Re-elect Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to keep AD-42 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Jacqui Irwin has been a frequent recipient of donations from a variety of problematic funders, including Sempra Energy, McDonald’s Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC. Given Assm. Irwin’s connection to these groups, it is important that voters continue to hold her accountable to ensure that her legislative efforts remain in the best interests of AD-42 constituents instead of wealthy special interests.
Endorsements: Assm. Jacqui Irwin has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. However, she has been a frequent recipient of support from police and law enforcement organizations and leaders, including 2022 endorsements from Los Angeles Police Protective League, Simi Valley Police Officers Association, and California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
Key initiatives: This year, Assm. Irwin’s priorities for AD-42 have included 29 bills, including those to adjust property taxation for individuals impacted by the 2018 wildfires, retroactively expand the public employees eligible for worker’s compensation death benefits, and set new requirements for the online footprint of government agencies. Of these, nine have been successfully chaptered into law, four have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She scores a CS of 48 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Irwin has supported a few progressive bills that made it to a vote. This session, she failed to cast a vote on several critical pieces of legislation, including bills to close loopholes for no-fault just-cause evictions, protect workers against discrimination and retaliation from their employers, allow a judge to recall a sentence when laws or circumstances change, and cap the amount a landlord can request as a security deposit to a single month of rent. Assm. Irwin is a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral group that claims that their collaborative work allows them to take a more holistic approach to evaluating legislation. In reality, the Problem Solvers Caucus actively works with problematic industries against progressive policies.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Irwin has served in this assembly seat since 2014, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 10 points.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Irwin spent ten years on the Thousand Oaks City Council, including two terms as mayor. In this local role, she worked for increased public safety and the preservation of open lands. She started her career in engineering, and has championed Assembly bills centered on the expansion of STEM education centers and improved cybersecurity policies.
Other background: Assm. Irwin has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election: There are two candidates running in the March 5 primary, including incumbent Assm. Jacqui Irwin (D), and Ted Nordblum (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Irwin’s campaign has raised $337,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel interests.
Candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Nordblum’s campaign has raised $27,000 as of December 2023, and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 42nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
Voter registration: 42% Democrat, 30% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until redistricting. In 2022, Assm. Jacqui Irwin won and flipped it from red to blue.
District demographics: 14% Latino, 9% Asian, and 2% Black.
Recent election results: AD-42 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 8 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.
Re-elect Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin to keep AD-42 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Jacqui Irwin has been a frequent recipient of donations from a variety of problematic funders, including Sempra Energy, McDonald’s Corporation, California Real Estate PAC, and California Association of Highway Patrolmen PAC. Given Assm. Irwin’s connection to these groups, it is important that voters continue to hold her accountable to ensure that her legislative efforts remain in the best interests of AD-42 constituents instead of wealthy special interests.
Endorsements: Assm. Jacqui Irwin has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. However, she has been a frequent recipient of support from police and law enforcement organizations and leaders, including 2022 endorsements from Los Angeles Police Protective League, Simi Valley Police Officers Association, and California Correctional Peace Officers Association.
Key initiatives: This year, Assm. Irwin’s priorities for AD-42 have included 29 bills, including those to adjust property taxation for individuals impacted by the 2018 wildfires, retroactively expand the public employees eligible for worker’s compensation death benefits, and set new requirements for the online footprint of government agencies. Of these, nine have been successfully chaptered into law, four have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She scores a CS of 48 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting record. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Irwin has supported a few progressive bills that made it to a vote. This session, she failed to cast a vote on several critical pieces of legislation, including bills to close loopholes for no-fault just-cause evictions, protect workers against discrimination and retaliation from their employers, allow a judge to recall a sentence when laws or circumstances change, and cap the amount a landlord can request as a security deposit to a single month of rent. Assm. Irwin is a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus and the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral group that claims that their collaborative work allows them to take a more holistic approach to evaluating legislation. In reality, the Problem Solvers Caucus actively works with problematic industries against progressive policies.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Irwin has served in this assembly seat since 2014, when she was elected with over 52% of the vote. In 2022, she won her reelection against a Republican challenger by 10 points.
Prior to her election to the State Assembly, Assm. Irwin spent ten years on the Thousand Oaks City Council, including two terms as mayor. In this local role, she worked for increased public safety and the preservation of open lands. She started her career in engineering, and has championed Assembly bills centered on the expansion of STEM education centers and improved cybersecurity policies.
Other background: Assm. Irwin has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years.
The Race
Primary election: There are two candidates running in the March 5 primary, including incumbent Assm. Jacqui Irwin (D), and Ted Nordblum (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Irwin’s campaign has raised $337,000 as of December 2023, and is funded by police, corporate PAC, real estate, and fossil fuel interests.
Candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Nordblum’s campaign has raised $27,000 as of December 2023, and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 42nd Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
Voter registration: 42% Democrat, 30% Republican, and 21% No Party Preference. Republicans held this seat until redistricting. In 2022, Assm. Jacqui Irwin won and flipped it from red to blue.
District demographics: 14% Latino, 9% Asian, and 2% Black.
Recent election results: AD-42 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 19 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 8 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.