Reelect Assemblymember Tasha Boerner to keep AD-77 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Tasha Boerner’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-77. 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 interests of this diverse district if she is subjected to increased community accountability.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Boerner has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and Sierra Club California.
Top issues: Climate and public lands protection, education, public safety and emergency response, economic and job growth, veterans’ services, homelessness and housing, taxation, and public transparency.
Priority bills: This legislative cycle, Assm. Boerner’s priorities for AD-77 have included 49 bills about homelessness and housing, taxation, medical transportation, and coastal resources. Of these, nine have been successfully chaptered into law, seven have died, three have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to require health insurance providers to cover postpartum therapies to assist recovery from complications, require licensing for e-bike riders who do not hold a valid driver’s license, establish permanent funding for the Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund, and establish a state Office of Broadband and Digital Equity. In 2024, she proposed legislation to expedite clean-up of polluted sites in the state, adjust inspection policy for ADU housing, and require the publication of a smart biking handbook by the California State Transportation Agency. She scored an 82 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Boerner supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote last year. She has generally opposed criminal-justice reform during her time in the Assembly, including failing to vote on prohibiting the use of facial-recognition software in body-worn cameras, allowing resentencing for individuals impacted by firearm sentence enhancements, making the California Racial Justice Act retroactive, expunging and sealing records of those who have completed their sentence, expanding compassionate release considerations, and protecting individuals who are eligible for prison release from being transferred to immigration detention. Assm. Boerner also failed to vote for social and racial justice legislation last year, including bills to prohibit discrimination based on caste, and protect the digital data of out-of-state patients seeking abortion or gender-affirming care in California.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Boerner currently sits on five committees, including Higher Education, Military and Veterans Affairs, Emergency Management, and Public Employees and Retirement. She serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Communications & Conveyance, and chair of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Boerner has served in the Assembly since 2018, when she was elected with over 54% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 20 points.
Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Boerner was a member of the Encinitas City Council. She also brought her leadership to her work as a marketing communications and strategic-planning professional with several global companies. She has served in local leadership as a member of a PTA board, and a safe-routes advocate for a local pedestrian and cycling option.
Other background: Assm. Boerner is from Encinitas, where her family has lived for four generations. She also lived in Europe for twelve years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Tasha Boerner (D) 57%, James Browne (R) 38%, Henny Kupferstein (D) 5%. Assm. Tasha Boerner and James Browne will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Boerner’s campaign has raised $585,000 and is not funded by real estate interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and police interests, including Edison International, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, Amazon.com Services LLC, and McDonald’s USA LLC.
Opposing candidate: Republican James Browne
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Browne’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the Secretary of State as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 77th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 43% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until incumbent Assm. Brian Maienschein switched parties in 2020 and won reelection as a Democrat.
District demographics: 12% Latino, 9% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-77 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 32 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 20 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 Tasha Boerner to keep AD-77 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Tasha Boerner’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a representative voice for the constituents of AD-77. 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 interests of this diverse district if she is subjected to increased community accountability.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Boerner has the endorsement of some groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and Sierra Club California.
Top issues: Climate and public lands protection, education, public safety and emergency response, economic and job growth, veterans’ services, homelessness and housing, taxation, and public transparency.
Priority bills: This legislative cycle, Assm. Boerner’s priorities for AD-77 have included 49 bills about homelessness and housing, taxation, medical transportation, and coastal resources. Of these, nine have been successfully chaptered into law, seven have died, three have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. In 2023, she sponsored and passed legislation to require health insurance providers to cover postpartum therapies to assist recovery from complications, require licensing for e-bike riders who do not hold a valid driver’s license, establish permanent funding for the Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund, and establish a state Office of Broadband and Digital Equity. In 2024, she proposed legislation to expedite clean-up of polluted sites in the state, adjust inspection policy for ADU housing, and require the publication of a smart biking handbook by the California State Transportation Agency. She scored an 82 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Boerner supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote last year. She has generally opposed criminal-justice reform during her time in the Assembly, including failing to vote on prohibiting the use of facial-recognition software in body-worn cameras, allowing resentencing for individuals impacted by firearm sentence enhancements, making the California Racial Justice Act retroactive, expunging and sealing records of those who have completed their sentence, expanding compassionate release considerations, and protecting individuals who are eligible for prison release from being transferred to immigration detention. Assm. Boerner also failed to vote for social and racial justice legislation last year, including bills to prohibit discrimination based on caste, and protect the digital data of out-of-state patients seeking abortion or gender-affirming care in California.
Member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus?: No
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Boerner currently sits on five committees, including Higher Education, Military and Veterans Affairs, Emergency Management, and Public Employees and Retirement. She serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Communications & Conveyance, and chair of the Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Boerner has served in the Assembly since 2018, when she was elected with over 54% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 20 points.
Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Boerner was a member of the Encinitas City Council. She also brought her leadership to her work as a marketing communications and strategic-planning professional with several global companies. She has served in local leadership as a member of a PTA board, and a safe-routes advocate for a local pedestrian and cycling option.
Other background: Assm. Boerner is from Encinitas, where her family has lived for four generations. She also lived in Europe for twelve years.
The Race
Primary election results: The March 2024 results included incumbent Assm. Tasha Boerner (D) 57%, James Browne (R) 38%, Henny Kupferstein (D) 5%. Assm. Tasha Boerner and James Browne will contend in a run-off in the November 5 general election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Boerner’s campaign has raised $585,000 and is not funded by real estate interests. She has received problematic donations from fossil fuel, corporate PAC, and police interests, including Edison International, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, Amazon.com Services LLC, and McDonald’s USA LLC.
Opposing candidate: Republican James Browne
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Browne’s campaign has not filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the Secretary of State as of August 2024.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 77th Assembly District includes parts of San Diego County.
Voter registration: 43% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until incumbent Assm. Brian Maienschein switched parties in 2020 and won reelection as a Democrat.
District demographics: 12% Latino, 9% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-77 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 32 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 20 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.