Reelect Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to keep AD-42 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Jacqui Irwin has been a frequent recipient of donations from a variety of problematic funders, including Sempra Energy, McDonald’s Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC. Given Assm. Irwin’s connection to these groups, it is important that voters continue to hold her accountable to ensure that her legislative efforts remain in the best interests of AD-42 constituents instead of wealthy special interests.
Endorsements: Assm. Jacqui Irwin has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, Planned Parenthood, and AFSCME California. However, she has been a frequent recipient of support from police and law enforcement organizations and leaders, including endorsements from Los Angeles Police Protective League, Simi Valley Police Officers Association, and California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
Top issues: Consumer protections, transportation, education, electric vehicle infrastructure, taxation, and medical care.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Irwin’s priorities for AD-42 have included 49 bills about properties impacted by wildfires, worker benefits, and the online footprint of government agencies. Of these, 14 have been successfully chaptered into law, five have died, four have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to increase the age of eligibility for the ABLE Act from 26 to 46, streamline the review process for some groups of individuals qualified for the Multifamily Housing Program and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, and expand exemptions for death benefits in Workers’ Compensation. In 2024, she proposed legislation to eliminate jurisdictional rules in cases of theft, authorize civil engineers to provide visual inspections of new condominium construction, and raise awareness about engineering, and the importance of physical and mental health. She scored a CS of 48 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Irwin supported a few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Last year, she failed to cast a vote on several critical pieces of legislation, including bills to close loopholes for no-fault just-cause evictions, protect workers against discrimination and retaliation from their employers, allow a judge to recall a sentence when laws or circumstances change, and cap the amount a landlord can request as a security deposit to a single month of rent. Assm. Irwin is a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral group that claims that their collaborative work allows them to take a more holistic approach to evaluating legislation. In reality, the Problem Solvers Caucus actively works with problematic industries against progressive policies.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee Leadership/Membership: Assm. Irwin currently sits on five standing committees, including Agriculture, Business and Professions, Higher Education, and Privacy and Consumer Protection. She serves as chair of the committee on Revenue and Taxation, and the 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 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 10 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 has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Jacqui Irwin (D) 54%, and Ted Nordblum (R) 46%. Assm. Jacqui Irwin and Ted Nordblum will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Irwin’s campaign has raised $737,000 and is funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests. Her problematic donors include Bloom Energy Corporation, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Candidate PAC, and AirBnB Inc.
Opposing candidate: Republican Ted Nordblum
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Nordblum’s campaign has raised $96,000 and is funded primarily by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 42nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
Voter registration: 42% Democrat, 30% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until redistricting. In 2022, Assm. Jacqui Irwin won and flipped it from red to blue.
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 2022 by 8 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 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.
Reelect Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to keep AD-42 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Jacqui Irwin has been a frequent recipient of donations from a variety of problematic funders, including Sempra Energy, McDonald’s Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC. Given Assm. Irwin’s connection to these groups, it is important that voters continue to hold her accountable to ensure that her legislative efforts remain in the best interests of AD-42 constituents instead of wealthy special interests.
Endorsements: Assm. Jacqui Irwin has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, Planned Parenthood, and AFSCME California. However, she has been a frequent recipient of support from police and law enforcement organizations and leaders, including endorsements from Los Angeles Police Protective League, Simi Valley Police Officers Association, and California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
Top issues: Consumer protections, transportation, education, electric vehicle infrastructure, taxation, and medical care.
Priority bills: This legislative session, Assm. Irwin’s priorities for AD-42 have included 49 bills about properties impacted by wildfires, worker benefits, and the online footprint of government agencies. Of these, 14 have been successfully chaptered into law, five have died, four have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to increase the age of eligibility for the ABLE Act from 26 to 46, streamline the review process for some groups of individuals qualified for the Multifamily Housing Program and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program, and expand exemptions for death benefits in Workers’ Compensation. In 2024, she proposed legislation to eliminate jurisdictional rules in cases of theft, authorize civil engineers to provide visual inspections of new condominium construction, and raise awareness about engineering, and the importance of physical and mental health. She scored a CS of 48 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Irwin supported a few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Last year, she failed to cast a vote on several critical pieces of legislation, including bills to close loopholes for no-fault just-cause evictions, protect workers against discrimination and retaliation from their employers, allow a judge to recall a sentence when laws or circumstances change, and cap the amount a landlord can request as a security deposit to a single month of rent. Assm. Irwin is a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral group that claims that their collaborative work allows them to take a more holistic approach to evaluating legislation. In reality, the Problem Solvers Caucus actively works with problematic industries against progressive policies.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee Leadership/Membership: Assm. Irwin currently sits on five standing committees, including Agriculture, Business and Professions, Higher Education, and Privacy and Consumer Protection. She serves as chair of the committee on Revenue and Taxation, and the 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 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 10 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 has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Jacqui Irwin (D) 54%, and Ted Nordblum (R) 46%. Assm. Jacqui Irwin and Ted Nordblum will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Irwin’s campaign has raised $737,000 and is funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests. Her problematic donors include Bloom Energy Corporation, Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Candidate PAC, and AirBnB Inc.
Opposing candidate: Republican Ted Nordblum
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Nordblum’s campaign has raised $96,000 and is funded primarily by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 42nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
Voter registration: 42% Democrat, 30% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until redistricting. In 2022, Assm. Jacqui Irwin won and flipped it from red to blue.
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 2022 by 8 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 62 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats and one seat is vacant.