No Recommendation
Member of the State Assembly - No Recommendation - 9th
This is a safe Republican seat with a Democratic challenger. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Heath Flora has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including the California Correctional Peace Officers’ PAC.
Mushtaq Tahirkheli does not have a campaign website.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Flora has served in Assembly District 12 since 2016, when he was elected with 52% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a challenger by 20 points. Since the redistricting, he’s running as an incumbent in the new District 9. Prior to his election to the assembly, Assm. Flora was a business owner and volunteer firefighter. He is a longtime supporter of the farming community.
Tahirkheli is a notary public. He ran for State Assembly in AD-09 in 2020, but did not advance past the primary election.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Heath Flora (R), 100%; and a write-in candidate, Mushtaq Tahirkheli (D), 0%. Flora and Tahirkheli will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Flora’s campaign has raised $961,429.07 and is funded by police money, corporate PACs, fossil fuel, and real estate money.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Tahirkheli’s fundraising is not available this cycle.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 9th Assembly District includes parts of San Joaquin, Calaveras, Amador, Sacramento, and Stanislaus Counties.
Voter registration: 33% Democrat, 40% Republican, and 19% No Party Preference. Republicans have held this district since 2016. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-09 is 1% more Republican than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 28% Latino, 6% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-09 voted for Trump for president in 2020 by 7 points and Cox for governor in 2018 by 23 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.
Member of the State Assembly - No Recommendation - 9th
This is a safe Republican seat with a Democratic challenger. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Heath Flora has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including the California Correctional Peace Officers’ PAC.
Mushtaq Tahirkheli does not have a campaign website.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Flora has served in Assembly District 12 since 2016, when he was elected with 52% of the vote. In 2020, he won his reelection against a challenger by 20 points. Since the redistricting, he’s running as an incumbent in the new District 9. Prior to his election to the assembly, Assm. Flora was a business owner and volunteer firefighter. He is a longtime supporter of the farming community.
Tahirkheli is a notary public. He ran for State Assembly in AD-09 in 2020, but did not advance past the primary election.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Assm. Heath Flora (R), 100%; and a write-in candidate, Mushtaq Tahirkheli (D), 0%. Flora and Tahirkheli will compete in a run-off in the November 8 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Flora’s campaign has raised $961,429.07 and is funded by police money, corporate PACs, fossil fuel, and real estate money.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Tahirkheli’s fundraising is not available this cycle.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 9th Assembly District includes parts of San Joaquin, Calaveras, Amador, Sacramento, and Stanislaus Counties.
Voter registration: 33% Democrat, 40% Republican, and 19% No Party Preference. Republicans have held this district since 2016. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-09 is 1% more Republican than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 28% Latino, 6% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-09 voted for Trump for president in 2020 by 7 points and Cox for governor in 2018 by 23 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.