Based on our analysis, two candidates for this position have distinct visions for the district. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Dr. Phlunté Riddle has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including SEIU California, Planned Parenthood, National Women’s Political Caucus California, and California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus. She has also received the endorsement of some local leaders, including Treasurer Fiona Ma, and outgoing AD-41 Assm. Chris Holden. She has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including AFSCME Deputy Probation Officers Union.
Jed Leano has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Abundant Housing LA, Housing Action Coalition, Reproductive Freedom for All California (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice California), and YIMBY Action. He has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan. He has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Claremont Police Officers Association.
Key initiatives: Dr. Riddle is a longtime public servant, which she does to provide representative leadership and create resources for marginalized communities. For 30 years, she served as an officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and community liaison with the Pasadena Police Department. In many of her ranks, she was the first African American woman in the department, and experienced systemic discrimination in several of her roles. She is a longtime supporter of reducing recidivism and creating pathways to success for justice involved individuals. As the Board of Juvenile Hearings Commissioner she created pipelines between the justice system and education, mental health treatment, job training, and workforce-development programs. As district director for outgoing Assm. Chris Holden, she supported college and career pathway programs, public transit expansion, and clean energy initiatives. Dr. Riddle is also an organizational consultant, and an adjunct professor of criminal justice.
Notably, Dr. Riddle was briefly named in a wrongful death lawsuit by the family of an unarmed Black man, Kendrec McDade, who was killed by police in 2012. While Riddle was not present on the night of the shooting, she served as the police spokesperson for the case, and the family felt that she was slow to correct the record on inaccurate reports that McDade was armed or had committed a crime on the night of his death.
Leano has been an outspoken advocate of improved housing policy as a member of the Claremont City Council. He has been proactive in securing significant funding to create a housing navigator program, provide transitional housing options, increase the shelter bed availability, supply motel vouchers to families, and create intervention programs to help individuals and families avoid experiencing homelessness. Leano has also worked to establish a low-income affordable housing development, and the Psychiatric Assessment Care Team to provide wraparound social service support for local residents. He serves as a representative of the city council on the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Homelessness Committee, and as chair of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust Board. A small-business owner, he has also provided leadership on economic relief and revitalization throughout the pandemic years.
In addition to his work on the city council, Leano is an immigration attorney and has had his own practice in Pasadena for 15 years. The son of Filipino immigrants, he works to help immigrant families legally navigate threats of deportation, and pursue refugee status and naturalization in the United States. In 2009, he helped found the Neighborhood Immigration Clinic to provide pro bono services, and later served a two-year term as board chair. Apart from his law practice, he has been very involved in his local community, serving on the Tournament of Roses post-parade committee, as vice chair of the Community and Human Services Commission, and as founding chair of Housing Claremont.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Riddle ran for the SD-25 seat in 2016, but failed to advance to the general election after receiving only 7% of the vote.
Leano was elected to the Claremont City Council in 2018 with over 21% of the vote. He was re-elected to the 4th district seat in 2022 after earning over 57% of the vote. He has served a term as mayor during his time on the council.
Other background: Dr. Riddle is from Altadena and has lived in Pasadena for over 30 years. She holds a doctoral degree in psychology and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico.
Leano is from Anaheim and is a longtime resident of the San Gabriel Valley. He is the son of Filipino immigrants and a first-generation American.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Dr. Phlunté Riddle (D), Jed Leano (D), John Harabedian (D), and Michelle Del Rosario Martinez (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Riddle’s campaign has raised $341,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Leano’s campaign has raised $176,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Harabedian’s campaign has raised $69,000 as of December 2023, and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 41st Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 28% Republican, and 20% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 26% Latino, 13% Asian, and 8% Black.
Recent election results: AD-41 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 25 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 17 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.
Based on our analysis, two candidates for this position have distinct visions for the district. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Dr. Phlunté Riddle has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including SEIU California, Planned Parenthood, National Women’s Political Caucus California, and California Democratic Party Progressive Caucus. She has also received the endorsement of some local leaders, including Treasurer Fiona Ma, and outgoing AD-41 Assm. Chris Holden. She has also received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including AFSCME Deputy Probation Officers Union.
Jed Leano has the endorsement of many progressive groups, including Abundant Housing LA, Housing Action Coalition, Reproductive Freedom for All California (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice California), and YIMBY Action. He has also received the endorsement of many elected leaders, including State Sen. Scott Wiener, Assm. Alex Lee, and Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan. He has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including Claremont Police Officers Association.
Key initiatives: Dr. Riddle is a longtime public servant, which she does to provide representative leadership and create resources for marginalized communities. For 30 years, she served as an officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and community liaison with the Pasadena Police Department. In many of her ranks, she was the first African American woman in the department, and experienced systemic discrimination in several of her roles. She is a longtime supporter of reducing recidivism and creating pathways to success for justice involved individuals. As the Board of Juvenile Hearings Commissioner she created pipelines between the justice system and education, mental health treatment, job training, and workforce-development programs. As district director for outgoing Assm. Chris Holden, she supported college and career pathway programs, public transit expansion, and clean energy initiatives. Dr. Riddle is also an organizational consultant, and an adjunct professor of criminal justice.
Notably, Dr. Riddle was briefly named in a wrongful death lawsuit by the family of an unarmed Black man, Kendrec McDade, who was killed by police in 2012. While Riddle was not present on the night of the shooting, she served as the police spokesperson for the case, and the family felt that she was slow to correct the record on inaccurate reports that McDade was armed or had committed a crime on the night of his death.
Leano has been an outspoken advocate of improved housing policy as a member of the Claremont City Council. He has been proactive in securing significant funding to create a housing navigator program, provide transitional housing options, increase the shelter bed availability, supply motel vouchers to families, and create intervention programs to help individuals and families avoid experiencing homelessness. Leano has also worked to establish a low-income affordable housing development, and the Psychiatric Assessment Care Team to provide wraparound social service support for local residents. He serves as a representative of the city council on the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments Homelessness Committee, and as chair of the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust Board. A small-business owner, he has also provided leadership on economic relief and revitalization throughout the pandemic years.
In addition to his work on the city council, Leano is an immigration attorney and has had his own practice in Pasadena for 15 years. The son of Filipino immigrants, he works to help immigrant families legally navigate threats of deportation, and pursue refugee status and naturalization in the United States. In 2009, he helped found the Neighborhood Immigration Clinic to provide pro bono services, and later served a two-year term as board chair. Apart from his law practice, he has been very involved in his local community, serving on the Tournament of Roses post-parade committee, as vice chair of the Community and Human Services Commission, and as founding chair of Housing Claremont.
Governance and community leadership experience: Dr. Riddle ran for the SD-25 seat in 2016, but failed to advance to the general election after receiving only 7% of the vote.
Leano was elected to the Claremont City Council in 2018 with over 21% of the vote. He was re-elected to the 4th district seat in 2022 after earning over 57% of the vote. He has served a term as mayor during his time on the council.
Other background: Dr. Riddle is from Altadena and has lived in Pasadena for over 30 years. She holds a doctoral degree in psychology and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico.
Leano is from Anaheim and is a longtime resident of the San Gabriel Valley. He is the son of Filipino immigrants and a first-generation American.
The Race
Primary election: There are four candidates running in the March 5 primary, including Dr. Phlunté Riddle (D), Jed Leano (D), John Harabedian (D), and Michelle Del Rosario Martinez (R). The top two vote recipients will advance to the general election on November 5.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Dr. Riddle’s campaign has raised $341,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Leano’s campaign has raised $176,000 as of December 2023, and is not funded by real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Harabedian’s campaign has raised $69,000 as of December 2023, and is primarily funded by individual donors.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 41st Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.
Voter registration: 45% Democrat, 28% Republican, and 20% No Party Preference. Democrats typically hold this district.
District demographics: 26% Latino, 13% Asian, and 8% Black.
Recent election results: AD-41 voted for Joe Biden for president in 2020 by 25 points and Gavin Newsom for governor in 2022 by 17 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.