Opposing candidate: Republican Burton Brink

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Brink’s campaign has raised $17,000 and is funded primarily by individual donors.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 49th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 31% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-49 is 1% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 28% Latino, 53% Asian, and 2% Black

Recent election results: AD-49 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 36 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 32 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Courage California endorses Rick Chavez Zbur for State Assembly to put AD-51 on the right track for progress.

Rick Chavez Zbur’s record of coalition-building and equity-focused work demonstrates that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-51 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Chavez Zbur has the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups, including Heart of LA Democratic Club, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Labor Federation, California Environmental Voters, Stonewall Democratic Club, and Westside Young Democrats. He has also received the endorsement of state and local leaders, including L.A. Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Senator Alex Padilla, Congressmember Katie Porter, and Governor Gavin Newsom.

Electoral history: Chavez Zbur ran for Congress in 1996, but lost the election to the Republican incumbent by a ten-point margin.

Top issues: Economic reform, reproductive justice, workers’ rights, civil rights, gun safety, homelessness and housing, and climate protections.

Priority bills: As a nonprofit and community leader, Chavez Zbur has been a strong supporter of social-service access for underserved populations and economic revitalization. His work with Equality California dovetailed with the organization’s transition to civil rights advocacy, and he supported the passage of over 90 bills related to LGBTQIA+ justice during his time in leadership. Beyond civil rights issues, Chavez Zbur has been a strong supporter of workers’ rights and economic reform, and views this as a gateway to more equitable access to housing, health care, education, and public services. His platform supports further increases to minimum wage, collective bargaining, and supported overtime, and lays out an ambitious vision of establishing a youth corps to connect homeless individuals with wraparound resources. He has also served as president and chair of California Environmental Voters, and would be a strong supporter of statewide efforts to curb the use of fossil fuels, subsidies to transition away from natural gas, and the governor’s goal of reducing gas-powered vehicles.

Governance and community leadership experience: Chavez Zbur is an attorney and a nonprofit executive, working in private practice for 25 years before transitioning to serve as executive director of Equality California. He has cited his sister’s battle with ALS and his own experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community during the AIDS crisis as inspiring his transition to this work. AD-51 has the highest concentration of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Southern California, and Chavez Zbur’s network and understanding of the issues facing this community would benefit him as a legislative leader. He also currently serves on the board of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, and has taken a coalition approach to effect change in his leadership roles across his organizational work.

Other background: Rick Chavez Zbur is from New Mexico and has lived in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years. Chavez Zbur has a long history of progressive community engagement, including serving on the boards of Lambda Legal Defense and Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, and working to elect former President Bill Clinton and former Senator Barbara Boxer.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Rick Chavez Zbur (D), 62%; and Louis Abramson (D), 38%. Rick Chavez Zbur and Louis Abramson will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Chavez Zbur’s campaign has raised $1.2 million and is not funded by police interests. He has received problematic donations from Edison International, California Real Estate PAC, and AT&T.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Louis Abramson

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Abramson’s campaign has raised $220,000 and is funded almost entirely by individual donors.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 51st Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 58% Democrat, 12% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-51 is 5% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 14% Latino, 13% Asian, and 6% Black

Recent election results: AD-51 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 58 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 64 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Carrillo to keep AD-52 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Carrillo’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-52 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Carrillo has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including AFSCME California, California Labor Federation, Equality California, and Planned Parenthood.

Top issues: Health care, the environment, housing and homelessness, community safety, education, working families, and a fair economy.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Carrillo’s priorities for the current AD-51 district have included 47 bills about pollution, health care/COVID-19, and worker protection. Of these, 17 have been successfully chaptered into law. She has sponsored and passed legislation to target air pollution from short-haul trucks, obtain help with recession planning, and provide deportation protection. She scores a Lifetime CS of 95 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Carrillo has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Carrillo currently sits on five standing committees, two subcommittees, eleven select committees, and a joint committee. She chairs the Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on State Administration and the Select Committee on Uplifting Girls and Women of Color in California.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Carrillo has served in this assembly seat since 2017, when she was elected with 54% of the vote. In 2020, she ran unopposed for reelection.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Carrillo was a journalist who hosted radio and digital media. Assm. Carrillo has been a longtime supporter of workers’ rights.

Other background: Assm. Carrillo grew up in Boyle Heights and City Terrace. As a child, she came to the US as an undocumented refugee from El Salvador.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Carrillo (D), 50%; Mia Livas Porter (D), 36%; and Gia d’Amato (R), 13%. Carrillo and Porter will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Carrillo's campaign has raised $665,410 and is not funded by police.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Mia Livas Porter

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Livas Porter’s campaign has raised $123,538 and is funded primarily by individual donors.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 52nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 62% Democrat, 10% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-52 is 2% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 50% Latino, 15% Asian, and 3% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-52 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 63 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 70 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Miguel Santiago to keep AD-54 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Santiago’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-54 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Santiago has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Environmental Voters, Equality California, and NARAL Pro-Choice California.

Top issues: Tax, health care, and environment.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Santiago’s priorities for AD-54 have included 68 bills about taxes, health care, and the environment. Of these, 25 have successfully been passed by the Assembly. He has sponsored and passed legislation to support education and free tax-assistance grants, better labeling for compostable and biodegradable products, and to provide health care for all. He scores a Lifetime CS of 93 out of 100 and is an All-Star on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Santiago has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote.

He authored AB 19, a law passed in 2017 that made community college free in California for the first year. In 2019, he authored and passed AB 2, which added a second year of free community college. Santiago has also delivered millions of dollars for legal services to support unaccompanied minors facing deportation, and those affected by the White House’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Santiago currently sits on five committees, and chairs the Governmental Organization Committee.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Santiago has served in this assembly seat since 2014, when he was elected with over 63% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Democratic challenger by 12 points.

Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Assm. Santiago was involved in community organizing, and worked on expanding affordable health care and housing. He is a longtime supporter of education, just immigration policies, and economic development.

Other background: Assm. Santiago is from Los Angeles.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Miguel Santiago (D), 100%; and Elaine Alaniz (R), 0%. Santiago and Alaniz will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Santiago’s campaign has raised $1.5 million and is not funded by real estate money.

Opposing candidate: Republican Elaine Alaniz

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Alaniz’s campaign has not filed campaign finances.

 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 54th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 60% Democrat, 10% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since at least 2002. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-54 is 2% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 54% Latino, 24% Asian, and 8% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-54 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 59 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 66 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to keep AD-55 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Isaac Bryan’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-55 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Bryan has the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups, including California Teachers Association, California League of Conservation Voters, ACCE Action, and many union organizations. He has also received the endorsement of many progressive lawmakers, including Congressmember Karen Bass, LA Supervisor Holly Mitchell, and LA City Councilmember Nithya Raman.

Top issues: Climate change, child welfare, education, health care, criminal-justice reform, homelessness and housing, and workforce development and reentry.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Bryan’s priorities for his current district, AD-54, have included 24 bills about housing, child welfare, climate change, and criminal justice. Of these, two have been chaptered into law and one has died, and the remaining bills are in committee. He scores a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Bryan has supported all progressive bills that made it to a vote this year. He received an Honorable Mention distinction from Courage Score this year for his commitment to progressive leadership.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Bryan currently sits on five committees, including Appropriations, Governmental Organization, Human Services, and Public Safety, and serves as the chair of the Elections Committee.

Governance and Community Leadership Experience: Assm. Bryan has served in this assembly seat since 2021, when he won a special election with over 50% of the vote.

Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Assm. Bryan developed his political acumen as a published academic, earning a master’s of public policy degree from UCLA. After graduating, he became founding director of the UCLA Black Policy Project, which aims to address racial inequity through policy analysis and advocacy. His work there allowed him to focus on research regarding the resources needed for successful reentry after incarceration, and larger issues with youth-justice policy. Assm. Bryan’s interest in issues of equity is personal. As one of nine adopted children in a family of 15, he encountered significant academic challenges and observed his siblings struggling with houselessness, addiction, and mental health. Assm. Bryan is a longtime supporter of policy that addresses the intersections of these complex social issues. He co-chaired the committee supporting Measure J, which amended the Los Angeles County charter to require that 10% of local revenue be reinvested in the community and in alternatives to incarcerations. The measure was passed by voters in November 2020, and brings meaningful local investment to the county.

Other background: Assm. Isaac Bryan lives in Jefferson Park.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Isaac Bryan (D), 86%; and Keith Girolamo Cascio (R), 14%. Incumbent Assm. Isaac Bryan and Keith Girolamo Cascio will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Bryan’s campaign has raised $716,000 and is not funded by police or fossil fuel interests. However, he has received donations from problematic funders, including Fox Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and AT&T.

Opposing candidate: Republican Keith Girolamo Cascio

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Girolamo Cascio’s campaign has not recorded any fundraising receipts with the secretary of state’s office as of September 2022.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 55th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 65% Democrat, 8% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Prior to redistricting, Republicans typically held this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, the advantage that Democrats held during the 2020 general election cycle is unchanged.

District demographics: 25% Latino, 11% Asian, and 29% Black

Recent election results: AD-55 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 71 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 73 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Lisa Calderon to keep AD-56 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Lisa Calderon’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-56 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Calderon has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including NARAL Pro-Choice California and California Environmental Voters, and labor unions like SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West, and the California Labor Federation. She is also endorsed by a broad set of federal, state, and local elected officials and leaders, including Congressman Adam Schiff, LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis, and labor organizer Dolores Huerta.

She has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Los Angeles City Council member Gil Cedillo, who has come under fire for his close ties to real estate development.

Top issues: Protections for vulnerable youth, education, healthcare

Priority bills: Assm. Calderon’s priorities for AD-56 this year have included 38 bills about foster care, education, insurance coverage, improved emergency responses, and youth health, of which 26 have successfully passed the Assembly. She has sponsored and passed legislation to expand insurance coverage for long-term and in-home care, improving reunification services for foster youth, protect scholarship funds at state universities, plan for environmental disasters, like wildfires, and loosen privacy disclosures requirements by insurance agencies. Calderon also authored legislation that broadened the social services offered to asylum-seekers. She scores a 77 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Calderon has supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Assm. Calderon failed to vote on several bills aimed at reforming the criminal legal system, as well as bills to increase environmental protections and reduce carbon emissions.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Calderon currently chairs the Human Services Committee, and sits on the Committees on Aging and Long-Term Care, Appropriations, Emergency Management, and Public Employment and Retirement.

Governance and Community Leadership Experience: Assm. Calderon has served in this assembly seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 60% of the vote. She is a commissioner on the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and was appointed by Assembly Speaker Rendon to the Council of State Governments West Executive Committee.

Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Calderon served as a legislative aide before working for decades as a manager with Southern California Edison. As government affairs manager with Edison, she ran their corporate PAC. Her connection to corporate and fossil fuel interests raises concerns, especially given that her campaign is principally financed by large donations from corporations.

Other background: Assm. Calderon is from the Central Valley and has lived in the district for 30 years. She is the daughter of farm laborers. Calderon earned her bachelor’s degree from CSU Sacramento. She organized against California’s Prop 187, which aimed to bar undocumented immigrants from accessing public services, often through racial profiling.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Lisa Calderon (D), 60%; Jessica Martinez (R), 29%; and Natasha "Naty" Serrano (R), 11%. Assm. Calderon and Jessica Martinez will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Calderon’s campaign has raised $715,400. She has accepted donations from corporate PACs, including $35,000 from the pharmaceutical industry, $15,000 from the financial-services industry, and over $40,000 from the insurance industry. She has also accepted tens of thousands of dollars from the real estate industry, fossil fuel interests, and the police.

Opposing candidate: Republican Jessica Martinez

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $49,857, and has not committed to refusing donations from corporate PACs, the fossil-fuel industry, the police, or the real estate industry.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 56th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 49% Democrat, 21% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, the voter registration of AD-56 has remained largely unchanged, with Democrats maintaining the 28-point advantage held during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 55% Latino, 27% Asian, and 2% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-56 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 30 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer to keep AD-57 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Jones-Sawyer’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Jones-Sawyer has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including the California Environmental Voters, Equality California, Brady United Against Gun Violence, and Los Angeles County Labor Federation.

Top issues: Justice reform, health care, and education.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Jones-Sawyer’s priorities for AD-57 have included 39 bills about a pilot program for public postsecondary education and a bill related to perjury by police officers. Of these, 19 have been successfully chaptered into law. He has sponsored and passed legislation to count the number of low-income housing credits given to LGBTQIA+ people, women, and minorities. He scores a Lifetime CS of 96 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Jones-Sawyer has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, Assm. Jones-Sawyer did not vote to protect homeowners and renters from foreclosure and eviction due to circumstances related to COVID-19.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Jones-Sawyer currently sits on five standing committees, one subcommittee, and six select committees, including chairing the Public Safety Committee and the Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Jones-Sawyer has served in this Assembly seat since 2012, when he was elected with 52% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by 15 points.

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Assm. Jones-Sawyer was assistant deputy mayor of Los Angeles. Assm. Jones-Sawyer has been a longtime supporter of assisting the reentry into society of people who were formerly convicted of crimes.

Other background: Assm. Jones-Sawyer is from Los Angeles. He helped change the city’s complex regulations surrounding housing development.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Jones-Sawyer (D), 100%. He is not facing a challenger.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Jones-Sawyer’s campaign has raised $558,913 and is not funded by real estate money.

Opposing candidate: Republican N/A

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: N/A
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 64% Democrat, 6% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since at least 2012. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-57 is 1% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 57% Latino, 4% Asian, and 30% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-57 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 74 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 77 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Courage California endorses Assemblymember Tina McKinnor for reelection to keep CD-61 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Tina McKinnor’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-61 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. McKinnor has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of many officials, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, labor leader Dolores Huerta, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Senator Maria Elena Durazo, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.

Top issues: Housing, criminal-justice reform, climate protections, health care, and equity in the cannabis industry.

Priority bills: Assm. McKinnor joined the Assembly after a special election victory in June 2022, and has had limited time to present her priorities through legislation. So far, Assm. McKinnor’s priorities for her current district, AD-62, have included one amended bill about housing and zoning code. Before running for office, she also served as a district director and chief of staff in the State Assembly, where she guided significant legislation, including a bill that ensured that minority, women-owned, and LGBTQIA+ businesses would be given equal consideration as state contractors. Assm. McKinnor led LA Voice’s work in successfully advocating for the passing and implementation of SB 2 to increase police accountability. She also led LA Voice Action’s electoral campaigns to help elect Los Angeles Supervisor Holly Mitchell and District Attorney George Gascón. She has not yet been included in Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. McKinnor currently sits on four committees, including Business & Professions, Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials, Public Employment & Retirement, and Rules.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. McKinnor has served in this assembly seat since 2022, when she was elected with over 53% of the vote in a special election to replace AD-62 Assm. Autumn Burke after her mid-term retirement.

Prior to joining the Assembly, Assm. McKinnor was the civic-engagement director for LA Voice and LA Voice Action, an interfaith organization that works with 59 connected congregations in Los Angeles County to bring progressive change to criminal justice, immigration, election reform, and housing reform. She does this work to find diverse and comprehensive solutions to community issues through local collaboration. McKinnor founded and runs the McKinnor Group, a consulting firm that offers a full spectrum of campaign services to elected officials, candidates, ballot-measure efforts, corporations, nonprofits, lobbyists, and other political groups. She has served as a board member with Partnership for Growth LA, and was the operational director for the California Democratic Party. McKinnor is a collaborative leader, and often seeks input and guidance from individuals and groups that have been directly affected by an issue. She has built a strong network in both the legislative and organizing communities, and has leveraged her deep knowledge of fiscal and people management to create meaningful change.

Other background: Tina McKinnor has lived in Los Angeles for 28 years.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Robert Pullen-Miles (D), 39%; Assm. Tina McKinnor (D), 33%; James Arlandus Spencer (R), 14%; Angie Reyes English (D), 11%; and Nico Ruderman (D), 4%. Assm. Tina McKinnor and Robert Pullen-Miles will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. McKinnor’s campaign has raised $231,000 and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC donors.

Opposing candidate: Republican Robert Pullen-Miles
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Pullen-Miles’s campaign has raised $91,000 and is funded by real estate, corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police interests. His problematic donors include Inglewood Police Association PAC, Chevron Policy Government & Public Affairs, and California Real Estate PAC.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 61st Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 9% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-61 is 3% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 34% Latino, 6% Asian, and 34% Black.

Recent election results: AD-61 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 68 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 69 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Anthony Rendón to keep AD-62 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Rendón’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-62 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Rendón has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Labor Federation, NARAL Pro-Choice California, and Sierra Club. He has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including police groups.

Top issues: Public health, education, environment, and LA River revitalization.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Rendón’s priorities for AD-62 have included 70 bills about commemorating various causes and public health. Of these, 67 have successfully been passed by the Assembly. He has sponsored and passed legislation to commemorate Blue Star Mothers, the American Red Cross, and Black History Month. He scores a Lifetime CS of 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Rendón has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, he has also been lukewarm in his advocacy for key progressive policies, failing to cast a vote on two recent bills: AB 570, which expanded health insurance to cover parents, and AB 1183, which increased funding for conservation, recreation, and environmental education projects in California’s desert region.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Rendón has served as the speaker of the Assembly since 2016. The speaker sets rules for the Assembly, makes committee assignments, and controls the flow of legislation. In this role, Rendon has given committee chairs more power to make rules for their own committees, which has led to some committee chairs not accepting public comment on legislation. He has also been criticized for rules that do not concur with Senate rules, such as denying Assemblymembers the ability to vote by proxy beyond very narrow definitions. Rendon currently sits on two committees—the Arts and the Rules Committees.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Rendón has served in this assembly seat since 2012, when he was elected with over 74% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a Republican challenger by eight points.

Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Assm. 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. Rendón also served as the interim executive director of the California League of Conservation Voters, now California Environmental Voters.

Other background: Assm. Rendón is from Los Angeles.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Anthony Rendón (D), 67%; and Maria Estrada (D), 33%. Rendón and Estrada will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Rendón’s campaign has raised $1.8 million and is funded by police, corporate, real estate, and fossil fuel money.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Maria Estrada

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Estrada’s campaign has raised $14,000 and is mostly funded by individual donors. This is her third challenge of Assm. Rendon.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 62nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 57% Democrat, 15% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats have held this district since before 1992. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-62 is 2% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 67% Latino, 7% Asian, and 9% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.

Recent election results: AD-62 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 47 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 48 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Elect Blanca Pacheco for State Assembly to keep AD-64 on the right track for progress.

Blanca Pacheco’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a representative leader for the constituents of AD-64. While she has the support from many problematic special interests, our analysis shows that she will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district if she is subjected to community accountability.

Progressive endorsements: Blanca Pacheco has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Labor Federation, Equality California, and NARAL Pro-Choice California. She has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including police groups.

Top Issues: Middle-class jobs, public schools, infrastructure, housing and homelessness, climate change, clean air and water, health care, immigration, and equality.

Governance and community leadership experience: Pacheco is the first-ever Latina mayor of Downey. She was first elected to the Downey City Council in 2016 and became mayor in 2020. She previously served as president of the League of California Cities, Los Angeles Division. Prior to serving in local office, Pacheco worked as an attorney and provided pro bono services to legal organizations. She has been a longtime supporter of modernizing infrastructure and programs that fight climate change.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Raul Ortiz Jr. (R), 33%; Blanca Pacheco (D), 23%; and Elizabeth Alcantar (D), 18%. Ortiz and Pacheco will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pacheco’s campaign has raised $604,000 and is funded by police, corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel money.

Opposing candidate: Republican Raul Ortiz Jr.

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Ortiz’s campaign has not yet filed its campaign finances.
 

The District

California’s 64th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County. Democrats typically hold this district. Of the registered voters in this district, 17% are Republican and 54% are Democrat, and the district’s demographic breakdown is 65% Latino, 10% Asian, and 3% Black. The most recent election results show that AD-64 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 40 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 32 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or the Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Courage California endorses Fatima Iqbal-Zubair for State Assembly to push AD-65 in the right direction.

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive champion for the constituents of AD-65 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Iqbal-Zubair has the endorsement of a strong majority of progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Communities for a Better Environment Action, California Progressive Alliance, Democratic Socialists of America-Los Angeles, Daybreak PAC, Health Care for All LA, and Project Super Bloom PAC. She is also endorsed by California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus Chair Amar Shergill and LA City Council member Mike Bonin.

Electoral history: Iqbal-Zubair ran for State Assembly in AD-64 in 2020 and lost to Democratic incumbent Assm. Mike Gipson by 19 points.

Top issues: equitable education, clean air and water, affordable housing, and universal health care for all.

Governance and community leadership experience: Iqbal-Zubair is a chemistry and environmental sciences teacher in Watts, a role in which she cultivates a strong relationship with her students and builds community. She founded an award-winning FIRST Robotics team and served as director of the Department of Science. Iqbal-Zubair became an advocate for the environment when she and her students studied air pollution from local refineries, water pollution from contaminated pipes, and soil contamination in gardens, play areas, and their own football field. She is active in local organizations, such as the Watts Rising Leadership Council. After performing well in the 2020 elections, she was appointed to the executive board of the California Democratic Party.

Iqbal-Zubair is running for election because she sees the struggles faced by her students and the district and because she believes in a government that works for all, not just a select few.

Other background: Iqbal-Zubair immigrated from Dubai.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Mike Gipson (D), 71%; and Fatima Iqbal-Zubair (D), 27%, and Lydia Gutierrez (R), a write-in candidate, 2%. Assm. Mike Gipson and Fatima Iqbal-Zubair will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Iqbal-Zubair’s campaign has raised over $469,000 and is not funded by police, real estate, corporate PAC or fossil fuel money. Her campaign funding consists almost entirely of individual contributions.

Opposing candidate: Democratic incumbent Assm. Mike Gipson

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Gipson’s campaign has raised over $1.4 million and is funded by police groups, real estate, corporate PAC, and fossil fuel money. Assm. Gipson scores a lifetime score of 73 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Gipson has failed to support bills on tenant protections, single-use plastic bans, oil-drilling setbacks from schools and other sensitive areas, and worker protections.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 65th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 11% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-65 is 3% less Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 49% Latino, 9% Asian, and 29% Black

Recent election results: The most recent election results show that AD-65 voted for Biden for president in 2020 by 61 points and Newsom for governor in 2018 by 63 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi to keep AD-66 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Al Muratsuchi has been a frequent recipient of donations from a variety of problematic funders, including AT&T Services, PG&E Corporation, Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC, and California Correctional Peace Officers Association PAC. Given Assm. Muratsuchi’s connection to these groups, it is important that voters continue to hold him accountable to ensure that his legislative efforts remain in the best interest of constituents instead of wealthy special interests. Based on our analysis, Assm. Muratsuchi’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will continue to be a leader for the constituents of AD-66 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Muratsuchi has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Federation of Teachers, Equality California, and California Environmental Voters. However, he has received donations from problematic stakeholders with corporate PAC and law enforcement interests.

Top issues: Public utilities, environmental and climate protections, education and workforce development, military and veterans, and homelessness and housing.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Muratsuchi’s priorities for AD-66 have included 46 bills about education, pollution, and climate protections. Of these, one has been chaptered into law, one was vetoed, ten have died, and the rest are currently in committee. In his role with the Select Committee on Aerospace, he has supported the local growth and success of SpaceX, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, and Northrop Grumman, a defense contractor. He scores a Lifetime CS of 61 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Muratsuchi has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. This term, he has primarily opposed or failed to vote on bills related to criminal-justice reform. He voted against protecting individuals eligible for prison release from being transferred to immigration detention, limiting disruptions to rehabilitative programs in prisons, and sealing the records of individuals who have fulfilled their sentences.

Committee leadership/membership: He currently serves on six standing committees, including Budget, Natural Resources, and Utilities and Energy. He serves as chair of the select committee on Aerospace, and as chair of the joint committee on Climate Change Policies.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Muratsuchi was originally elected to the Assembly in 2012, but lost his 2014 reelection bid to Republican David Hadley by a narrow margin. He regained his seat in the 2016 election, and won his 2020 reelection against Republican Arthur Schaper by 26 points.

Prior to his election to the State Assembly, Assm. Muratsuchi served as a deputy district attorney with the California Department of Justice. A longtime supporter of education reform, he served on the Torrance School Board, and has authored legislation to increase funding for the K–12 system, and to support career technical education. He was recognized as Legislator of the Year in 2019 by the California School Boards Association for his efforts to improve the education landscape for students and families. Assm. Muratsuchi has also partnered with police to construct criminal-justice bills.

Other background: Assm. Al Muratsuchi is a longtime resident of the South Bay of Los Angeles County.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Al Muratsuchi (D), 62%; and George Barks (R), 38%. Incumbent Assm. Al Muratsuchi and George Barks will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Muratsuchi’s campaign has raised $405,000 and has received donations from police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests. His problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Amazon.com, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC, and California Real Estate PAC.

Opposing candidate: Republican George Barks

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Barks’s campaign has not recorded any fundraising receipts with the secretary of state’s office as of September 2022.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 66th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 44% Democrat, 27% Republican, and 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. After the 2021 redistricting process, AD-66 is equally as Democratic as it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 19% Latino, 22% Asian, and 5% Black

Recent election results: AD-66 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 28 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 17 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Reelect Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva to keep AD-67 on the right track for progress.

Assm. Sharon Quirk-Silva’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a champion for the constituents of AD-67. While she has opposed some significant progressive legislation during her time in the Assembly, our analysis shows that she will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district if she is subject to increased community accountability.

Progressive endorsements: Assm. Quirk-Silva has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including California Labor Federation, California Legislative Women’s Caucus, and Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. She has also received the endorsement of many state and local leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Congressmember Karen Bass, and Assemblymember Isaac Bryan. However, she has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including California Association of Highway Patrolmen and Peace Officers Research Association of California.

Top issues: Homelessness and housing, taxation, education, health care, and public works.

Priority bills: This year, Assm. Quirk-Silva’s priorities for her current district, AD-65, have included 50 bills about housing, education, and taxation. Of these, 13 have been chaptered into law, 12 have died, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored and passed legislation that aims to improve housing fire safety standards, fund special-education initiatives, develop affordable housing, create more public restrooms, and support early-intervention mental-health care programs. However, she scores a Lifetime CS of 36 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Quirk-Silva has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote this term. She has failed to vote for several bills that would provide criminal-justice reforms, including reducing sentence enhancements, creating paths to rehabilitation for drug crimes, expunging or sealing records for individuals who have completed their sentences, and repealing a law that allows for the harassment and profiling of sex workers. She has also voted against legislation that supports a public banking option, mandates in-store recycling and plastic bag reuse programs, supports the establishment of industry wage standards for fast-food workers, and regulates the acquisition of military equipment for law-enforcement agencies.

Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Quirk-Silva currently sits on four committees, including Education, Governmental Organization, and Housing and Community Development. She serves as chair of the Committee on Communications and Conveyance and the Select Committee on Orange County Homelessness and Mental Health Services.

Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Quirk-Silva began her service in the Assembly in 2012, when she defeated a Republican incumbent with over 52% of the vote. She lost her reelection bid in 2014, but returned to the assembly in 2016. In 2020, she won her reelection against Republican challenger Cynthia Thacker by 16 points.

Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Quirk-Silva was a member of the Fullerton City Council and served two terms as mayor. Along with her public service, she had a 30-year career as a teacher, and has been a longtime supporter of education initiatives. She credits her time in the classroom as being the foundation of her collaborative approach to legislating, and her interest in listening to concerns and finding solutions.

Other background: Assm. Quirk-Silva is a lifelong resident of Fullerton.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included incumbent Assm. Sharon Quirk-Silva (D), 48%; Soo Yoo (R), 39%; Param Brar (D), 7%; and Sou Moua (R), 6%. Assm. Sharon Quirk-Silva and Soo Yoo will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Quirk-Silva’s campaign has raised $921,000 and has received donations from police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and real estate interests. Her problematic donors include Sempra Energy, Comcast Financial Agency Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and Anaheim Police Association PAC.

Opposing candidate: Republican Soo Yoo

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Yoo’s campaign has raised $233,000 and is funded by real estate interests.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 67th Assembly District includes parts of Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

Voter registration: 44% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Republicans typically hold this seat. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-67 is 4% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 30% Latino, 32% Asian, and 5% Black

Recent election results: AD-67 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 20 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 14 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.

Elect Josh Lowenthal for State Assembly to put AD-69 on the right track for progress.

Josh Lowenthal’s policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-69 and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.

Progressive endorsements: Lowenthal has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, the Sierra Club, and labor unions, like Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, SEIU, United Domestic Workers, and UFCW Local 324. He is also endorsed by many state and local elected officials, including State Senator Lena Gonzalez, Assemblymember Luz Rivas, and Los Angeles Supervisor Janice Hahn.

He has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including from police organizations like the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Organizations.

Electoral History: Lowenthal ran for State Assembly in 2018 in a redder district, and lost to a Republican opponent by only 3 points.

Top issues: Addressing homelessness, public safety, and economic development.

Governance and community leadership experience: Lowenthal is an entrepreneur and a businessman. He worked as the COO and then president of FreeConferenceCall.com, and is currently the general manager of the information aggregator company Plum. Lowenthal has deep ties to the political establishment of Long Beach: he is the son of Congressman Alan Lowenthal and former State Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal. As a business owner, Lowenthal calls for increased job creation as well as well-funded public education and accessible higher education, although he has not laid out a specific plan for accomplishing these goals. He previously served as president of Children Today, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth who are experiencing homelessness; he now sits on the board of directors. Lowenthal is a former teacher.

Other background: Josh Lowenthal has lived in Long Beach his entire life. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, and a master’s from UC San Diego.
 

The Race

Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Josh Lowenthal (D), 46%; Al Austin II (D), 27%; Janet Denise Foster (D), 19%; and Merry Taheri (D), 9%. Lowenthal and Austin will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.

Candidate fundraising and pledges: Lowenthal’s campaign has raised $1,088,270 and is not funded by police money, although he has accepted donations from the correctional officers’ union. He has also received tens of thousands of dollars from corporate PACs, the real estate industry, and the fossil fuel industry, including from the lobbying group Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy, which fundraises mostly from major corporations and oil companies.

Opposing candidate: Democrat Al Austin II

Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Austin’s campaign has raised $214,893 and is funded by the real estate industry, the fossil fuel industry, and the police.
 

The District

Counties in district: California’s 69th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.

Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-69 is 2% more Democratic than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.

District demographics: 31% Latino, 17% Asian, and 13% Black.

Recent election results: AD-69 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 45 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018 by 41 points.
 

The Position

State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.

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 or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.