Based on our analysis, the two Democratic candidates for this position have distinct visions for the district. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Endorsements: David Lee has the endorsement of some groups, including California School Employees Association, Clean Water Action, Community Tenants Association, and San Francisco Rising. He has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including outgoing AD-19 Assm. Phil Ting, State Sen. Dave Min, Speaker Emeritus Assm. Anthony Rendon, and Assm. Evan Low.
Catherine Stefani has the endorsement of some groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety, California Labor Federation, Equality California, San Francisco YIMBY, and Sierra Club. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rep. Kevin Mullin, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and Mayor London Breed.
Key initiatives: Lee has had a long career as a civically engaged educator, which was inspired by his interest in helping immigrant communities and students navigate higher education and career development. He has lectured in political science at San Francisco State, and currently serves as director of the Asian Pacific American Student Success Program at Laney State. In this role, he has worked with undocumented students and those reintegrating after incarceration, providing mentorship, guidance, and language services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he advocated for and won grant funding to support access to mental health services for Asian American students experiencing discrimination. Lee has also provided city leadership, including as an appointed member of then Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Parks & Recreation Commission in 2005, where he supported efforts to refurbish play structures, plant trees, renovate parks buildings, and increase community programming.
As a San Francisco Supervisor, Stefani has successfully banned ghost guns in the city, created an Office of Victims’ Rights to provide resources and health services to victims of crime, and increased accountability for the nonprofit organizations partnered with the city government. She has also worked to help streamline affordable housing development in vulnerable communities. Along with her advocacy for firearm safety, she has been outspoken about domestic violence prevention, and has worked to ensure that legal aid and resources are available to survivors.
Governance and community leadership experience: Lee has run for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at least twice, but earned only 10% of the vote in 2016 and 17% of the vote in 2020. He ran as a more centrist Democrat in previous campaigns.
In addition to his work in higher education, Lee has also served as executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee for 30 years, supporting voter engagement and education for AAPI communities in the Bay Area.
Stefani was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in January 2018 to fill a vacancy, and went on to win the election that November with over 50% of the vote. In 2022, she ran unopposed for reelection. Stefani is the most moderate of the Democratic San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As a supervisor, Stefani has opposed rent control and eviction protections, supported expansion of law-enforcement powers and resources, and endorsed the controversial recall of former District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Prior to her election to the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors, Stefani was a prosecutor in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office before serving as a policy analyst and county clerk in city government roles in San Jose and San Francisco. In her policy roles, she provided expert analysis on local laws and Assembly bills related to homelessness, public safety, parks and recreation, and affordable housing. She is the founder of the San Francisco chapter of Moms Demand Action, and has been an outspoken advocate for gun-safety reform and violence prevention.
Other background: Lee was raised by immigrant parents in San Francisco.
Stefani is from Merced, and has lived in San Francisco for over 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Catherine Stefani (D) 57%, David Lee (D) 29%, Nadia Flamenco (R) 7%, and Arjun Gustav Sodhani (R) 7%. Catherine Stefani and David Lee will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Stefani’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests. Her problematic donors include Sempra Energy, San Francisco Apartment Association PAC, Peace Officers Research Association of California PAC, McDonald’s USA, and AT&T Services Incorporated.
Candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Lee’s campaign has raised $284,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 19th Assembly District includes parts of San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.
Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 10% Republican, 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 12% Latino, 43% Asian, and 4% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Asian American Pacific Islander seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-19 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 66 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 62 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.
Based on our analysis, the two Democratic candidates for this position have distinct visions for the district. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Endorsements: David Lee has the endorsement of some groups, including California School Employees Association, Clean Water Action, Community Tenants Association, and San Francisco Rising. He has also received the endorsement of some elected leaders, including outgoing AD-19 Assm. Phil Ting, State Sen. Dave Min, Speaker Emeritus Assm. Anthony Rendon, and Assm. Evan Low.
Catherine Stefani has the endorsement of some groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety, California Labor Federation, Equality California, San Francisco YIMBY, and Sierra Club. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rep. Kevin Mullin, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and Mayor London Breed.
Key initiatives: Lee has had a long career as a civically engaged educator, which was inspired by his interest in helping immigrant communities and students navigate higher education and career development. He has lectured in political science at San Francisco State, and currently serves as director of the Asian Pacific American Student Success Program at Laney State. In this role, he has worked with undocumented students and those reintegrating after incarceration, providing mentorship, guidance, and language services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he advocated for and won grant funding to support access to mental health services for Asian American students experiencing discrimination. Lee has also provided city leadership, including as an appointed member of then Mayor Gavin Newsom’s Parks & Recreation Commission in 2005, where he supported efforts to refurbish play structures, plant trees, renovate parks buildings, and increase community programming.
As a San Francisco Supervisor, Stefani has successfully banned ghost guns in the city, created an Office of Victims’ Rights to provide resources and health services to victims of crime, and increased accountability for the nonprofit organizations partnered with the city government. She has also worked to help streamline affordable housing development in vulnerable communities. Along with her advocacy for firearm safety, she has been outspoken about domestic violence prevention, and has worked to ensure that legal aid and resources are available to survivors.
Governance and community leadership experience: Lee has run for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at least twice, but earned only 10% of the vote in 2016 and 17% of the vote in 2020. He ran as a more centrist Democrat in previous campaigns.
In addition to his work in higher education, Lee has also served as executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee for 30 years, supporting voter engagement and education for AAPI communities in the Bay Area.
Stefani was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in January 2018 to fill a vacancy, and went on to win the election that November with over 50% of the vote. In 2022, she ran unopposed for reelection. Stefani is the most moderate of the Democratic San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As a supervisor, Stefani has opposed rent control and eviction protections, supported expansion of law-enforcement powers and resources, and endorsed the controversial recall of former District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Prior to her election to the San Francisco County Board of Supervisors, Stefani was a prosecutor in the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office before serving as a policy analyst and county clerk in city government roles in San Jose and San Francisco. In her policy roles, she provided expert analysis on local laws and Assembly bills related to homelessness, public safety, parks and recreation, and affordable housing. She is the founder of the San Francisco chapter of Moms Demand Action, and has been an outspoken advocate for gun-safety reform and violence prevention.
Other background: Lee was raised by immigrant parents in San Francisco.
Stefani is from Merced, and has lived in San Francisco for over 20 years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included Catherine Stefani (D) 57%, David Lee (D) 29%, Nadia Flamenco (R) 7%, and Arjun Gustav Sodhani (R) 7%. Catherine Stefani and David Lee will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Stefani’s campaign has raised $1.1 million and is funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, and corporate PAC interests. Her problematic donors include Sempra Energy, San Francisco Apartment Association PAC, Peace Officers Research Association of California PAC, McDonald’s USA, and AT&T Services Incorporated.
Candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Lee’s campaign has raised $284,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 19th Assembly District includes parts of San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.
Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 10% Republican, 24% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 12% Latino, 43% Asian, and 4% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Asian American Pacific Islander seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-19 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 66 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 62 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.