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Elect State Assemblymember Andrew Rodriguez to push AD-55 in the right direction.
About the Position
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
About the District
California's 55th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 49.9 percent of AD-55 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 52.1 percent of the district voted for Cox for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat challenger Representative Rodriguez trailed Republican challenger Phillip Chen by a margin of 12.4 percent. Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $559,650.25. His campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money, and has accepted funds from a police group. Opponent Chen’s campaign has raised $774,814.84 and has also not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money. Some of Chen’s biggest donors are police and corporate PACs.
About the Candidate
Andrew Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of the City of Walnut and the 55th State Assembly District. According to campaign materials, he is running for the position to be an accessible, transparent, and effective representative for his community in Sacramento.
Rodriguez is mayor pro tem of the city of Walnut. In this position, he has advocated for more housing in the district and smart growth strategies for the city, and he completed a general plan land-use update for the city for the first time in forty years. He has also worked as a land-use planner in the San Gabriel Valley and on several political campaigns, including then Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s successful U.S. Senate bid.
Rodriguez’s priorities for AD-55 this year include strengthening public education, expanding economic opportunity, and addressing housing and homelessness.
When he was sworn in as mayor of Walnut, Rodriguez was the youngest councilmember serving in Los Angeles County. During his term, Andrew and the city council have balanced the city's budget annually, and have worked to make Walnut one of the safest cities in California. In 2019, Walnut was ranked as one of the financially healthiest cities in California by the State Controller's Office.
Andrew Rodriguez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. Assemblymember Chen has shown that he does not represent the needs of constituents in facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. According to our analysis, Andrew Rodriguez is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Last updated: 2023-04-05Andrew Rodriguez
Elect State Assemblymember Andrew Rodriguez to push AD-55 in the right direction.
About the Position
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
About the District
California's 55th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 49.9 percent of AD-55 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 52.1 percent of the district voted for Cox for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat challenger Representative Rodriguez trailed Republican challenger Phillip Chen by a margin of 12.4 percent. Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $559,650.25. His campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money, and has accepted funds from a police group. Opponent Chen’s campaign has raised $774,814.84 and has also not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money. Some of Chen’s biggest donors are police and corporate PACs.
About the Candidate
Andrew Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of the City of Walnut and the 55th State Assembly District. According to campaign materials, he is running for the position to be an accessible, transparent, and effective representative for his community in Sacramento.
Rodriguez is mayor pro tem of the city of Walnut. In this position, he has advocated for more housing in the district and smart growth strategies for the city, and he completed a general plan land-use update for the city for the first time in forty years. He has also worked as a land-use planner in the San Gabriel Valley and on several political campaigns, including then Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s successful U.S. Senate bid.
Rodriguez’s priorities for AD-55 this year include strengthening public education, expanding economic opportunity, and addressing housing and homelessness.
When he was sworn in as mayor of Walnut, Rodriguez was the youngest councilmember serving in Los Angeles County. During his term, Andrew and the city council have balanced the city's budget annually, and have worked to make Walnut one of the safest cities in California. In 2019, Walnut was ranked as one of the financially healthiest cities in California by the State Controller's Office.
Andrew Rodriguez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. Assemblymember Chen has shown that he does not represent the needs of constituents in facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. According to our analysis, Andrew Rodriguez is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Elect State Assemblymember Andrew Rodriguez to push AD-55 in the right direction.
About the Position
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
About the District
California's 55th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 49.9 percent of AD-55 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 52.1 percent of the district voted for Cox for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat challenger Representative Rodriguez trailed Republican challenger Phillip Chen by a margin of 12.4 percent. Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $559,650.25. His campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money, and has accepted funds from a police group. Opponent Chen’s campaign has raised $774,814.84 and has also not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money. Some of Chen’s biggest donors are police and corporate PACs.
About the Candidate
Andrew Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of the City of Walnut and the 55th State Assembly District. According to campaign materials, he is running for the position to be an accessible, transparent, and effective representative for his community in Sacramento.
Rodriguez is mayor pro tem of the city of Walnut. In this position, he has advocated for more housing in the district and smart growth strategies for the city, and he completed a general plan land-use update for the city for the first time in forty years. He has also worked as a land-use planner in the San Gabriel Valley and on several political campaigns, including then Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s successful U.S. Senate bid.
Rodriguez’s priorities for AD-55 this year include strengthening public education, expanding economic opportunity, and addressing housing and homelessness.
When he was sworn in as mayor of Walnut, Rodriguez was the youngest councilmember serving in Los Angeles County. During his term, Andrew and the city council have balanced the city's budget annually, and have worked to make Walnut one of the safest cities in California. In 2019, Walnut was ranked as one of the financially healthiest cities in California by the State Controller's Office.
Andrew Rodriguez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. Assemblymember Chen has shown that he does not represent the needs of constituents in facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. According to our analysis, Andrew Rodriguez is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Andrew Rodriguez
Elect State Assemblymember Andrew Rodriguez to push AD-55 in the right direction.
About the Position
State Assembly Members form part of the California State Legislature, and work alongside the governor to establish laws and a state budget. They hold the power to pass bills that affect public policy, set state spending levels, raise and lower taxes, and uphold or override the governor’s vetoes. 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 and Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a two-thirds supermajority of 61 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 17 seats. One seat is held by an Independent, and one seat is currently vacant.
About the District
California's 55th Assembly District includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Republicans typically hold this district. The most recent election results show 49.9 percent of AD-55 voted for Clinton for president in 2016, and 52.1 percent of the district voted for Cox for governor in 2018.
About the Race
In the primary, Democrat challenger Representative Rodriguez trailed Republican challenger Phillip Chen by a margin of 12.4 percent. Rodriguez’s campaign has raised $559,650.25. His campaign has not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money, and has accepted funds from a police group. Opponent Chen’s campaign has raised $774,814.84 and has also not pledged to refuse corporate PAC, fossil fuel, and police money. Some of Chen’s biggest donors are police and corporate PACs.
About the Candidate
Andrew Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of the City of Walnut and the 55th State Assembly District. According to campaign materials, he is running for the position to be an accessible, transparent, and effective representative for his community in Sacramento.
Rodriguez is mayor pro tem of the city of Walnut. In this position, he has advocated for more housing in the district and smart growth strategies for the city, and he completed a general plan land-use update for the city for the first time in forty years. He has also worked as a land-use planner in the San Gabriel Valley and on several political campaigns, including then Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s successful U.S. Senate bid.
Rodriguez’s priorities for AD-55 this year include strengthening public education, expanding economic opportunity, and addressing housing and homelessness.
When he was sworn in as mayor of Walnut, Rodriguez was the youngest councilmember serving in Los Angeles County. During his term, Andrew and the city council have balanced the city's budget annually, and have worked to make Walnut one of the safest cities in California. In 2019, Walnut was ranked as one of the financially healthiest cities in California by the State Controller's Office.
Andrew Rodriguez is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district. Assemblymember Chen has shown that he does not represent the needs of constituents in facing down corporate lobbyists and interest groups that exploit Californians. According to our analysis, Andrew Rodriguez is the strongest choice for equitable and representative leadership in office.
Charné Tunson
Elect Charné Tunson to make the Los Angeles Community College District Board more reflective of its highly diverse student population.
About the Position
Members of the Los Angeles Community College District Board are elected at large for terms of four years. Elections are held every two years, with three members being chosen at one election and four members at the other.\
About the District
The Los Angeles Community College District is located in Los Angeles County and includes nine colleges, serving a population of roughly 240,000 Californians.
About the Candidate
Charné Tunson, a former Crenshaw High School teacher, is running as part of a coalition called Justice 4 LACCD, a coalition of four Black women seeking to diversify the board to reflect the 74 percent POC and 56 percent women student population it serves. Tunson and Justice 4 LACCD are running on the shared values of what they call “The 4 R’s,” which are defined on their website as the following:
- “Representation – We are a united group of women who will make up a Board of Trustees that truly reflects and speaks on behalf of the LACCD community it serves.
- Recruitment and Retention – Creating policy to attract, retain and support more students and faculty that are under-represented. This includes more women, students and faculty of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community and those with disabilities.
- Reform – Designate a committee to investigate police policy and response on LACCD campuses.
- Response to COVID-19 – Position our Community Colleges to lead in creating an equitable COVID strategy that prioritizes the needs of the most impacted members of our community.”
Furthermore, the coalition promises to fight for the rights of part-time, disabled, and unhoused students, as well as those with health conditions that prevent them from regularly accessing a college campus.
In addition to teaching at Crenshaw High School, her alma mater, Charné Tunson recently founded the Tunson Leadership Foundation, aiming to impart the importance of community engagement and mentorship within local communities.
According to our analysis, Charné Tunson and the Justice 4 LACCD coalition will provide leadership that promotes the shared interests of communities historically excluded from the policymaking process.
Two candidates in this district offer the chance to make LACC more reflective of its highly diverse student population, Dr. Nichet James-Gray and Nichelle M. Henderson.
About the Position
Members of the Los Angeles Community College District Board are elected at large for terms of four years. Elections are held every two years, with three members being chosen at one election and four members at the other.
About the District
The Los Angeles Community College District is located in Los Angeles County and includes nine colleges, serving a population of roughly 240,000 Californians.