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Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) believes that California must be a beacon of progressive, equitable, and truly representative democracy. As the 5th largest economy in the world -- and the United States' largest and most diverse state -- California is uniquely positioned to serve as a model for the country.
We must prove that democracy in the US can still solve the thorniest problems facing our state, our nation, and the world, while also serving ALL of our people -- regardless of race, gender, or economic status. To do so, Californians must have the information and infrastructure they need to hold elected officials accountable when they are not working for the public’s benefit, instead prioritizing corporate lobbyists and campaign contributors.
Courage California, driven by our 1.4 million members, helps our great state reach its potential by calling out institutional corruption and oppression, improving coordination and collaboration between progressive organizations, and demanding that our state and local representatives be both accountable to and reflective of the Californians they seek to serve.
Courage California endorses Lateefah Simon for C to keep CD-12 on the right track for progress.
Lateefah Simon’s experience and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-12 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Simon has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, SEIU, Sister Warrior Action Fund, Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers. She has also received endorsements from some elected officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Sen. Nancy Skinner, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Electoral history: In 2016, Simon ran for the nonpartisan District 7 seat on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors and won with 59% of the vote. She won her re-election bid in 2020 with over 64% of the vote.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, civil rights, environmental protections, racial justice, transportation, criminal justice and police reform, comprehensive economic improvement, immigration reform, and voting rights.
Priority bills: As a member of the BART Board of Directors, Lateefah Simon has been a strong supporter of efforts to ensure that BART is affordable and designed to support transit-dependent communities. She worked to ensure transit access for essential workers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rejected Trump administration deportation efforts by operating BART as a sanctuary public transit system. Throughout her time on the board, she has worked closely with the transit workers union to ensure that city and federal support were aligned to their expectations. Simon served as president of the BART Board of Directors during her first term, providing progressive leadership for the transit system.
Governance and community leadership experience: Simon is a non-profit executive and a social justice activist, which she does to advocate for communities who have not traditionally been centered in public policy. She has had a prodigious service career, which began when she became executive director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center at 19. During her decade with the organization, their work to reduce recidivism and the criminalization of young women and trans youth drew national acclaim, including Simon’s receipt of a Macarthur Genius Fellowship. Simon expanded on this work when she was appointed by then San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to create the Back on Track anti-recidivism initiative, and during her time as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. She has since served as the program director for the Rosenberg Foundation, and president of the Akonadi Foundation, and she is currently president of MeadowFund. In 2016, she was appointed by then Gov. Brown to sit on the California State University Board of Trustees, and in 2020, she was appointed by Gov. Newsom to serve as a senior advisor on police reform. She is a highly respected professional in the state, and is affiliated with a variety of organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and Tipping Point Foundation. In all her roles, Simon has maintained a commitment to advancing the dialogue on complex issues, and takes a solutions-oriented approach to her advocacy. Racial justice and systems change have been throughlines of Simon’s work and are demonstrative of her ongoing commitment to improving access, outcomes, and equity for individuals who have traditionally been marginalized.
Other background: Simon has lived in CD-12 for over 20 years. She was born legally blind, and has been a strong supporter of accessibility and protections for people with disabilities.
The Race
Primary election: There are 11 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Lateefah Simon (D), Tony Daysog (D), Tim Sanchez (D), and Jennifer Tran (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5. This seat is held by longtime Rep. Barbara Lee, who is running for California’s open Senate seat in 2024.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Simon’s campaign has raised $861,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tony Daysog Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Daysog’s campaign has raised $3,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tim Sanchez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $97,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Tran Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $94,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 12th Congressional District includes parts of Alameda County.
Voter registration: 70% Democrat, 5% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat.
District demographics: 15% Latino, 21% Asian, and 20% Black.
Recent election results: CD-12 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 81 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 80 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Courage California endorses Lateefah Simon for C to keep CD-12 on the right track for progress.
Lateefah Simon’s experience and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-12 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Simon has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, SEIU, Sister Warrior Action Fund, Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers. She has also received endorsements from some elected officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Sen. Nancy Skinner, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Electoral history: In 2016, Simon ran for the nonpartisan District 7 seat on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors and won with 59% of the vote. She won her re-election bid in 2020 with over 64% of the vote.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, civil rights, environmental protections, racial justice, transportation, criminal justice and police reform, comprehensive economic improvement, immigration reform, and voting rights.
Priority bills: As a member of the BART Board of Directors, Lateefah Simon has been a strong supporter of efforts to ensure that BART is affordable and designed to support transit-dependent communities. She worked to ensure transit access for essential workers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rejected Trump administration deportation efforts by operating BART as a sanctuary public transit system. Throughout her time on the board, she has worked closely with the transit workers union to ensure that city and federal support were aligned to their expectations. Simon served as president of the BART Board of Directors during her first term, providing progressive leadership for the transit system.
Governance and community leadership experience: Simon is a non-profit executive and a social justice activist, which she does to advocate for communities who have not traditionally been centered in public policy. She has had a prodigious service career, which began when she became executive director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center at 19. During her decade with the organization, their work to reduce recidivism and the criminalization of young women and trans youth drew national acclaim, including Simon’s receipt of a Macarthur Genius Fellowship. Simon expanded on this work when she was appointed by then San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to create the Back on Track anti-recidivism initiative, and during her time as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. She has since served as the program director for the Rosenberg Foundation, and president of the Akonadi Foundation, and she is currently president of MeadowFund. In 2016, she was appointed by then Gov. Brown to sit on the California State University Board of Trustees, and in 2020, she was appointed by Gov. Newsom to serve as a senior advisor on police reform. She is a highly respected professional in the state, and is affiliated with a variety of organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and Tipping Point Foundation. In all her roles, Simon has maintained a commitment to advancing the dialogue on complex issues, and takes a solutions-oriented approach to her advocacy. Racial justice and systems change have been throughlines of Simon’s work and are demonstrative of her ongoing commitment to improving access, outcomes, and equity for individuals who have traditionally been marginalized.
Other background: Simon has lived in CD-12 for over 20 years. She was born legally blind, and has been a strong supporter of accessibility and protections for people with disabilities.
The Race
Primary election: There are 11 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Lateefah Simon (D), Tony Daysog (D), Tim Sanchez (D), and Jennifer Tran (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5. This seat is held by longtime Rep. Barbara Lee, who is running for California’s open Senate seat in 2024.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Simon’s campaign has raised $861,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tony Daysog Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Daysog’s campaign has raised $3,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tim Sanchez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $97,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Tran Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $94,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 12th Congressional District includes parts of Alameda County.
Voter registration: 70% Democrat, 5% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat.
District demographics: 15% Latino, 21% Asian, and 20% Black.
Recent election results: CD-12 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 81 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 80 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Courage California endorses Lateefah Simon for C to keep CD-12 on the right track for progress.
Lateefah Simon’s experience and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of CD-12 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Simon has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, SEIU, Sister Warrior Action Fund, Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the National Union of Healthcare Workers. She has also received endorsements from some elected officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Sen. Nancy Skinner, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Electoral history: In 2016, Simon ran for the nonpartisan District 7 seat on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors and won with 59% of the vote. She won her re-election bid in 2020 with over 64% of the vote.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, civil rights, environmental protections, racial justice, transportation, criminal justice and police reform, comprehensive economic improvement, immigration reform, and voting rights.
Priority bills: As a member of the BART Board of Directors, Lateefah Simon has been a strong supporter of efforts to ensure that BART is affordable and designed to support transit-dependent communities. She worked to ensure transit access for essential workers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rejected Trump administration deportation efforts by operating BART as a sanctuary public transit system. Throughout her time on the board, she has worked closely with the transit workers union to ensure that city and federal support were aligned to their expectations. Simon served as president of the BART Board of Directors during her first term, providing progressive leadership for the transit system.
Governance and community leadership experience: Simon is a non-profit executive and a social justice activist, which she does to advocate for communities who have not traditionally been centered in public policy. She has had a prodigious service career, which began when she became executive director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center at 19. During her decade with the organization, their work to reduce recidivism and the criminalization of young women and trans youth drew national acclaim, including Simon’s receipt of a Macarthur Genius Fellowship. Simon expanded on this work when she was appointed by then San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris to create the Back on Track anti-recidivism initiative, and during her time as executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. She has since served as the program director for the Rosenberg Foundation, and president of the Akonadi Foundation, and she is currently president of MeadowFund. In 2016, she was appointed by then Gov. Brown to sit on the California State University Board of Trustees, and in 2020, she was appointed by Gov. Newsom to serve as a senior advisor on police reform. She is a highly respected professional in the state, and is affiliated with a variety of organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and Tipping Point Foundation. In all her roles, Simon has maintained a commitment to advancing the dialogue on complex issues, and takes a solutions-oriented approach to her advocacy. Racial justice and systems change have been throughlines of Simon’s work and are demonstrative of her ongoing commitment to improving access, outcomes, and equity for individuals who have traditionally been marginalized.
Other background: Simon has lived in CD-12 for over 20 years. She was born legally blind, and has been a strong supporter of accessibility and protections for people with disabilities.
The Race
Primary election: There are 11 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Lateefah Simon (D), Tony Daysog (D), Tim Sanchez (D), and Jennifer Tran (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5. This seat is held by longtime Rep. Barbara Lee, who is running for California’s open Senate seat in 2024.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Simon’s campaign has raised $861,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tony Daysog Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Daysog’s campaign has raised $3,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Tim Sanchez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $97,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Tran Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Sanchez’s campaign has raised $94,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel, police, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 12th Congressional District includes parts of Alameda County.
Voter registration: 70% Democrat, 5% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat.
District demographics: 15% Latino, 21% Asian, and 20% Black.
Recent election results: CD-12 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 81 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 80 points.
The Position
Congressmembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the United States Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. California has 52 congressional representatives, the largest delegation in the country. There is no term limit for this position.
Courage California endorses Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements: Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives: Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background: Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements: Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives: Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background: Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements: Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives: Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background: Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements:Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives:Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background:Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements:Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives:Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background:Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Paula Villescaz and Evan Minton for State Assembly to keep AD-6 on the right track for progress.
Endorsements:Paula Villescaz has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Teachers Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, and Courage California. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Assm. Alex Lee, Assm. Liz Ortega, and Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Mai Vang.
Evan Minton has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including ACCE Action, California Democratic Renters Council, California Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Courage California. He has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, State Board of Equalization Member Sally Lieber, State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Assm. Tina McKinnor.
Key initiatives:Villescaz is currently serving her second term as a member of the San Juan Unified School District Board of Directors. In this role, she has successfully supported initiatives to increase the number of school social workers and counselors, and passed a $750 million bond measure to provide increased funding for schools and district projects. She is an alumni of the district, and served two consecutive terms as board president.
Minton currently serves as senior California state policy manager at Voices for Progress, a policy advocacy non-profit with a focus on environmental protection, safeguarding democracy, and social justice. Prior to this role, Minton was the first transgender person to serve as a staffer in the State Assembly, and was commissioner of the Sacramento Human Rights and Fair Housing Commission, where he worked on a variety of progressive issues. In these roles, he has advocated for improved access to affordable housing, expanding the definition of “family member” to allow workers to take leave to provide familial care, simplifying student financial aid processes, and establishing the first child-access gun-prevention law in the state.
Governance and community leadership experience: Villescaz has served on the San Juan Unified School Board since 2016, and won re-election in 2020 with 18% of the vote.
In addition to this role, Villescaz is a public health official and served as an assistant secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she was responsible for creating efficiencies in public-health programs to limit disparities in service access for community members. She currently serves as associate director of Member Engagement for the County Welfare Directors Association, which allows her to support DEI initiatives and strategize membership growth. Villescaz has previously worked as a staff for several state assemblymembers. She is a longtime supporter of human and social services, and creating impactful programming for youth and families.
Minton has not run for public office before.
In addition to his policy work, Minton has deep involvement in community advocacy work and serves as an appointed member of the Sacramento County Mental Health Board, and as a Midtown Neighborhood Association Board Member. He has also held leadership roles with the Sacramento National Organization for Women, and the California Democratic Party’s LGBTQ Caucus. In addition to his advocacy for housing and economic equality, Minton has been a longtime advocate of equity in health care for transgender people. In 2016, Dignity Health abruptly canceled a gender-affirming procedure he had scheduled and directly cited his gender dysmorphia diagnosis as the reason for the cancellation. Minton sued the hospital system for denying care on the basis of his identity and violating his civil rights, and received a ruling in his favor from the California Court of Appeals. Dignity Health’s appeal to the California Supreme Court was denied, and the United States Supreme Court declined to hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand in favor of Minton. His pursuit of this case created an important legal precedent for other transgender individuals who may encounter discrimination during the course of their medical treatment.
Other background:Villescaz has lived in Arden-Arcade and Carmichael for over 20 years. She was raised by a single parent, is the first in her family to graduate from college, and survived cancer in young adulthood. She has seen firsthand how education and health-care systems can fail individuals and communities, and has pursued leadership roles in both of these areas to create broader and more equitable policies to benefit her local community.
Minton is from northern California and lives in Midtown. He is running to serve as the first openly transgender person to hold a seat in California’s state legislature.
The Race
Primary election: There are eight candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Paula Villescaz (D), Evan Minton (D), Sean Frame (D), and Maggy Krell (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paula Villescaz’s campaign has raised $74,000 as of October 2023 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Evan Minton’s campaign has raised $90,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Sean Frame Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Frame’s campaign has raised $115,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Maggy Krell Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Krell’s campaign has raised $181,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 6th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County.
Voter registration: 51% Democrat, 20% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Republicans held this district until redistricting in 2020 allowed outgoing Assm. Kevin McCarty to win and flip it from red to blue.
District demographics: 19% Latino, 12% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-6 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 39 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 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 Rhodesia Ransom for State Assembly to put AD-13 on the right track for progress.
Rhodesia Ransom’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a champion for the constituents of AD-13 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Ransom has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, SEIU CA, and UFCW. She is also endorsed by current State Senator Susan Eggman, Tracy Mayor Nancy Young, and several other local elected officials.
Electoral history: Ransom was elected to the Tracy City Council in 2016. She lost a close race for San Joaquin Board of Supervisors by 1 point in 2020.
Top issues: Public safety, education, mental health, and housing and homelessness.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rhodesia Ransom is a Democratic organizer and congressional district director for Rep. Josh Harder. Ransom was a member of the Tracy City Council, where she worked to address the systemic issues of housing, education, and job growth in her community. Ransom has co-founded several organizations and issue-based boards, including Sow A Seed Community Foundation, Tracy Police Activities League, and the Tracy Community Homelessness Task Force. She has been involved in initiatives designed to improve economic outcomes in the City of Tracy, including serving 7 years on the Planning Commission, and acting as a board member on the San Joaquin Partnership. She is also an elected member of the Democratic National Committee and board chair of Emerge California, and an active member in the NAACP and Tracy African American Association.
Other background: Ransom is from San Francisco and has lived in the district for over 20 years.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Rhodesia Ransom (D), Edith Villapudua (D), and Denise Aguilar Mendez (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Ransom’s campaign has raised $264,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Edith Villapudua Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Villapudua’s campaign has raised $324,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 13th State Assembly District includes San Joaquin County.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 20% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-13 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 16 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 Rhodesia Ransom for State Assembly to put AD-13 on the right track for progress.
Rhodesia Ransom’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a champion for the constituents of AD-13 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Ransom has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, SEIU CA, and UFCW. She is also endorsed by current State Senator Susan Eggman, Tracy Mayor Nancy Young, and several other local elected officials.
Electoral history: Ransom was elected to the Tracy City Council in 2016. She lost a close race for San Joaquin Board of Supervisors by 1 point in 2020.
Top issues: Public safety, education, mental health, and housing and homelessness.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rhodesia Ransom is a Democratic organizer and congressional district director for Rep. Josh Harder. Ransom was a member of the Tracy City Council, where she worked to address the systemic issues of housing, education, and job growth in her community. Ransom has co-founded several organizations and issue-based boards, including Sow A Seed Community Foundation, Tracy Police Activities League, and the Tracy Community Homelessness Task Force. She has been involved in initiatives designed to improve economic outcomes in the City of Tracy, including serving 7 years on the Planning Commission, and acting as a board member on the San Joaquin Partnership. She is also an elected member of the Democratic National Committee and board chair of Emerge California, and an active member in the NAACP and Tracy African American Association.
Other background: Ransom is from San Francisco and has lived in the district for over 20 years.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Rhodesia Ransom (D), Edith Villapudua (D), and Denise Aguilar Mendez (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Ransom’s campaign has raised $264,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Edith Villapudua Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Villapudua’s campaign has raised $324,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 13th State Assembly District includes San Joaquin County.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 20% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-13 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 16 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 Rhodesia Ransom for State Assembly to put AD-13 on the right track for progress.
Rhodesia Ransom’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a champion for the constituents of AD-13 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Ransom has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, SEIU CA, and UFCW. She is also endorsed by current State Senator Susan Eggman, Tracy Mayor Nancy Young, and several other local elected officials.
Electoral history: Ransom was elected to the Tracy City Council in 2016. She lost a close race for San Joaquin Board of Supervisors by 1 point in 2020.
Top issues: Public safety, education, mental health, and housing and homelessness.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rhodesia Ransom is a Democratic organizer and congressional district director for Rep. Josh Harder. Ransom was a member of the Tracy City Council, where she worked to address the systemic issues of housing, education, and job growth in her community. Ransom has co-founded several organizations and issue-based boards, including Sow A Seed Community Foundation, Tracy Police Activities League, and the Tracy Community Homelessness Task Force. She has been involved in initiatives designed to improve economic outcomes in the City of Tracy, including serving 7 years on the Planning Commission, and acting as a board member on the San Joaquin Partnership. She is also an elected member of the Democratic National Committee and board chair of Emerge California, and an active member in the NAACP and Tracy African American Association.
Other background: Ransom is from San Francisco and has lived in the district for over 20 years.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Rhodesia Ransom (D), Edith Villapudua (D), and Denise Aguilar Mendez (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Ransom’s campaign has raised $264,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Edith Villapudua Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Villapudua’s campaign has raised $324,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 13th State Assembly District includes San Joaquin County.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 33% Latino, 20% Asian, and 12% Black.
Recent election results: AD-13 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 16 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 Monica Wilson for State Assembly to put AD-15 on the right track for progress.
Monica Wilson’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-15 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wilson has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Courage California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West, Contra Costa Labor Council, California Faculty Association, and AFSCME.
Electoral history: Wilson has run for City Council in her home community of Antioch, and was recently reelected to her fourth term with 35% of the vote. She was the first African American woman elected to Antioch City Council. Wilson also ran for Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in 2016 but did not win.
Top issues: Police reform, housing, and mental health.
Priority bills: As an Antioch City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat homelessness, enact police reform, and protect the environment. She advocated for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for homeless shelters, additional temporary and semi-permanent housing options, and hiring of a homeless outreach coordinator, and voted in favor of a rent-stabilization ordinance. Wilson has also championed expansion of mental-health response teams, bans on new liquor stores in underserved neighborhoods, and addressing racial disparities in education and healthcare. In the wake of the recent Antioch Police Department racist text messaging scandal, she called for staff and equity audits for the Department.
Governance and community leadership experience: Monica Wilson is a City Councilmember in the city of Antioch, which she does to fight rising homelessness, housing costs, and cost of living. She has been a longtime supporter of protections from sexual exploitation. She helped to found Contra Costa’s Human Trafficking Task Force with the district attorney. Alongside her work in the public sphere, she worked as a senior program manager with Love Never Fails, a nonprofit providing support to survivors of human trafficking.
Other background: Wilson is from Washington, DC. She received her BS in business from Howard University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix.
The Race
Primary election: There are 4 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Monica Wilson (D), Sonia Ledo (R), Karen Mitchoff (D), and Anamarie Avila Farias (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Monica Wilson’s campaign has raised $192,741 and is not funded by the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, corporate PACs, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Karen Mitchoff and Anamarie Avila Farias Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Mitchoff’s campaign has raised $56,000 and is funded by corporate PACs and the fossil fuel industry. She has received over $20,000 from fossil fuel interests—over a third of her total donations. Farias’ campaign has raised $32,724 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 15th Assembly District includes parts of Contra Costa County.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 22% Latino, 13% Asian, and 11% Black.
Recent election results: AD-15 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 40 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 Monica Wilson for State Assembly to put AD-15 on the right track for progress.
Monica Wilson’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-15 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wilson has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Courage California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West, Contra Costa Labor Council, California Faculty Association, and AFSCME.
Electoral history: Wilson has run for City Council in her home community of Antioch, and was recently reelected to her fourth term with 35% of the vote. She was the first African American woman elected to Antioch City Council. Wilson also ran for Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in 2016 but did not win.
Top issues: Police reform, housing, and mental health.
Priority bills: As an Antioch City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat homelessness, enact police reform, and protect the environment. She advocated for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for homeless shelters, additional temporary and semi-permanent housing options, and hiring of a homeless outreach coordinator, and voted in favor of a rent-stabilization ordinance. Wilson has also championed expansion of mental-health response teams, bans on new liquor stores in underserved neighborhoods, and addressing racial disparities in education and healthcare. In the wake of the recent Antioch Police Department racist text messaging scandal, she called for staff and equity audits for the Department.
Governance and community leadership experience: Monica Wilson is a City Councilmember in the city of Antioch, which she does to fight rising homelessness, housing costs, and cost of living. She has been a longtime supporter of protections from sexual exploitation. She helped to found Contra Costa’s Human Trafficking Task Force with the district attorney. Alongside her work in the public sphere, she worked as a senior program manager with Love Never Fails, a nonprofit providing support to survivors of human trafficking.
Other background: Wilson is from Washington, DC. She received her BS in business from Howard University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix.
The Race
Primary election: There are 4 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Monica Wilson (D), Sonia Ledo (R), Karen Mitchoff (D), and Anamarie Avila Farias (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Monica Wilson’s campaign has raised $192,741 and is not funded by the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, corporate PACs, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Karen Mitchoff and Anamarie Avila Farias Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Mitchoff’s campaign has raised $56,000 and is funded by corporate PACs and the fossil fuel industry. She has received over $20,000 from fossil fuel interests—over a third of her total donations. Farias’ campaign has raised $32,724 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 15th Assembly District includes parts of Contra Costa County.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 22% Latino, 13% Asian, and 11% Black.
Recent election results: AD-15 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 40 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 Monica Wilson for State Assembly to put AD-15 on the right track for progress.
Monica Wilson’s policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-15 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Wilson has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Planned Parenthood, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Courage California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West, Contra Costa Labor Council, California Faculty Association, and AFSCME.
Electoral history: Wilson has run for City Council in her home community of Antioch, and was recently reelected to her fourth term with 35% of the vote. She was the first African American woman elected to Antioch City Council. Wilson also ran for Contra Costa Board of Supervisors in 2016 but did not win.
Top issues: Police reform, housing, and mental health.
Priority bills: As an Antioch City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat homelessness, enact police reform, and protect the environment. She advocated for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for homeless shelters, additional temporary and semi-permanent housing options, and hiring of a homeless outreach coordinator, and voted in favor of a rent-stabilization ordinance. Wilson has also championed expansion of mental-health response teams, bans on new liquor stores in underserved neighborhoods, and addressing racial disparities in education and healthcare. In the wake of the recent Antioch Police Department racist text messaging scandal, she called for staff and equity audits for the Department.
Governance and community leadership experience: Monica Wilson is a City Councilmember in the city of Antioch, which she does to fight rising homelessness, housing costs, and cost of living. She has been a longtime supporter of protections from sexual exploitation. She helped to found Contra Costa’s Human Trafficking Task Force with the district attorney. Alongside her work in the public sphere, she worked as a senior program manager with Love Never Fails, a nonprofit providing support to survivors of human trafficking.
Other background: Wilson is from Washington, DC. She received her BS in business from Howard University and her MBA from the University of Phoenix.
The Race
Primary election: There are 4 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Monica Wilson (D), Sonia Ledo (R), Karen Mitchoff (D), and Anamarie Avila Farias (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Monica Wilson’s campaign has raised $192,741 and is not funded by the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, corporate PACs, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Karen Mitchoff and Anamarie Avila Farias Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Mitchoff’s campaign has raised $56,000 and is funded by corporate PACs and the fossil fuel industry. She has received over $20,000 from fossil fuel interests—over a third of her total donations. Farias’ campaign has raised $32,724 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 15th Assembly District includes parts of Contra Costa County.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 19% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 22% Latino, 13% Asian, and 11% Black.
Recent election results: AD-15 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 40 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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 Christy Holstege for State Assembly to put AD-47 on the right track for progress.
Christy Holstege’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-47 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Holstege has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. However, in previous campaigns, she has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Peace Officers Research Association of California.
Electoral history: Holstege ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to a Republican challenger, Assm. Greg Wallis, by less than 100 votes. Prior to her first run for Assembly, Holstege won a seat on the Palm Springs City Council in 2017 with 30% of the vote. In 2020, she won re-election to the council with 54% of the vote, and served a one-year term as mayor.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, pandemic recovery, environmental protections and clean energy, veterans’ services, and LGBTQIA+ equality.
Priority bills: As mayor and a member of the Palm Springs City Council, Holstege has supported the establishment of a guaranteed-income program for transgender and nonbinary residents, broke ground on a new affordable housing project, and began a partial transition to residential wind energy. She also helped create protections for workers and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governance and community leadership experience: Holstege is an attorney and established a legal aid clinic for domestic violence survivors at the Coachella Valley’s only domestic violence shelter. She has also represented farmworkers in civil rights, housing, and employment litigation at California Rural Legal Assistance. Holstege served on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and Eastern Coachella Valley for Change. She also served on the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and the City of Palm Springs Homelessness Task Force.
Other background: Holstege lives in Palm Springs. She was the first openly bisexual person to serve a term as mayor in the United States.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Christy Holstege (D), Jamie Swain (D), and incumbent Assm. Greg Wallis (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Holstege’s campaign has raised $511,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by corporate PAC, fossil fuel, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Assm. Greg Wallis Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Wallis’s campaign has raised $410,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 47th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 40% Democrat, 34% Republican, and 19% No Party Preference. Democrats held this seat until 2022 when Assm. Greg Wallis won and flipped it from blue to red.
District demographics: 27% Latino, 4% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: AD-47 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 7 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 Christy Holstege for State Assembly to put AD-47 on the right track for progress.
Christy Holstege’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-47 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Holstege has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. However, in previous campaigns, she has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Peace Officers Research Association of California.
Electoral history: Holstege ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to a Republican challenger, Assm. Greg Wallis, by less than 100 votes. Prior to her first run for Assembly, Holstege won a seat on the Palm Springs City Council in 2017 with 30% of the vote. In 2020, she won re-election to the council with 54% of the vote, and served a one-year term as mayor.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, pandemic recovery, environmental protections and clean energy, veterans’ services, and LGBTQIA+ equality.
Priority bills: As mayor and a member of the Palm Springs City Council, Holstege has supported the establishment of a guaranteed-income program for transgender and nonbinary residents, broke ground on a new affordable housing project, and began a partial transition to residential wind energy. She also helped create protections for workers and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governance and community leadership experience: Holstege is an attorney and established a legal aid clinic for domestic violence survivors at the Coachella Valley’s only domestic violence shelter. She has also represented farmworkers in civil rights, housing, and employment litigation at California Rural Legal Assistance. Holstege served on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and Eastern Coachella Valley for Change. She also served on the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and the City of Palm Springs Homelessness Task Force.
Other background: Holstege lives in Palm Springs. She was the first openly bisexual person to serve a term as mayor in the United States.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Christy Holstege (D), Jamie Swain (D), and incumbent Assm. Greg Wallis (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Holstege’s campaign has raised $511,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by corporate PAC, fossil fuel, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Assm. Greg Wallis Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Wallis’s campaign has raised $410,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 47th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 40% Democrat, 34% Republican, and 19% No Party Preference. Democrats held this seat until 2022 when Assm. Greg Wallis won and flipped it from blue to red.
District demographics: 27% Latino, 4% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: AD-47 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 7 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 Christy Holstege for State Assembly to put AD-47 on the right track for progress.
Christy Holstege’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-47 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Holstege has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. However, in previous campaigns, she has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Peace Officers Research Association of California.
Electoral history: Holstege ran for this seat in 2022, but lost to a Republican challenger, Assm. Greg Wallis, by less than 100 votes. Prior to her first run for Assembly, Holstege won a seat on the Palm Springs City Council in 2017 with 30% of the vote. In 2020, she won re-election to the council with 54% of the vote, and served a one-year term as mayor.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, pandemic recovery, environmental protections and clean energy, veterans’ services, and LGBTQIA+ equality.
Priority bills: As mayor and a member of the Palm Springs City Council, Holstege has supported the establishment of a guaranteed-income program for transgender and nonbinary residents, broke ground on a new affordable housing project, and began a partial transition to residential wind energy. She also helped create protections for workers and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governance and community leadership experience: Holstege is an attorney and established a legal aid clinic for domestic violence survivors at the Coachella Valley’s only domestic violence shelter. She has also represented farmworkers in civil rights, housing, and employment litigation at California Rural Legal Assistance. Holstege served on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest and Eastern Coachella Valley for Change. She also served on the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission and the City of Palm Springs Homelessness Task Force.
Other background: Holstege lives in Palm Springs. She was the first openly bisexual person to serve a term as mayor in the United States.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Christy Holstege (D), Jamie Swain (D), and incumbent Assm. Greg Wallis (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Holstege’s campaign has raised $511,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by corporate PAC, fossil fuel, real estate, or police interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Assm. Greg Wallis Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Wallis’s campaign has raised $410,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, and corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 47th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 40% Democrat, 34% Republican, and 19% No Party Preference. Democrats held this seat until 2022 when Assm. Greg Wallis won and flipped it from blue to red.
District demographics: 27% Latino, 4% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: AD-47 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 7 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 DeJonáe Shaw for State Assembly to put AD-50 on the right track for progress.
DeJonáe Shaw’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Shaw has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Equality California, IE United, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions SEIU, the National Union of Healthcare Workers, California Faculty Association, California Nurses Association, and AFSCME. She has also been endorsed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, former State Senator Connie Leyva, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, and many other local and state elected officials.
Electoral history: DeJonáe Shaw ran for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in 2022, placing third in the primary and missing out on the general election.
Top issues: Public safety, housing, employment, clean air, solutions for homelessness, and a stronger economy for workers.
Governance and community leadership experience: DeJonáe Shaw is a licensed vocational nurse, and worked in health care throughout the pandemic. She is a longtime supporter of youth advocacy and education. Shaw founded the Greater Empire Pageants for young people in the area, and has worked with local organizations like the Young Women’s Empowerment Summit and Just Us 4 Youth. She serves as a leader in her union as the vice chair of Legislation and Education and worked with unions across the country to pass the National Workplace Violence Prevention Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. Shaw is also a board member for the Optimist Youth and Family Home Services and an active member of the Democratic Party Central Committee, the Democratic Club of the Inland Valley, the San Bernardino County Young Democrats, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Next Gen Committee, aimed at increasing community solutions to policing. She volunteered to serve on the Inland Empire Labor Council’s Civil Rights Committee to conduct outreach to ensure that San Bernardino County immigrant communities participated in the 2020 Census.
Other background: Shaw is from San Bernardino County.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including DeJonae Shaw (D), Robert Garcia (D), and Adam Perez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Shaw’s campaign has raised $299,759 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, or the police. She has accepted donations from the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Robert Garcia and Adam Perez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garcia’s campaign has raised $217,125; he has loaned $100,000 of his own money to maintain his campaign. Perez’s campaign has raised $81,400 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Assembly District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 24% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 53% Latino, 8% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 25 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses DeJonáe Shaw for State Assembly to put AD-50 on the right track for progress.
DeJonáe Shaw’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Shaw has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Equality California, IE United, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions SEIU, the National Union of Healthcare Workers, California Faculty Association, California Nurses Association, and AFSCME. She has also been endorsed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, former State Senator Connie Leyva, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, and many other local and state elected officials.
Electoral history: DeJonáe Shaw ran for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in 2022, placing third in the primary and missing out on the general election.
Top issues: Public safety, housing, employment, clean air, solutions for homelessness, and a stronger economy for workers.
Governance and community leadership experience: DeJonáe Shaw is a licensed vocational nurse, and worked in health care throughout the pandemic. She is a longtime supporter of youth advocacy and education. Shaw founded the Greater Empire Pageants for young people in the area, and has worked with local organizations like the Young Women’s Empowerment Summit and Just Us 4 Youth. She serves as a leader in her union as the vice chair of Legislation and Education and worked with unions across the country to pass the National Workplace Violence Prevention Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. Shaw is also a board member for the Optimist Youth and Family Home Services and an active member of the Democratic Party Central Committee, the Democratic Club of the Inland Valley, the San Bernardino County Young Democrats, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Next Gen Committee, aimed at increasing community solutions to policing. She volunteered to serve on the Inland Empire Labor Council’s Civil Rights Committee to conduct outreach to ensure that San Bernardino County immigrant communities participated in the 2020 Census.
Other background: Shaw is from San Bernardino County.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including DeJonae Shaw (D), Robert Garcia (D), and Adam Perez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Shaw’s campaign has raised $299,759 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, or the police. She has accepted donations from the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Robert Garcia and Adam Perez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garcia’s campaign has raised $217,125; he has loaned $100,000 of his own money to maintain his campaign. Perez’s campaign has raised $81,400 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Assembly District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 24% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 53% Latino, 8% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 25 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses DeJonáe Shaw for State Assembly to put AD-50 on the right track for progress.
DeJonáe Shaw’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-50 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Shaw has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Equality California, IE United, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions SEIU, the National Union of Healthcare Workers, California Faculty Association, California Nurses Association, and AFSCME. She has also been endorsed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, former State Senator Connie Leyva, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran, and many other local and state elected officials.
Electoral history: DeJonáe Shaw ran for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in 2022, placing third in the primary and missing out on the general election.
Top issues: Public safety, housing, employment, clean air, solutions for homelessness, and a stronger economy for workers.
Governance and community leadership experience: DeJonáe Shaw is a licensed vocational nurse, and worked in health care throughout the pandemic. She is a longtime supporter of youth advocacy and education. Shaw founded the Greater Empire Pageants for young people in the area, and has worked with local organizations like the Young Women’s Empowerment Summit and Just Us 4 Youth. She serves as a leader in her union as the vice chair of Legislation and Education and worked with unions across the country to pass the National Workplace Violence Prevention Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. Shaw is also a board member for the Optimist Youth and Family Home Services and an active member of the Democratic Party Central Committee, the Democratic Club of the Inland Valley, the San Bernardino County Young Democrats, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Next Gen Committee, aimed at increasing community solutions to policing. She volunteered to serve on the Inland Empire Labor Council’s Civil Rights Committee to conduct outreach to ensure that San Bernardino County immigrant communities participated in the 2020 Census.
Other background: Shaw is from San Bernardino County.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including DeJonae Shaw (D), Robert Garcia (D), and Adam Perez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Shaw’s campaign has raised $299,759 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, or the police. She has accepted donations from the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Robert Garcia and Adam Perez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Garcia’s campaign has raised $217,125; he has loaned $100,000 of his own money to maintain his campaign. Perez’s campaign has raised $81,400 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, and the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 50th Assembly District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 24% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 53% Latino, 8% Asian, and 10% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-50 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 25 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Javier Hernandez for State Assembly to put AD-53 on the right track for progress.
Javier Hernandez’s policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-53 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Hernandez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Working Families Party, IE United, Courage California, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, as well as labor unions like California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and National Union of Healthcare Workers. He has also been endorsed by elected officials like former State Senator Connie Leyva and Assemblymembers Corey Jackson and Tina McKinnor.
Top issues: Immigration, education, transparency, and equity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Javier Hernandez is a non-profit executive with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which he does to advocate for the rights of immigrants like himself and his family. He has been a longtime supporter of immigration reform and immigrant protections, including working to shut down ICE detainment facilities and for the reintegration of formerly detained immigrants in communities. He co-founded the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective, supporting the advocacy of local immigrant youth. In 2017, he organized and helped pass the California Values Act, establishing California as a sanctuary state from federal immigration. He has extensive experience partnering with community organizations in the region and around the state.
Other background: Hernandez was born in Mexico and grew up throughout the Inland Empire.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Javier Hernandez (D), Nick Wilson (R), and Robert Torres (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Hernandez’s campaign has raised $199,346 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Robert Torres Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Torres’ campaign has raised $210,220 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Michelle Rodriguez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $167,800 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, and the police.
Opposing candidate: Republican Nick Wilson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wilson’s campaign has raised $17,500 and is funded by the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 53rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 58% Latino, 10% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-53 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 12 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 Javier Hernandez for State Assembly to put AD-53 on the right track for progress.
Javier Hernandez’s policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-53 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Hernandez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Working Families Party, IE United, Courage California, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, as well as labor unions like California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and National Union of Healthcare Workers. He has also been endorsed by elected officials like former State Senator Connie Leyva and Assemblymembers Corey Jackson and Tina McKinnor.
Top issues: Immigration, education, transparency, and equity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Javier Hernandez is a non-profit executive with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which he does to advocate for the rights of immigrants like himself and his family. He has been a longtime supporter of immigration reform and immigrant protections, including working to shut down ICE detainment facilities and for the reintegration of formerly detained immigrants in communities. He co-founded the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective, supporting the advocacy of local immigrant youth. In 2017, he organized and helped pass the California Values Act, establishing California as a sanctuary state from federal immigration. He has extensive experience partnering with community organizations in the region and around the state.
Other background: Hernandez was born in Mexico and grew up throughout the Inland Empire.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Javier Hernandez (D), Nick Wilson (R), and Robert Torres (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Hernandez’s campaign has raised $199,346 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Robert Torres Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Torres’ campaign has raised $210,220 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Michelle Rodriguez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $167,800 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, and the police.
Opposing candidate: Republican Nick Wilson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wilson’s campaign has raised $17,500 and is funded by the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 53rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 58% Latino, 10% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-53 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 12 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 Javier Hernandez for State Assembly to put AD-53 on the right track for progress.
Javier Hernandez’s policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-53 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Hernandez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Working Families Party, IE United, Courage California, Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and the California Legislative Progressive Caucus, as well as labor unions like California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and National Union of Healthcare Workers. He has also been endorsed by elected officials like former State Senator Connie Leyva and Assemblymembers Corey Jackson and Tina McKinnor.
Top issues: Immigration, education, transparency, and equity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Javier Hernandez is a non-profit executive with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which he does to advocate for the rights of immigrants like himself and his family. He has been a longtime supporter of immigration reform and immigrant protections, including working to shut down ICE detainment facilities and for the reintegration of formerly detained immigrants in communities. He co-founded the Inland Empire Immigrant Youth Collective, supporting the advocacy of local immigrant youth. In 2017, he organized and helped pass the California Values Act, establishing California as a sanctuary state from federal immigration. He has extensive experience partnering with community organizations in the region and around the state.
Other background: Hernandez was born in Mexico and grew up throughout the Inland Empire.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Javier Hernandez (D), Nick Wilson (R), and Robert Torres (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Hernandez’s campaign has raised $199,346 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Robert Torres Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Torres’ campaign has raised $210,220 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Michelle Rodriguez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $167,800 and is funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, and the police.
Opposing candidate: Republican Nick Wilson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Wilson’s campaign has raised $17,500 and is funded by the police.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 53rd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 48% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 58% Latino, 10% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-53 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 30 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 12 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 Sade Elhawary for State Assembly to put AD-57 on the right track for progress.
Elhawary’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elhawary has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood, Smart Justice California, California Environmental Justice Alliance Action, California Environmental Voters, California Democratic Renters Council, Equality California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like AFSCME, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials like Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta, Akilah Weber, and more.
Electoral history: Elhawary has not run for office previously.
Top issues: Housing, education, youth workforce development, community safety, healthcare, reproductive rights, protecting immigrants, and equality.
Governance and community leadership experience: Sade Elhawary is a community organizer and an educator, which she does because hopes to dismantle systems of oppression and improve outcomes for women and youth of color. In her current role at Community Coalition, she focuses on youth and community engagement, and helped build the Center for Community Organizing. Elhawary helped organize and pass the School Climate Bill of Rights to reduce racial profiling in Los Angeles schools, as well as the CRISES Act, which provided for community teams to respond to non-violent emergencies rather than police. She also served as Youth Engagement Campaign Manager on Karen Bass’ mayoral campaign. As a Black Latina, Elhawary is committed to creating lasting Black and Brown solidarity.
Other background: Elhawary is from Los Angeles. She is the third generation of her family to live in this district, and raised a foster daughter from the district. Elhawary earned her BA from UCLA and a master’s in education from Harvard, and was a history teacher and college counselor to high school students. She helped launch the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, New York.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sade Elhawary (D), Efren Martinez (D), Greg Akili (D), and Dulce Vasquez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elhawary’s campaign has raised $354,133 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Efren Martinez, Greg Akili, and Dulce Vasquez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $326,621 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry. He has also accepted more than $25,000 from police lobbying groups and the fossil fuel industry respectively. Vasquez’s campaign has raised $166,199. Akili has raised $68,710.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 7% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
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 Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 73 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Sade Elhawary for State Assembly to put AD-57 on the right track for progress.
Elhawary’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elhawary has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood, Smart Justice California, California Environmental Justice Alliance Action, California Environmental Voters, California Democratic Renters Council, Equality California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like AFSCME, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials like Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta, Akilah Weber, and more.
Electoral history: Elhawary has not run for office previously.
Top issues: Housing, education, youth workforce development, community safety, healthcare, reproductive rights, protecting immigrants, and equality.
Governance and community leadership experience: Sade Elhawary is a community organizer and an educator, which she does because hopes to dismantle systems of oppression and improve outcomes for women and youth of color. In her current role at Community Coalition, she focuses on youth and community engagement, and helped build the Center for Community Organizing. Elhawary helped organize and pass the School Climate Bill of Rights to reduce racial profiling in Los Angeles schools, as well as the CRISES Act, which provided for community teams to respond to non-violent emergencies rather than police. She also served as Youth Engagement Campaign Manager on Karen Bass’ mayoral campaign. As a Black Latina, Elhawary is committed to creating lasting Black and Brown solidarity.
Other background: Elhawary is from Los Angeles. She is the third generation of her family to live in this district, and raised a foster daughter from the district. Elhawary earned her BA from UCLA and a master’s in education from Harvard, and was a history teacher and college counselor to high school students. She helped launch the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, New York.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sade Elhawary (D), Efren Martinez (D), Greg Akili (D), and Dulce Vasquez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elhawary’s campaign has raised $354,133 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Efren Martinez, Greg Akili, and Dulce Vasquez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $326,621 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry. He has also accepted more than $25,000 from police lobbying groups and the fossil fuel industry respectively. Vasquez’s campaign has raised $166,199. Akili has raised $68,710.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 7% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
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 Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 73 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Sade Elhawary for State Assembly to put AD-57 on the right track for progress.
Elhawary’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-57 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elhawary has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood, Smart Justice California, California Environmental Justice Alliance Action, California Environmental Voters, California Democratic Renters Council, Equality California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like AFSCME, California Labor Federation, California Federation of Teachers, California Nurses Association, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials like Mayor Karen Bass, LA County Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis, and Assemblymembers Mia Bonta, Akilah Weber, and more.
Electoral history: Elhawary has not run for office previously.
Top issues: Housing, education, youth workforce development, community safety, healthcare, reproductive rights, protecting immigrants, and equality.
Governance and community leadership experience: Sade Elhawary is a community organizer and an educator, which she does because hopes to dismantle systems of oppression and improve outcomes for women and youth of color. In her current role at Community Coalition, she focuses on youth and community engagement, and helped build the Center for Community Organizing. Elhawary helped organize and pass the School Climate Bill of Rights to reduce racial profiling in Los Angeles schools, as well as the CRISES Act, which provided for community teams to respond to non-violent emergencies rather than police. She also served as Youth Engagement Campaign Manager on Karen Bass’ mayoral campaign. As a Black Latina, Elhawary is committed to creating lasting Black and Brown solidarity.
Other background: Elhawary is from Los Angeles. She is the third generation of her family to live in this district, and raised a foster daughter from the district. Elhawary earned her BA from UCLA and a master’s in education from Harvard, and was a history teacher and college counselor to high school students. She helped launch the Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice in Brooklyn, New York.
The Race
Primary election: There are 5 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sade Elhawary (D), Efren Martinez (D), Greg Akili (D), and Dulce Vasquez (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elhawary’s campaign has raised $354,133 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opposing candidate: Democrats Efren Martinez, Greg Akili, and Dulce Vasquez Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Martinez’s campaign has raised $326,621 and is funded by corporate PACs and the real estate industry. He has also accepted more than $25,000 from police lobbying groups and the fossil fuel industry respectively. Vasquez’s campaign has raised $166,199. Akili has raised $68,710.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 57th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 63% Democrat, 7% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
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 Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 73 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Clarissa Cervantes for State Assembly to put AD-58 on the right track for progress.
Clarissa Cervantes’ policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-58 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Cervantes has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, and Equality California, as well as labor unions like SEIU, National Union of Healthcare Workers, UAW, CA Faculty Association, and CA Federation of Teachers.
Electoral history: Clarissa Cervantes has run for office previously, and won a seat on the Riverside City Council as the top vote-getter in a field of 6, with 52% of the vote.
Top issues: Infrastructure, transportation, small business, public safety, and housing.
Governance and community leadership experience: Clarissa Cervante is a businesswoman, and organizer, and a Riverside City Councilmember, which she does to bring representation and progressive solutions to community issues. On the Riverside City Council, she has helped to secure funding for infrastructure projects and to administer grants for small business, and voted to increase affordable housing. She previously chaired the Transportation NOW Chapter of the Riverside Transit Agency, which aims to increase access and equity in Riverside public transit. Cervantes also served as legislative field representative for her city council predecessor and political organizer for SEIU 121RN. She has worked and led several voter-registration drives, registering over 30,000 Democrats in the Inland Empire.
Other background: Cervantes, a campaign organizer and city councilmember, is from Riverside County. She earned her BA from California State University Northridge, and a master’s from Cal Poly Pomona. Cervantes was one of the first Latinas and LGBTQIA+ individuals elected to the Riverside City Council. She has served on various boards and organizations in the district, including Riverside Arts Academy and Riverside County Young Democrats.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Clarissa Cervantes (D), Leticia Castillo (R), and Ronaldo Fierro (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Cervantes’ campaign has raised $345,500 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police..
Opposing candidate: Democrat Ronaldo Fierro and Republican Leticia Castillo Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Fierro’s campaign has raised $307,343 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police. Castillo’s campaign has raised $10,493.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 58th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 52% Latino, 7% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-58 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 Clarissa Cervantes for State Assembly to put AD-58 on the right track for progress.
Clarissa Cervantes’ policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-58 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Cervantes has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, and Equality California, as well as labor unions like SEIU, National Union of Healthcare Workers, UAW, CA Faculty Association, and CA Federation of Teachers.
Electoral history: Clarissa Cervantes has run for office previously, and won a seat on the Riverside City Council as the top vote-getter in a field of 6, with 52% of the vote.
Top issues: Infrastructure, transportation, small business, public safety, and housing.
Governance and community leadership experience: Clarissa Cervante is a businesswoman, and organizer, and a Riverside City Councilmember, which she does to bring representation and progressive solutions to community issues. On the Riverside City Council, she has helped to secure funding for infrastructure projects and to administer grants for small business, and voted to increase affordable housing. She previously chaired the Transportation NOW Chapter of the Riverside Transit Agency, which aims to increase access and equity in Riverside public transit. Cervantes also served as legislative field representative for her city council predecessor and political organizer for SEIU 121RN. She has worked and led several voter-registration drives, registering over 30,000 Democrats in the Inland Empire.
Other background: Cervantes, a campaign organizer and city councilmember, is from Riverside County. She earned her BA from California State University Northridge, and a master’s from Cal Poly Pomona. Cervantes was one of the first Latinas and LGBTQIA+ individuals elected to the Riverside City Council. She has served on various boards and organizations in the district, including Riverside Arts Academy and Riverside County Young Democrats.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Clarissa Cervantes (D), Leticia Castillo (R), and Ronaldo Fierro (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Cervantes’ campaign has raised $345,500 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police..
Opposing candidate: Democrat Ronaldo Fierro and Republican Leticia Castillo Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Fierro’s campaign has raised $307,343 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police. Castillo’s campaign has raised $10,493.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 58th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 52% Latino, 7% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-58 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 Clarissa Cervantes for State Assembly to put AD-58 on the right track for progress.
Clarissa Cervantes’ policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-58 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Cervantes has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, IE United, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, and Equality California, as well as labor unions like SEIU, National Union of Healthcare Workers, UAW, CA Faculty Association, and CA Federation of Teachers.
Electoral history: Clarissa Cervantes has run for office previously, and won a seat on the Riverside City Council as the top vote-getter in a field of 6, with 52% of the vote.
Top issues: Infrastructure, transportation, small business, public safety, and housing.
Governance and community leadership experience: Clarissa Cervante is a businesswoman, and organizer, and a Riverside City Councilmember, which she does to bring representation and progressive solutions to community issues. On the Riverside City Council, she has helped to secure funding for infrastructure projects and to administer grants for small business, and voted to increase affordable housing. She previously chaired the Transportation NOW Chapter of the Riverside Transit Agency, which aims to increase access and equity in Riverside public transit. Cervantes also served as legislative field representative for her city council predecessor and political organizer for SEIU 121RN. She has worked and led several voter-registration drives, registering over 30,000 Democrats in the Inland Empire.
Other background: Cervantes, a campaign organizer and city councilmember, is from Riverside County. She earned her BA from California State University Northridge, and a master’s from Cal Poly Pomona. Cervantes was one of the first Latinas and LGBTQIA+ individuals elected to the Riverside City Council. She has served on various boards and organizations in the district, including Riverside Arts Academy and Riverside County Young Democrats.
The Race
Primary election: There are 3 candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Clarissa Cervantes (D), Leticia Castillo (R), and Ronaldo Fierro (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Cervantes’ campaign has raised $345,500 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police..
Opposing candidate: Democrat Ronaldo Fierro and Republican Leticia Castillo Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Fierro’s campaign has raised $307,343 and is funded by the real estate industry and the police. Castillo’s campaign has raised $10,493.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 58th Assembly District includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 26% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 52% Latino, 7% Asian, and 7% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California Assembly delegation.
Recent election results: AD-58 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 2 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 Jackie Elward for State Senate to put SD-3 on the right track for progress.
Elward’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-3 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elward has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action, California Environmental Voters, and Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Damon Connolly, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and several local county supervisors, city councilmembers, and education leaders.
Electoral history: Elward ran for Rohnert City Council in 2018, but lost after only earning 18% of the vote. She ran again in 2020 and was elected with over 56% of the vote. She has served a term as mayor.
Top issues: Education, affordable housing development, homelessness, mental health services, climate justice, support organized labor, public safety, and civil rights advocacy.
Priority bills: As a member of the Rohnert Park City Council, Elward has been a strong supporter of efforts to complete a 60-unit housing project for the local homeless community, and increase development in the downtown area. During her time as mayor, she also moved forward a police accountability initiative, which included the appointment of an independent auditor, crisis-management training, and use-of-force training. She also serves as the Council’s liaison to several local initiatives, including Sonoma Clean Power Authority, Sonoma County Continuum of Care, Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, and Waste and Recycling.
Governance and community leadership experience: Along with her City Council work, Elward is an educator and an activist, which she does to bring leadership to her local community. She has served as a teacher and staff member at Santa Rosa French American Charter School for several years. Elward is also the founder of Les Enfants Baobab, which is a non-profit organization designed to provide resources, including education and clothing, to students in Kinshasa, where she lived and studied.
Other background: Elward is from Democratic Republic of Congo, and immigrated to the United States in the early aughts. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Rohnert Park City Council, and the first Black female immigrant to serve as mayor.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Jackie Elward (D), Thomas Bogue (R), Christopher Cabaldon (D), Jimih Jones (R), and Rozzana Verder-Aliga (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elward’s campaign has raised $132,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Christopher Cabaldon Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Cabaldon’s campaign has raised $214,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate and corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Rozzana Verder-Aliga Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verder-Aliga’s campaign has raised $342,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 3rd State Senate District includes parts of Solano, Yolo, Napa, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and Sacramento Counties.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 13% Asian, and 9% Black.
Recent election results: SD-3 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 23 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 Jackie Elward for State Senate to put SD-3 on the right track for progress.
Elward’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-3 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elward has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action, California Environmental Voters, and Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Damon Connolly, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and several local county supervisors, city councilmembers, and education leaders.
Electoral history: Elward ran for Rohnert City Council in 2018, but lost after only earning 18% of the vote. She ran again in 2020 and was elected with over 56% of the vote. She has served a term as mayor.
Top issues: Education, affordable housing development, homelessness, mental health services, climate justice, support organized labor, public safety, and civil rights advocacy.
Priority bills: As a member of the Rohnert Park City Council, Elward has been a strong supporter of efforts to complete a 60-unit housing project for the local homeless community, and increase development in the downtown area. During her time as mayor, she also moved forward a police accountability initiative, which included the appointment of an independent auditor, crisis-management training, and use-of-force training. She also serves as the Council’s liaison to several local initiatives, including Sonoma Clean Power Authority, Sonoma County Continuum of Care, Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, and Waste and Recycling.
Governance and community leadership experience: Along with her City Council work, Elward is an educator and an activist, which she does to bring leadership to her local community. She has served as a teacher and staff member at Santa Rosa French American Charter School for several years. Elward is also the founder of Les Enfants Baobab, which is a non-profit organization designed to provide resources, including education and clothing, to students in Kinshasa, where she lived and studied.
Other background: Elward is from Democratic Republic of Congo, and immigrated to the United States in the early aughts. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Rohnert Park City Council, and the first Black female immigrant to serve as mayor.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Jackie Elward (D), Thomas Bogue (R), Christopher Cabaldon (D), Jimih Jones (R), and Rozzana Verder-Aliga (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elward’s campaign has raised $132,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Christopher Cabaldon Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Cabaldon’s campaign has raised $214,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate and corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Rozzana Verder-Aliga Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verder-Aliga’s campaign has raised $342,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 3rd State Senate District includes parts of Solano, Yolo, Napa, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and Sacramento Counties.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 13% Asian, and 9% Black.
Recent election results: SD-3 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 23 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 Jackie Elward for State Senate to put SD-3 on the right track for progress.
Elward’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-3 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Elward has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) Action, California Environmental Voters, and Working Families Party. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Damon Connolly, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, and several local county supervisors, city councilmembers, and education leaders.
Electoral history: Elward ran for Rohnert City Council in 2018, but lost after only earning 18% of the vote. She ran again in 2020 and was elected with over 56% of the vote. She has served a term as mayor.
Top issues: Education, affordable housing development, homelessness, mental health services, climate justice, support organized labor, public safety, and civil rights advocacy.
Priority bills: As a member of the Rohnert Park City Council, Elward has been a strong supporter of efforts to complete a 60-unit housing project for the local homeless community, and increase development in the downtown area. During her time as mayor, she also moved forward a police accountability initiative, which included the appointment of an independent auditor, crisis-management training, and use-of-force training. She also serves as the Council’s liaison to several local initiatives, including Sonoma Clean Power Authority, Sonoma County Continuum of Care, Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, and Waste and Recycling.
Governance and community leadership experience: Along with her City Council work, Elward is an educator and an activist, which she does to bring leadership to her local community. She has served as a teacher and staff member at Santa Rosa French American Charter School for several years. Elward is also the founder of Les Enfants Baobab, which is a non-profit organization designed to provide resources, including education and clothing, to students in Kinshasa, where she lived and studied.
Other background: Elward is from Democratic Republic of Congo, and immigrated to the United States in the early aughts. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Rohnert Park City Council, and the first Black female immigrant to serve as mayor.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Jackie Elward (D), Thomas Bogue (R), Christopher Cabaldon (D), Jimih Jones (R), and Rozzana Verder-Aliga (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Elward’s campaign has raised $132,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Christopher Cabaldon Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Cabaldon’s campaign has raised $214,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate and corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Rozzana Verder-Aliga Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Verder-Aliga’s campaign has raised $342,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 3rd State Senate District includes parts of Solano, Yolo, Napa, Contra Costa, Sonoma, and Sacramento Counties.
Voter registration: 50% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 21% Latino, 13% Asian, and 9% Black.
Recent election results: SD-3 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 33 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 23 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 Marisol Rubio for State Senate to put SD-9 on the right track for progress.
Marisol Rubio’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rubio has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, South Alameda County Progressive Democrats, Our Revolution East Bay, Evolve California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like California Teachers Association, California School Employees Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, AFSCME, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials, including congressional Rep. Ro Khanna.
Electoral history: Rubio ran for State Senate in 2020, and was defeated in the primary, losing out by 3 points to the Democratic incumbent and Republican challenger. She was elected to the San Ramon City Council in 2022.
Top issues: Environmental protections, reproductive rights, climate change, and housing.
Priority bills: As San Ramon City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat climate change. She helped form the first Ad Hoc Climate Action Council, and also helped direct policy to meet the housing needs of San Ramon.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rubio is a San Ramon City Councilmember, scientific researcher, health care provider, and former teacher. Rubio serves on the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County. She co-authored two resolutions that were adopted by the California Democratic Party and helped pass several progressive bills and resolutions including the Green New Deal for California, a call for a climate-focused presidential debate, and support for the public banking movement, which gives localities the ability to open banks to serve marginalized residents. She also advocated for the California Democratic Party to stop accepting money from police and the fossil fuel industry. She has served as a board member for the Sierra Club, an elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and is an SEIU Local 2015 member.
Other background: Rubio is from California. She earned her BA in molecular biology from UC Berkeley.
The Race
Primary election: There are 2 candidates running in the March 5 primary: Marisol Rubio and Assemblymember Tim Grayson. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rubio’s campaign has raised $42,150 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opponent’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Grayson’s campaign has raised $668,599 and is funded by corporate PACs. He has also accepted nearly $40,000 from the real estate industry, nearly $30,000 from the police, and more than $45,000 from the fossil fuel industry.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 9th State Senate District includes parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 19% Asian, and 8% Black.
Recent election results: SD-9 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 45 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 36 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 Marisol Rubio for State Senate to put SD-9 on the right track for progress.
Marisol Rubio’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rubio has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, South Alameda County Progressive Democrats, Our Revolution East Bay, Evolve California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like California Teachers Association, California School Employees Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, AFSCME, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials, including congressional Rep. Ro Khanna.
Electoral history: Rubio ran for State Senate in 2020, and was defeated in the primary, losing out by 3 points to the Democratic incumbent and Republican challenger. She was elected to the San Ramon City Council in 2022.
Top issues: Environmental protections, reproductive rights, climate change, and housing.
Priority bills: As San Ramon City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat climate change. She helped form the first Ad Hoc Climate Action Council, and also helped direct policy to meet the housing needs of San Ramon.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rubio is a San Ramon City Councilmember, scientific researcher, health care provider, and former teacher. Rubio serves on the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County. She co-authored two resolutions that were adopted by the California Democratic Party and helped pass several progressive bills and resolutions including the Green New Deal for California, a call for a climate-focused presidential debate, and support for the public banking movement, which gives localities the ability to open banks to serve marginalized residents. She also advocated for the California Democratic Party to stop accepting money from police and the fossil fuel industry. She has served as a board member for the Sierra Club, an elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and is an SEIU Local 2015 member.
Other background: Rubio is from California. She earned her BA in molecular biology from UC Berkeley.
The Race
Primary election: There are 2 candidates running in the March 5 primary: Marisol Rubio and Assemblymember Tim Grayson. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rubio’s campaign has raised $42,150 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opponent’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Grayson’s campaign has raised $668,599 and is funded by corporate PACs. He has also accepted nearly $40,000 from the real estate industry, nearly $30,000 from the police, and more than $45,000 from the fossil fuel industry.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 9th State Senate District includes parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 19% Asian, and 8% Black.
Recent election results: SD-9 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 45 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 36 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 Marisol Rubio for State Senate to put SD-9 on the right track for progress.
Marisol Rubio’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-9 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Rubio has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, Evolve California, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, South Alameda County Progressive Democrats, Our Revolution East Bay, Evolve California, and California Working Families Party, as well as labor unions like California Teachers Association, California School Employees Association, National Union of Healthcare Workers, AFSCME, and SEIU. She has also been endorsed by elected officials, including congressional Rep. Ro Khanna.
Electoral history: Rubio ran for State Senate in 2020, and was defeated in the primary, losing out by 3 points to the Democratic incumbent and Republican challenger. She was elected to the San Ramon City Council in 2022.
Top issues: Environmental protections, reproductive rights, climate change, and housing.
Priority bills: As San Ramon City Councilmember, she has been a strong supporter of action to combat climate change. She helped form the first Ad Hoc Climate Action Council, and also helped direct policy to meet the housing needs of San Ramon.
Governance and community leadership experience: Rubio is a San Ramon City Councilmember, scientific researcher, health care provider, and former teacher. Rubio serves on the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County. She co-authored two resolutions that were adopted by the California Democratic Party and helped pass several progressive bills and resolutions including the Green New Deal for California, a call for a climate-focused presidential debate, and support for the public banking movement, which gives localities the ability to open banks to serve marginalized residents. She also advocated for the California Democratic Party to stop accepting money from police and the fossil fuel industry. She has served as a board member for the Sierra Club, an elected delegate to the Democratic National Convention, and is an SEIU Local 2015 member.
Other background: Rubio is from California. She earned her BA in molecular biology from UC Berkeley.
The Race
Primary election: There are 2 candidates running in the March 5 primary: Marisol Rubio and Assemblymember Tim Grayson. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Rubio’s campaign has raised $42,150 and is not funded by corporate PACs, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate industry, or the police.
Opponent’s fundraising and pledges: Assm. Grayson’s campaign has raised $668,599 and is funded by corporate PACs. He has also accepted nearly $40,000 from the real estate industry, nearly $30,000 from the police, and more than $45,000 from the fossil fuel industry.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 9th State Senate District includes parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
Voter registration: 53% Democrat, 18% Republican, and 23% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 17% Latino, 19% Asian, and 8% Black.
Recent election results: SD-9 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 45 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 36 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 Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sasha Renée Pérez (D), Sandra Armenta (D), Teddy Choi (D), Yvonne Yiu (D), and Elizabeth Ahlers (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $325,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Yvonne Yiu Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Yiu’s campaign has raised $524,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Ahlers Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Ahlers’s campaign has raised $95,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of Armenta and Choi have not submitted any fundraising receipts to the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sasha Renée Pérez (D), Sandra Armenta (D), Teddy Choi (D), Yvonne Yiu (D), and Elizabeth Ahlers (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $325,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Yvonne Yiu Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Yiu’s campaign has raised $524,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Ahlers Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Ahlers’s campaign has raised $95,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of Armenta and Choi have not submitted any fundraising receipts to the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Sasha Renée Pérez for state Senate to put SD-25 on the right track for progress.
Sasha Renée Pérez’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-25 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Pérez has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Environmental Voters, California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, and many local labor unions. She has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Rep. Robert Garcia, State Sen. Lola Smallwood Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and a majority of members from the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
Electoral history: Pérez won her 2020 race for Alhambra City Council with over 58% of the vote. She served a term as mayor early in her time on the City Council.
Top issues: Homelessness and housing, small-business pandemic recovery, immigration protections, mental health care, supporting organized labor, CalGrant expansion, gun reform, and youth empowerment.
Priority bills: As a member of the Alhambra City Council, she has been a strong supporter of local efforts to improve public safety, labor empowerment, and sustainability through focused collaborative leadership. Pérez led successful organizing efforts to pass the HERO Pay Ordinance to temporarily increase wages for essential grocery and pharmacy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also supported an initiative that brings mental health care and social workers to work as part of the public-safety response team, and to solidify government funding for the development of a $25 million community center. Pérez has deep personal and professional ties to organized labor, and was instrumental in establishing the city’s Project Labor Agreement. She has also worked to help develop the communities first sustainability plan, which earned her the Congressional Woman of the Year award from Rep. Judy Chu in 2022. Pérez is an outspoken progressive, and has consistently used her platform to advocate for working people when she encounters systems that are designed to create inequity.
Governance and community leadership experience: Pérez is an educator and a public servant, which she does to create diverse coalitions that work to improve policy outcomes across communities. As a student, Pérez was a member of student government, and worked to support an initiative that was ultimately awarded $97 million to support college access and affordability for students across the state. Building on that work, she spent her early career as an educator who taught civic engagement to high school students. She built on those efforts when she joined Campaign for College Opportunity. She collaborated with Sen. Leyva and Assm. Medina to expand Cal Grant access to more California students, and would continue to advocate for the passage of that policy as a member of the state Senate. More recently, she was political director for California’s 2022 Prop 1 campaign, which successfully protected the right to abortion and contraception in the state’s constitution.
Other background: Pérez is from the San Gabriel Valley. Her family has a long history of labor organizing, which was instrumental in her pursuit of advocacy and public service. She is the youngest Latina mayor to serve in the state of California.
The Race
Primary election: There are five candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Sasha Renée Pérez (D), Sandra Armenta (D), Teddy Choi (D), Yvonne Yiu (D), and Elizabeth Ahlers (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Pérez’s campaign has raised $325,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Yvonne Yiu Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Yiu’s campaign has raised $524,000 as of October 2023, and is funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Republican Elizabeth Ahlers Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Ahlers’s campaign has raised $95,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, real estate, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of Armenta and Choi have not submitted any fundraising receipts to the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 25th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 46% Democrat, 22% Republican, and 26% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 23% Latino, 30% Asian, and 5% Black.
Recent election results: SD-25 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 31 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 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.
Courage California endorses Assemblymember Eloise Reyes for state Senate to put SD-29 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Eloise Reyes’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-29 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Reyes has the endorsement of many progressive groups and labor unions, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, California Environmental Voters, IE United, and United Farm Workers. She is also endorsed by many elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Controller Malia Cohen, and San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran.
Electoral history: Assm. Reyes has served in the State Assembly since 2016, when she won her election with over 54% of the vote. In 2022, she won her re-election against a Republican challenger by 14 points.
Top issues: Environmental and climate protections, affordable housing, education, and criminal justice reform.
Priority bills: As a member of the State Assembly, she has authored bills to improve economic development, criminal justice reform, access to housing, and to protect communities from the impacts of warehouses. This term, she has authored 26 bills about air pollution, housing, social services, education, and worker protections. Of these, eleven have been successfully chaptered into law, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She 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. Reyes has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote, and was designated a Courage All-Star during the 2022 legislative cycle.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Reyes has held several leadership roles during her time in the Assembly, including serving as co-chair of the Legislative Ethics Committee, and assistant majority whip. In 2020, she became the first Latina to be appointed Assembly majority leader. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Reyes taught as an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, provided free legal aid to residents of the Inland Empire, and co-founded the Inland Empire Community Health Center. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protection.
Other background: Assm. Reyes grew up in the San Bernardino Valley and lives in Grand Terrace, CA.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Assm. Eloise Gómez Reyes (D), Jason O’Brien (D), Carlos Garcia (R), and Kathleen Hazelton (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Reyes’s campaign has raised $517,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of O’Brien, Garcia, and Hazelton have not filed any campaign finance receipts with the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 29th State Senate District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 23% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 54% Latino, 6% Asian, and 13% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.
Recent election results: SD-29 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 11 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 Assemblymember Eloise Reyes for state Senate to put SD-29 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Eloise Reyes’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-29 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Reyes has the endorsement of many progressive groups and labor unions, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, California Environmental Voters, IE United, and United Farm Workers. She is also endorsed by many elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Controller Malia Cohen, and San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran.
Electoral history: Assm. Reyes has served in the State Assembly since 2016, when she won her election with over 54% of the vote. In 2022, she won her re-election against a Republican challenger by 14 points.
Top issues: Environmental and climate protections, affordable housing, education, and criminal justice reform.
Priority bills: As a member of the State Assembly, she has authored bills to improve economic development, criminal justice reform, access to housing, and to protect communities from the impacts of warehouses. This term, she has authored 26 bills about air pollution, housing, social services, education, and worker protections. Of these, eleven have been successfully chaptered into law, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She 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. Reyes has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote, and was designated a Courage All-Star during the 2022 legislative cycle.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Reyes has held several leadership roles during her time in the Assembly, including serving as co-chair of the Legislative Ethics Committee, and assistant majority whip. In 2020, she became the first Latina to be appointed Assembly majority leader. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Reyes taught as an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, provided free legal aid to residents of the Inland Empire, and co-founded the Inland Empire Community Health Center. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protection.
Other background: Assm. Reyes grew up in the San Bernardino Valley and lives in Grand Terrace, CA.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Assm. Eloise Gómez Reyes (D), Jason O’Brien (D), Carlos Garcia (R), and Kathleen Hazelton (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Reyes’s campaign has raised $517,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of O’Brien, Garcia, and Hazelton have not filed any campaign finance receipts with the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 29th State Senate District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 23% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 54% Latino, 6% Asian, and 13% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.
Recent election results: SD-29 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 11 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 Assemblymember Eloise Reyes for state Senate to put SD-29 on the right track for progress.
Assemblymember Eloise Reyes’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-29 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Reyes has the endorsement of many progressive groups and labor unions, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, California Environmental Voters, IE United, and United Farm Workers. She is also endorsed by many elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, State Controller Malia Cohen, and San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran.
Electoral history: Assm. Reyes has served in the State Assembly since 2016, when she won her election with over 54% of the vote. In 2022, she won her re-election against a Republican challenger by 14 points.
Top issues: Environmental and climate protections, affordable housing, education, and criminal justice reform.
Priority bills: As a member of the State Assembly, she has authored bills to improve economic development, criminal justice reform, access to housing, and to protect communities from the impacts of warehouses. This term, she has authored 26 bills about air pollution, housing, social services, education, and worker protections. Of these, eleven have been successfully chaptered into law, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She 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. Reyes has supported the most progressive bills that made it to a vote, and was designated a Courage All-Star during the 2022 legislative cycle.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Reyes has held several leadership roles during her time in the Assembly, including serving as co-chair of the Legislative Ethics Committee, and assistant majority whip. In 2020, she became the first Latina to be appointed Assembly majority leader. Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Reyes taught as an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, provided free legal aid to residents of the Inland Empire, and co-founded the Inland Empire Community Health Center. She is a longtime supporter of environmental protection.
Other background: Assm. Reyes grew up in the San Bernardino Valley and lives in Grand Terrace, CA.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Assm. Eloise Gómez Reyes (D), Jason O’Brien (D), Carlos Garcia (R), and Kathleen Hazelton (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Reyes’s campaign has raised $517,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: The campaigns of O’Brien, Garcia, and Hazelton have not filed any campaign finance receipts with the California Secretary of State’s office as of October 2023.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 29th State Senate District includes parts of San Bernardino County.
Voter registration: 47% Democrat, 23% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference.
District demographics: 54% Latino, 6% Asian, and 13% Black. This district is considered to be one of the strong Latino seats in the California State Senate delegation.
Recent election results: SD-29 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 27 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 11 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 Michelle Chambers for state Senate to put SD-35 on the right track for progress.
Michelle Chambers’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-35 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Chambers has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including LA Voice Action, SEIU California, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.
Electoral history: Chambers has run for office previously, and won her 2019 race for Compton City Council District 1 against the incumbent with over 65% of the vote. She resigned from the seat midway through her first term in March 2022 to work in Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office.
Top issues: Quality of life improvement, homelessness and housing, health care, economic improvement, public safety, senior and veteran services, and creating employment opportunities
Governance and community leadership experience: Chambers is a public policy professional, which she does to support services and systems that improve quality of life for members of the community. Aside from her tenure on the Compton City Council, Chambers has served in a variety of leadership positions in the state, including as external affairs manager to Attorney General Rob Bonta, special assistant to Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, and senior field deputy to Assm. Mike Gipson. Over a 30-year career, she has supported the work of state legislative leaders, congressional offices, local public works, and organized labor. These positions have provided Chambers with a comprehensive understanding of the public sector, and how to create positive outcomes across communities.
Other background: Michelle Chambers is a longtime resident of Compton.
The Race
Primary election: There are seven candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Michelle Chambers (D), Lamar Lyons (D), Nilo Michelin (D), Alex Monteiro (D), Laura Richardson (D), Pierre Homer Tijerino (D), and Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Chambers’s campaign has raised $60,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, police, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Nilo Michelin Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Michelin’s campaign has raised $50,000 as of October 2023, and is entirely self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Alex Monteiro Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Monteiro’s campaign has raised $96,000 as of October 2023, and has received donations from real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Laura Richardson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Richardson’s campaign has raised $285,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded. She has not received any donations from problematic funders.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’s campaign has raised $104,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 35th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 11% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 47% Latino, 9% Asian, and 31% Black.
Recent election results: SD-35 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 61 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 54 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 Michelle Chambers for state Senate to put SD-35 on the right track for progress.
Michelle Chambers’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-35 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Chambers has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including LA Voice Action, SEIU California, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.
Electoral history: Chambers has run for office previously, and won her 2019 race for Compton City Council District 1 against the incumbent with over 65% of the vote. She resigned from the seat midway through her first term in March 2022 to work in Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office.
Top issues: Quality of life improvement, homelessness and housing, health care, economic improvement, public safety, senior and veteran services, and creating employment opportunities
Governance and community leadership experience: Chambers is a public policy professional, which she does to support services and systems that improve quality of life for members of the community. Aside from her tenure on the Compton City Council, Chambers has served in a variety of leadership positions in the state, including as external affairs manager to Attorney General Rob Bonta, special assistant to Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, and senior field deputy to Assm. Mike Gipson. Over a 30-year career, she has supported the work of state legislative leaders, congressional offices, local public works, and organized labor. These positions have provided Chambers with a comprehensive understanding of the public sector, and how to create positive outcomes across communities.
Other background: Michelle Chambers is a longtime resident of Compton.
The Race
Primary election: There are seven candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Michelle Chambers (D), Lamar Lyons (D), Nilo Michelin (D), Alex Monteiro (D), Laura Richardson (D), Pierre Homer Tijerino (D), and Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Chambers’s campaign has raised $60,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, police, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Nilo Michelin Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Michelin’s campaign has raised $50,000 as of October 2023, and is entirely self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Alex Monteiro Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Monteiro’s campaign has raised $96,000 as of October 2023, and has received donations from real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Laura Richardson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Richardson’s campaign has raised $285,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded. She has not received any donations from problematic funders.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’s campaign has raised $104,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 35th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 11% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 47% Latino, 9% Asian, and 31% Black.
Recent election results: SD-35 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 61 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 54 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 Michelle Chambers for state Senate to put SD-35 on the right track for progress.
Michelle Chambers’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of SD-35 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Chambers has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including LA Voice Action, SEIU California, and California Environmental Voters. She has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, Assm. Tina McKinnor, and LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.
Electoral history: Chambers has run for office previously, and won her 2019 race for Compton City Council District 1 against the incumbent with over 65% of the vote. She resigned from the seat midway through her first term in March 2022 to work in Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office.
Top issues: Quality of life improvement, homelessness and housing, health care, economic improvement, public safety, senior and veteran services, and creating employment opportunities
Governance and community leadership experience: Chambers is a public policy professional, which she does to support services and systems that improve quality of life for members of the community. Aside from her tenure on the Compton City Council, Chambers has served in a variety of leadership positions in the state, including as external affairs manager to Attorney General Rob Bonta, special assistant to Los Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang, and senior field deputy to Assm. Mike Gipson. Over a 30-year career, she has supported the work of state legislative leaders, congressional offices, local public works, and organized labor. These positions have provided Chambers with a comprehensive understanding of the public sector, and how to create positive outcomes across communities.
Other background: Michelle Chambers is a longtime resident of Compton.
The Race
Primary election: There are seven candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Michelle Chambers (D), Lamar Lyons (D), Nilo Michelin (D), Alex Monteiro (D), Laura Richardson (D), Pierre Homer Tijerino (D), and Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams (D). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Chambers’s campaign has raised $60,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, police, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Nilo Michelin Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Michelin’s campaign has raised $50,000 as of October 2023, and is entirely self-funded.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Alex Monteiro Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Monteiro’s campaign has raised $96,000 as of October 2023, and has received donations from real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Laura Richardson Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Richardson’s campaign has raised $285,000 as of October 2023, and is primarily self-funded. She has not received any donations from problematic funders.
Opposing candidate: Democrat Jennifer Trichelle-Marie Williams Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Williams’s campaign has raised $104,000 as of October 2023, and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 35th State Senate District includes parts of Los Angeles County.
Voter registration: 61% Democrat, 11% Republican, and 22% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 47% Latino, 9% Asian, and 31% Black.
Recent election results: SD-35 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 61 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 54 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 Supervisor Holly Mitchell for re-election to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Mitchell has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles County Action Fund, Los Angeles Federation of Labor, Sierra Club, California Working Families Party, and The Black Women’s Democratic Club. She also has the endorsement of many elected leaders, including LA Mayor Karen Bass, Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, Sen. Laphonza Butler, Rep. Sydney Kamlager Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Alleviating poverty, universal basic income, climate protections, reducing oil drilling within the county, mental health care response, equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and family and youth development.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Mitchell has used her first term to successfully pass several important motions, including a first in the nation phased ban of oil drilling in Los Angeles County, a plan to transition fossil fuel workers to clean-energy jobs, and a guaranteed basic income pilot program. She also presented and passed a motion to establish behavioral health care teams at the Restorative Care Villages, a housing and health-care collaboration between Los Angeles County and University of Southern California. These mental health response teams provide real-time preventative intervention for residents in crisis. Supervisor Mitchell has been a progressive presence on the Board, combining her knowledge of the legislative process with her interest in building a secure social safety net across the county to give all residents the resources they need to thrive.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Mitchell has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 60% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Sen. Mitchell was elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and moved to the state Senate in 2013. In the state Senate, she served as the first African American chair of the powerful Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. During her tenure, Sen. Mitchell was a strong proponent of criminal justice reform. She passed a set of criminal justice reforms that consisted of 10 laws to reduce barriers for Californians affected by the criminal justice system by reducing sentence enhancements for low-level drugs, removing court fees for the innocent, sealing arrest records for people not convicted, ending the sentencing of juveniles to life without parole, and other advancements. She was a notable progressive influence in other areas as well, with nearly 90 bills signed into law on issues that included homelessness, mental health, children’s rights, and job protections. Before holding elected office, Supervisor Mitchell was a longtime non-profit executive and ran Crystal Stairs, Inc., a youth and family development agency.
As a legislator, Supervisor Mitchell scored an overall 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records, and often earned the All-Star designation.
Other background: Supervisor Mitchell is a third-generation Angeleno, and continues to reside in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Katrina Williams, Clint Carlton, and Daphne Bradford. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5 unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Mitchell’s campaign has raised $153,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel or police interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: None of the challengers in this race have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the County Clerk as of December 2023.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California’s most populous county. District 2 includes Leimert Park, Carson, Compton, Culver City, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, portions of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and unincorporated communities.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 9.7 million people and manages an estimated budget of $39 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Los Angeles County is governed by the Board of Supervisors, which has executive, legislative, and quasi-judicial authority. Voters also elect an assessor, a district attorney, and a sheriff, who work alongside the Board of Supervisors to govern within the county.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Courage California endorses Supervisor Holly Mitchell for re-election to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Mitchell has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles County Action Fund, Los Angeles Federation of Labor, Sierra Club, California Working Families Party, and The Black Women’s Democratic Club. She also has the endorsement of many elected leaders, including LA Mayor Karen Bass, Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, Sen. Laphonza Butler, Rep. Sydney Kamlager Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Alleviating poverty, universal basic income, climate protections, reducing oil drilling within the county, mental health care response, equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and family and youth development.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Mitchell has used her first term to successfully pass several important motions, including a first in the nation phased ban of oil drilling in Los Angeles County, a plan to transition fossil fuel workers to clean-energy jobs, and a guaranteed basic income pilot program. She also presented and passed a motion to establish behavioral health care teams at the Restorative Care Villages, a housing and health-care collaboration between Los Angeles County and University of Southern California. These mental health response teams provide real-time preventative intervention for residents in crisis. Supervisor Mitchell has been a progressive presence on the Board, combining her knowledge of the legislative process with her interest in building a secure social safety net across the county to give all residents the resources they need to thrive.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Mitchell has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 60% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Sen. Mitchell was elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and moved to the state Senate in 2013. In the state Senate, she served as the first African American chair of the powerful Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. During her tenure, Sen. Mitchell was a strong proponent of criminal justice reform. She passed a set of criminal justice reforms that consisted of 10 laws to reduce barriers for Californians affected by the criminal justice system by reducing sentence enhancements for low-level drugs, removing court fees for the innocent, sealing arrest records for people not convicted, ending the sentencing of juveniles to life without parole, and other advancements. She was a notable progressive influence in other areas as well, with nearly 90 bills signed into law on issues that included homelessness, mental health, children’s rights, and job protections. Before holding elected office, Supervisor Mitchell was a longtime non-profit executive and ran Crystal Stairs, Inc., a youth and family development agency.
As a legislator, Supervisor Mitchell scored an overall 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records, and often earned the All-Star designation.
Other background: Supervisor Mitchell is a third-generation Angeleno, and continues to reside in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Katrina Williams, Clint Carlton, and Daphne Bradford. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5 unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Mitchell’s campaign has raised $153,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel or police interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: None of the challengers in this race have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the County Clerk as of December 2023.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California’s most populous county. District 2 includes Leimert Park, Carson, Compton, Culver City, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, portions of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and unincorporated communities.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 9.7 million people and manages an estimated budget of $39 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Los Angeles County is governed by the Board of Supervisors, which has executive, legislative, and quasi-judicial authority. Voters also elect an assessor, a district attorney, and a sheriff, who work alongside the Board of Supervisors to govern within the county.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Courage California endorses Supervisor Holly Mitchell for re-election to keep Los Angeles County on the right track for progress.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Supervisor Mitchell has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles County Action Fund, Los Angeles Federation of Labor, Sierra Club, California Working Families Party, and The Black Women’s Democratic Club. She also has the endorsement of many elected leaders, including LA Mayor Karen Bass, Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand, Sen. Laphonza Butler, Rep. Sydney Kamlager Dove, State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Alleviating poverty, universal basic income, climate protections, reducing oil drilling within the county, mental health care response, equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and family and youth development.
Key initiatives: Supervisor Mitchell has used her first term to successfully pass several important motions, including a first in the nation phased ban of oil drilling in Los Angeles County, a plan to transition fossil fuel workers to clean-energy jobs, and a guaranteed basic income pilot program. She also presented and passed a motion to establish behavioral health care teams at the Restorative Care Villages, a housing and health-care collaboration between Los Angeles County and University of Southern California. These mental health response teams provide real-time preventative intervention for residents in crisis. Supervisor Mitchell has been a progressive presence on the Board, combining her knowledge of the legislative process with her interest in building a secure social safety net across the county to give all residents the resources they need to thrive.
Governance and community leadership experience: Supervisor Mitchell has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 60% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Board of Supervisors, Sen. Mitchell was elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and moved to the state Senate in 2013. In the state Senate, she served as the first African American chair of the powerful Budget and Fiscal Review Committee. During her tenure, Sen. Mitchell was a strong proponent of criminal justice reform. She passed a set of criminal justice reforms that consisted of 10 laws to reduce barriers for Californians affected by the criminal justice system by reducing sentence enhancements for low-level drugs, removing court fees for the innocent, sealing arrest records for people not convicted, ending the sentencing of juveniles to life without parole, and other advancements. She was a notable progressive influence in other areas as well, with nearly 90 bills signed into law on issues that included homelessness, mental health, children’s rights, and job protections. Before holding elected office, Supervisor Mitchell was a longtime non-profit executive and ran Crystal Stairs, Inc., a youth and family development agency.
As a legislator, Supervisor Mitchell scored an overall 98 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records, and often earned the All-Star designation.
Other background: Supervisor Mitchell is a third-generation Angeleno, and continues to reside in Los Angeles.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Katrina Williams, Clint Carlton, and Daphne Bradford. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5 unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Supervisor Mitchell’s campaign has raised $153,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by fossil fuel or police interests.
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: None of the challengers in this race have filed any campaign fundraising receipts with the County Clerk as of December 2023.
The District
County: Los Angeles County is California’s most populous county. District 2 includes Leimert Park, Carson, Compton, Culver City, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, portions of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and unincorporated communities.
Governance structure: Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 9.7 million people and manages an estimated budget of $39 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Los Angeles County is governed by the Board of Supervisors, which has executive, legislative, and quasi-judicial authority. Voters also elect an assessor, a district attorney, and a sheriff, who work alongside the Board of Supervisors to govern within the county.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Courage California endorses Councilmember Nithya Raman for re-election to keep Los Angeles on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Nithya Raman’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 4 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Raman has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Abundant Housing LA, ACCE Action, and Fund Her. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, LA Supervisor Hilda Solis, LA Supervisor Holly Mitchell, LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, mental health support, renters’ rights, environmental protections and pollution reduction, cycling infrastructure, government transparency, reproductive justice, and parks improvement.
Key initiatives: Councilmember Raman has successfully supported emergency financial resources, the carbon-free standard for new construction, an expansion of bike lane infrastructure, the establishment of Los Angeles as an abortion care safe haven, new investments in Griffith Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, and the expansion of tenants’ rights, including eviction protections and relocation assistance. A dedicated advocate of housing reform, Councilmember Raman has increased the shelter capacity in her district, opened a hotel shelter in the community, secured an Encampment Resolution Grant from Gov. Newsom to move people indoors, expanded mental health and substance abuse support, and collaborated with Mayor Bass to support unhoused constituents. After her election in 2020, District 4 underwent the most significant change of any council seat, with Councilmember Raman receiving a 40% shift in her constituency after redistricting, a Council-led process that was the subject of much controversy. In response, she has introduced a ballot measure to allow voters to establish a fully independent redistricting commission. She has been a proactive, consistent, and progressive advocate for her constituents.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Raman has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote over the incumbent. Her victory constituted the most votes—over 70,000—that any council candidate has received in the city’s history.
Prior to her election to the City Council, Councilmember Raman was an urban planner and spent time working in India on initiatives to improve access to water, shelter, and economic mobility. After moving to Los Angeles, she co-founded SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, a local neighborhood-based organization formed in response to the city’s inaction on homelessness. She also served as co-chair of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council’s Homelessness Committee for several years. Raman recently served as executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment, the women’s rights movement furthering equity and safety for women in the entertainment industry. Raman’s relationships in entertainment are strong, and her campaign has partnered with artists and performers to further its organizing efforts.
Other background: Councilmember Raman was born in India and raised in Massachusetts after her family immigrated to the United States. She is a graduate of Harvard and MIT.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Councilmember Nithya Raman, Levon Baronian, and Ethan Weaver. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Raman’s campaign has raised $260,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Ethan Weaver Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Weaver’s campaign has raised $141,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
The District
City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles City Council District 4 includes the communities of The Hills, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Hollywood, Silver Lake, Reseda, Van Nuys, Studio City, Cahuenga Pass, Los Feliz, and portions of Los Angeles.
Governance structure: Los Angeles City Council oversees the needs of 3.8 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $13 billion annually. Los Angeles is managed by a mayor-council-structured government.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although Los Angeles maintains a 15 district city council and a mayoral seat. 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 councilmembers in Los Angeles are limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Courage California endorses Councilmember Nithya Raman for re-election to keep Los Angeles on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Nithya Raman’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 4 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Raman has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Abundant Housing LA, ACCE Action, and Fund Her. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, LA Supervisor Hilda Solis, LA Supervisor Holly Mitchell, LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, mental health support, renters’ rights, environmental protections and pollution reduction, cycling infrastructure, government transparency, reproductive justice, and parks improvement.
Key initiatives: Councilmember Raman has successfully supported emergency financial resources, the carbon-free standard for new construction, an expansion of bike lane infrastructure, the establishment of Los Angeles as an abortion care safe haven, new investments in Griffith Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, and the expansion of tenants’ rights, including eviction protections and relocation assistance. A dedicated advocate of housing reform, Councilmember Raman has increased the shelter capacity in her district, opened a hotel shelter in the community, secured an Encampment Resolution Grant from Gov. Newsom to move people indoors, expanded mental health and substance abuse support, and collaborated with Mayor Bass to support unhoused constituents. After her election in 2020, District 4 underwent the most significant change of any council seat, with Councilmember Raman receiving a 40% shift in her constituency after redistricting, a Council-led process that was the subject of much controversy. In response, she has introduced a ballot measure to allow voters to establish a fully independent redistricting commission. She has been a proactive, consistent, and progressive advocate for her constituents.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Raman has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote over the incumbent. Her victory constituted the most votes—over 70,000—that any council candidate has received in the city’s history.
Prior to her election to the City Council, Councilmember Raman was an urban planner and spent time working in India on initiatives to improve access to water, shelter, and economic mobility. After moving to Los Angeles, she co-founded SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, a local neighborhood-based organization formed in response to the city’s inaction on homelessness. She also served as co-chair of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council’s Homelessness Committee for several years. Raman recently served as executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment, the women’s rights movement furthering equity and safety for women in the entertainment industry. Raman’s relationships in entertainment are strong, and her campaign has partnered with artists and performers to further its organizing efforts.
Other background: Councilmember Raman was born in India and raised in Massachusetts after her family immigrated to the United States. She is a graduate of Harvard and MIT.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Councilmember Nithya Raman, Levon Baronian, and Ethan Weaver. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Raman’s campaign has raised $260,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Ethan Weaver Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Weaver’s campaign has raised $141,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
The District
City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles City Council District 4 includes the communities of The Hills, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Hollywood, Silver Lake, Reseda, Van Nuys, Studio City, Cahuenga Pass, Los Feliz, and portions of Los Angeles.
Governance structure: Los Angeles City Council oversees the needs of 3.8 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $13 billion annually. Los Angeles is managed by a mayor-council-structured government.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although Los Angeles maintains a 15 district city council and a mayoral seat. 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 councilmembers in Los Angeles are limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Courage California endorses Councilmember Nithya Raman for re-election to keep Los Angeles on the right track for progress.
Councilmember Nithya Raman’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of City Council District 4 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Councilmember Raman has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Courage California, California Working Families Party, Abundant Housing LA, ACCE Action, and Fund Her. She has also received the endorsement of many local leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, LA Supervisor Hilda Solis, LA Supervisor Holly Mitchell, LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, State Sen. Caroline Menjivar, and Assm. Isaac Bryan.
Top issues: Homelessness and affordable housing, mental health support, renters’ rights, environmental protections and pollution reduction, cycling infrastructure, government transparency, reproductive justice, and parks improvement.
Key initiatives: Councilmember Raman has successfully supported emergency financial resources, the carbon-free standard for new construction, an expansion of bike lane infrastructure, the establishment of Los Angeles as an abortion care safe haven, new investments in Griffith Park and the Los Angeles Zoo, and the expansion of tenants’ rights, including eviction protections and relocation assistance. A dedicated advocate of housing reform, Councilmember Raman has increased the shelter capacity in her district, opened a hotel shelter in the community, secured an Encampment Resolution Grant from Gov. Newsom to move people indoors, expanded mental health and substance abuse support, and collaborated with Mayor Bass to support unhoused constituents. After her election in 2020, District 4 underwent the most significant change of any council seat, with Councilmember Raman receiving a 40% shift in her constituency after redistricting, a Council-led process that was the subject of much controversy. In response, she has introduced a ballot measure to allow voters to establish a fully independent redistricting commission. She has been a proactive, consistent, and progressive advocate for her constituents.
Governance and community leadership experience: Councilmember Raman has served in this seat since 2020, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote over the incumbent. Her victory constituted the most votes—over 70,000—that any council candidate has received in the city’s history.
Prior to her election to the City Council, Councilmember Raman was an urban planner and spent time working in India on initiatives to improve access to water, shelter, and economic mobility. After moving to Los Angeles, she co-founded SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition, a local neighborhood-based organization formed in response to the city’s inaction on homelessness. She also served as co-chair of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council’s Homelessness Committee for several years. Raman recently served as executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment, the women’s rights movement furthering equity and safety for women in the entertainment industry. Raman’s relationships in entertainment are strong, and her campaign has partnered with artists and performers to further its organizing efforts.
Other background: Councilmember Raman was born in India and raised in Massachusetts after her family immigrated to the United States. She is a graduate of Harvard and MIT.
The Race
Primary election: There are three candidates running in the nonpartisan March 5 primary, including Councilmember Nithya Raman, Levon Baronian, and Ethan Weaver. The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote and wins outright in the primary.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Councilmember Raman’s campaign has raised $260,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
Opposing candidate: Ethan Weaver Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Weaver’s campaign has raised $141,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police, fossil fuel, corporate PAC, or real estate interests.
The District
City: Los Angeles is Los Angeles County’s most populous city. Los Angeles City Council District 4 includes the communities of The Hills, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Hollywood, Silver Lake, Reseda, Van Nuys, Studio City, Cahuenga Pass, Los Feliz, and portions of Los Angeles.
Governance structure: Los Angeles City Council oversees the needs of 3.8 million people and manages an estimated operating budget of $13 billion annually. Los Angeles is managed by a mayor-council-structured government.
The Position
Incorporated cities in California are generally governed by a five-person city council, although Los Angeles maintains a 15 district city council and a mayoral seat. 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 councilmembers in Los Angeles are limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
