Re-elect Assemblymember Liz Ortega to keep AD-20 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Liz Ortega’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-20 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Ortega has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. In previous elections, she has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen, Assm. Alex Lee, and labor leader Dolores Huerta.
Top issues: Reproductive freedom, workforce development, environmental justice, homelessness and housing, community safety, and worker protections.
Priority bills: This year, Assm. Ortega’s priorities for AD-20 have included 18 bills about health care, worker protections, and vocational and workforce services. Of these, six have been successfully chaptered into law, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored and passed legislation to strengthen OSHA regulations, expand social service access, and create a Workplace Readiness Week to be observed by schools with a workers’ rights curriculum. She scores a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records, and received an Honorable Mention for her record this session. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Ortega has supported all of the progressive bills that made it to a vote this year.
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Ortega currently sits on 11 committees, including Higher Education, Insurance, and Public Safety. She serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Labor & Employment. Assm. Ortega is the Program Committee chair of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus and a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Ortega has served in this assembly seat since 2022, when she was elected with over 62% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Ortega was a labor organizer and community activist, which she did to form coalitions and develop strategies necessary to build union power. As statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299, the University of California’s largest employee union, Ortega ensured the passage of state legislation to preserve and protect essential service jobs at every UC campus. She was the first Latina elected as executive secretary–treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council, where she fought for an equitable minimum wage to support working families. In 2014, she was elected delegate to the Alameda Democratic Central Committee where she facilitated meetings and discussions between Democrats and labor leaders on issues facing their members. As a member of the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board, she helped job-seekers develop workplace skills and find employment. Ortega serves on the Alameda County Vaccine Equity Task Force, where she has secured paid sick leave and hazard pay for essential public safety, health providers, and frontline workers. During the pandemic, she focused her work on testing and vaccination efforts to ensure the safety of frontline workers.
Other background: Assm. Ortega is a lifelong resident of the East Bay and currently lives in San Leandro. She came to the United States at the age of three.
The Race
Primary election: Assm. Liz Ortega (D) is running unopposed in this race.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Ortega’s campaign has raised $311,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police or real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 20th Assembly District includes parts of Alameda County.
Voter registration: 57% Democrat, 13% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat.
District demographics: 24% Latino, 32% Asian, and 10% Black.
Recent election results: AD-20 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 52 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 45 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 Liz Ortega to keep AD-20 on the right track for progress.
Assm. Liz Ortega’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will continue to be a progressive voice for the constituents of AD-20 and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Assm. Ortega has the endorsement of some progressive groups, including Equality California, California Environmental Voters, and AFSCME California. In previous elections, she has also received the endorsement of many elected officials, including Attorney General Rob Bonta, Board of Equalization Member Malia Cohen, Assm. Alex Lee, and labor leader Dolores Huerta.
Top issues: Reproductive freedom, workforce development, environmental justice, homelessness and housing, community safety, and worker protections.
Priority bills: This year, Assm. Ortega’s priorities for AD-20 have included 18 bills about health care, worker protections, and vocational and workforce services. Of these, six have been successfully chaptered into law, two have been vetoed, and the rest remain in committee. She has sponsored and passed legislation to strengthen OSHA regulations, expand social service access, and create a Workplace Readiness Week to be observed by schools with a workers’ rights curriculum. She scores a CS of 100 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records, and received an Honorable Mention for her record this session. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Ortega has supported all of the progressive bills that made it to a vote this year.
Committee leadership/membership: Assm. Ortega currently sits on 11 committees, including Higher Education, Insurance, and Public Safety. She serves as chair of the Standing Committee on Labor & Employment. Assm. Ortega is the Program Committee chair of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus and a member of the California Legislative Latino Caucus.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Ortega has served in this assembly seat since 2022, when she was elected with over 62% of the vote.
Prior to her election to the Assembly, Assm. Ortega was a labor organizer and community activist, which she did to form coalitions and develop strategies necessary to build union power. As statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299, the University of California’s largest employee union, Ortega ensured the passage of state legislation to preserve and protect essential service jobs at every UC campus. She was the first Latina elected as executive secretary–treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council, where she fought for an equitable minimum wage to support working families. In 2014, she was elected delegate to the Alameda Democratic Central Committee where she facilitated meetings and discussions between Democrats and labor leaders on issues facing their members. As a member of the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board, she helped job-seekers develop workplace skills and find employment. Ortega serves on the Alameda County Vaccine Equity Task Force, where she has secured paid sick leave and hazard pay for essential public safety, health providers, and frontline workers. During the pandemic, she focused her work on testing and vaccination efforts to ensure the safety of frontline workers.
Other background: Assm. Ortega is a lifelong resident of the East Bay and currently lives in San Leandro. She came to the United States at the age of three.
The Race
Primary election: Assm. Liz Ortega (D) is running unopposed in this race.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Ortega’s campaign has raised $311,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by police or real estate interests.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 20th Assembly District includes parts of Alameda County.
Voter registration: 57% Democrat, 13% Republican, and 25% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this seat.
District demographics: 24% Latino, 32% Asian, and 10% Black.
Recent election results: AD-20 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 52 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 45 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.