The 2026 LA Voter Guide

Why we endorse

The goal of this dual endorsement is clear: block Nithya Raman from advancing to the November general election. Raman, a DSA-aligned candidate, would expand rent control, pile new regulations onto housing providers, and double down on a services-only approach to homelessness. A Raman mayoralty would mean higher taxes, more regulation, less housing production, and an ideological approach to governance that prioritizes activist demands over results. Under Los Angeles's election rules, the top two candidates from the primary advance to the November runoff. Our goal is to ensure those two candidates are Karen Bass and Spencer Pratt, not Raman. By consolidating support behind both, voters can keep Raman off the general election ballot entirely and guarantee Angelenos a real choice in November. Karen Bass is the incumbent Mayor of Los Angeles, the first woman to hold the office, and a former U.S. Representative and California Assembly Speaker who has led the city through one of its most turbulent periods. Her Executive Directive 1 streamlined affordable housing permitting, signaling an understanding that bureaucratic delay kills housing production. Spencer Pratt is a cultural figure and Palisades Fire survivor who has channeled personal loss into community advocacy. His outsider status means he carries no obligations to entrenched interests or the activist class, and his presence in the race draws attention to the city's failures in disaster preparedness, permitting, and rebuilding, issues that directly affect every Angeleno's safety and property.

Key positions

• Keeping Raman Off the November Ballot: Sending both Bass and Pratt to the runoff is the most direct way voters can ensure Raman does not appear on the general election ballot.
• Housing Permitting Reform: Bass's Executive Directive 1 streamlined affordable housing permitting, signaling an understanding that bureaucratic delay drives the housing crisis.
• Outsider Accountability: As a Palisades Fire survivor, Pratt has channeled personal loss into pressure on City Hall to fix disaster preparedness, permitting, and rebuilding.
• A Strategic Dual Endorsement: By consolidating support behind both Bass and Pratt, voters can send both to the November runoff and shut Raman out of the general election entirely.

Why we endorse

Los Angeles needs a City Attorney who will prosecute crime, protect taxpayers, and defend the legal infrastructure that keeps the city functioning. The 2026 race offers two candidates who understand that the office is, at its core, a law enforcement position. Either John McKinney or Hydee Feldstein Soto would bring the prosecutorial seriousness and practical judgment the role demands. **John McKinney** John McKinney is a career prosecutor with nearly 30 years in the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Born in Passaic, New Jersey, he earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law in 1997 and went on to try more than 50 capital murder cases, spending over a decade in the elite Major Crimes Unit. He was named Most Valuable Prosecutor in the Hardcore Gang Division. McKinney built his reputation the old-fashioned way: in courtrooms, against the worst offenders in the county. When George Gascón's activist prosecution policies gutted morale inside the DA's office, McKinney ran against him in 2024 and won an internal straw poll of fellow prosecutors with nearly 65% support. He ultimately endorsed Nathan Hochman to ensure Gascón's removal. That decision showed strategic discipline, not ego. Multiple police officers' associations (Covina POA, Santa Monica POA, West Covina POA) backed his DA campaign, a signal of deep trust from law enforcement. On homelessness, McKinney advocates what he calls "compassionate accountability": services paired with enforcement of public safety laws. That framing rejects the permissive, services-only model that has failed Los Angeles for a decade. His campaign for City Attorney emphasizes fiscal responsibility within the office itself, arguing that every dollar wasted on unnecessary legal costs is a dollar unavailable for parks, infrastructure, and public safety. **Hydee Feldstein Soto** Hydee Feldstein Soto is the incumbent City Attorney, first elected in 2022 as the first woman and first Latina to hold citywide office in Los Angeles. A graduate of Swarthmore College and Columbia Law School, she spent decades in private legal practice and as general counsel before taking office in 2023. Feldstein Soto has used the office aggressively on public safety. She launched the Western Avenue Initiative alongside DA Nathan Hochman to combat sex trafficking, targeting buyers and traffickers rather than victims. Her office reported 72 arrests of sexual predators along the Figueroa Corridor. She secured a $1.3 million grant to prosecute impaired drivers. She created the Neighborhood Law Corps as a community-level enforcement tool to address chronic nuisances and blight. These are measurable results from an office that too often operates in the background. On fiscal accountability, Feldstein Soto campaigned on ending no-bid city contracts that produce $800,000-per-unit housing, pledging to cut costs dramatically. She has emphasized cutting red tape to simplify doing business in Los Angeles. She carries endorsements from Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Traci Park, and County Supervisor Janice Hahn, along with support from the Los Angeles firefighters union. Either candidate would bring prosecutorial experience, a commitment to public safety enforcement, and the practical judgment Los Angeles needs in its chief legal officer.

Key positions

• Prosecutorial Credibility: McKinney brings nearly 30 years of trial experience, including 50-plus capital murder convictions. Feldstein Soto has used her office to arrest 72 sexual predators and secure a $1.3 million DUI prosecution grant. Both treat the City Attorney's office as a law enforcement position, not a policy platform.
• Law Enforcement Trust: McKinney earned endorsements from the Covina, Santa Monica, and West Covina Police Officers' Associations. Feldstein Soto has strong backing from the LA firefighters union and has partnered directly with DA Hochman on joint enforcement operations. Both candidates have earned credibility with the people who keep the city safe.
• Enforcement on Homelessness: Both candidates reject the services-only model. McKinney's "compassionate accountability" framework and Feldstein Soto's Neighborhood Law Corps both pair outreach with enforcement of laws protecting public spaces. Neither will let encampments persist unchallenged.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Feldstein Soto has fought no-bid contracts and wasteful per-unit housing costs. McKinney has pledged operational efficiency within the City Attorney's office itself. Both recognize that the office must protect taxpayer dollars, not spend them.
• Watchpoint: Economic Policy Clarity: Neither candidate has taken a clear public position on Measure ULA, rent control expansion, or broader tax policy. The City Attorney's office shapes these issues through litigation and legal opinions. Voters should expect whoever wins to defend housing production and oppose regulatory overreach.

Why we endorse

Zach Sokoloff is a senior finance executive at Hackman Capital Partners, where he oversees billions of dollars in real estate assets including Television City Studios and Radford Studio Center. He is challenging incumbent Kenneth Mejia for Los Angeles City Controller. The Controller's office exists for one purpose: to follow the money and hold City Hall accountable for how it spends yours. Under Kenneth Mejia, that office has become a platform for ideological activism rather than rigorous financial oversight. Los Angeles deserves a Controller who can read a balance sheet, audit a city department, and tell taxpayers exactly where their dollars went and whether they got results. Sokoloff is that candidate. Sokoloff brings genuine private-sector financial expertise to a role that desperately needs it. As SVP of Asset Management at Hackman Capital Partners, he manages multi-billion-dollar portfolios of real assets in Los Angeles. He understands development economics, capital allocation, and the difference between spending money and investing it. Before entering finance, he taught Algebra I in Boyle Heights and Watts, grounding him in the communities that suffer most when city government wastes resources. Two former City Controllers, Laura Chick and Rick Tuttle, have endorsed him specifically for his commitment to exposing waste, fraud, and foolish spending. When two people who actually held the job say this is the right person to do it next, that carries weight. Los Angeles cannot afford another four years of a Controller more interested in social media maps than forensic audits. Zach Sokoloff will restore the Controller's office to its core mission: protecting taxpayers, demanding measurable outcomes, and ensuring every dollar the city spends actually produces results.

Key positions

• Real Financial Expertise: As SVP of Asset Management at Hackman Capital Partners, Sokoloff manages multi-billion-dollar real estate portfolios in Los Angeles. He brings the private-sector rigor the Controller's office needs to audit city spending and identify waste.
• Endorsed by Former Controllers: Both Laura Chick (Controller 2001-2009) and Rick Tuttle specifically endorsed Sokoloff for his commitment to following the money, exposing fraud, and ending foolish spending. No other candidate in this race has that credential.
• Accountability Over Activism: Sokoloff's central campaign message is restoring transparency and oversight to City Hall, ensuring tax dollars produce measurable outcomes rather than serving as a platform for political messaging.
• Community Roots, Not Just Credentials: Before entering finance, Sokoloff taught math in Boyle Heights and Watts. He serves on the board of the LA Economic Development Corporation and LA Family Housing Builds, and he understands the human cost when the city government fails to deliver.

Why we endorse

Maria "Lou" Calanche is a longtime Eastside community leader, educator, and former Los Angeles Police Commissioner with over 30 years of experience building institutions that serve working families in District 1. District 1 deserves a council member who understands that public safety, fiscal discipline, and economic opportunity are not abstract talking points. They are the foundation of a functioning neighborhood. The incumbent, Eunisses Hernandez, arrived at City Hall as a DSA-endorsed ideologue who prioritized activism over the practical needs of residents in Chinatown, Pico Union, Highland Park, and surrounding communities. Calanche represents a credible, experienced alternative rooted in results. As a former Police Commissioner, Calanche led a mental health working group that promoted collaboration between officers and clinicians. She supports fully staffing the LAPD so officers can focus on patrolling and emergency response, while directing mental health resources where they are most effective. She is not running on a "defund" platform. She is running on the principle that safe streets require both adequate policing and smart support services working together. Calanche has also demonstrated rare fiscal seriousness. She has publicly acknowledged the city's financial deficit and emphasized leveraging existing state and county funding, including the $2 billion Los Angeles County receives through the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, rather than creating new spending programs. In a city where every new initiative seems to come with a new tax or fee, her instinct to work within existing resources and build partnerships with LAUSD, the county, and philanthropic organizations is exactly the approach District 1 taxpayers need. Her service on the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles gives her institutional knowledge of the city's housing landscape that few candidates possess. Her professional background in public administration (she holds an MPA from USC) and her track record of building organizations from the ground up reflect a pragmatist, not an ideologue. District 1 needs a council member who measures success by cleaner parks, safer streets, and real economic opportunity, not by ideological litmus tests. Maria "Lou" Calanche is that leader.

Key positions

• Pro-Public Safety: As a former Los Angeles Police Commissioner, Calanche supports fully staffing the LAPD and led a mental health working group promoting collaboration between officers and clinicians. She rejects the "defund" framework and believes adequate policing and mental health resources must work together.
• Fiscal Discipline Over New Spending: Calanche has acknowledged the city's financial deficit and proposes leveraging existing state and county funding rather than creating new programs. She would use discretionary funds to clean up and restore neglected public spaces like MacArthur Park.
• Clean Streets and Safe Parks: Calanche lists "Safe, Clean Streets and Parks" as a top campaign priority and would direct discretionary dollars toward restoring problem areas that have deteriorated under the current council office.
• Housing and Institutional Experience: Calanche served on the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles and holds a Master of Public Administration from USC. Her institutional knowledge positions her to navigate housing policy with a practical rather than ideological approach.
• A Credible Alternative to the DSA Incumbent: The incumbent, Eunisses Hernandez, was elected as a DSA-endorsed candidate. Calanche offers District 1 a pragmatic, community-rooted leader whose career has been defined by building organizations and partnerships, not political litmus tests.

Why we endorse

Tim Gaspar is a lifelong West San Fernando Valley resident, Canoga Park native, and founder of one of Los Angeles' largest independent insurance firms, employing over 60 people and serving 11,000 clients. He is exactly the kind of business-tested, accountability-driven leader that District 3 needs. Gaspar has made public safety his top priority, calling for a restoration of law and order in every neighborhood. That is not a slogan. It is the baseline requirement for a functioning city, and the fact that it even needs to be said tells you everything about the current state of leadership at City Hall. Safe streets are the foundation of economic vitality, and his platform reflects that conviction without equivocation. On homelessness, Gaspar takes the approach Thrive LA has long championed: compassion paired with consequences. He supports enforcing camping bans and conducting swift, humane encampment clearances. He has publicly criticized the billions the city has poured into homelessness programs "with little to show for it" and demands transparency, measurable results, and real accountability. He favors cost-effective, community-supported housing over bloated government mega-projects, and he wants to cut the red tape that drives up construction costs and delays new units. As a small business owner who built Gaspar Insurance from the ground up starting in 2008, he brings firsthand knowledge of what it takes to create jobs in Los Angeles. His platform calls for a top-to-bottom review of the city's permitting and licensing processes to eliminate the bureaucratic delays that strangle entrepreneurs. He wants to crack down on unlicensed operators who undercut legitimate businesses and end ineffective government incentive programs, redirecting those funds to workforce training that actually produces results. Gaspar's endorsement list reinforces our confidence. Incumbent Council Member Bob Blumenfield, Council Members John Lee and Tim McOsker, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, former City Controller Laura Chick, and former State Assemblymember Paula Boland have all backed his candidacy. Timothy Gaspar is the pro-growth, pro-safety, pro-accountability leader District 3 has been waiting for.

Key positions

• Public Safety Without Apology: Gaspar has made restoring law and order his number one campaign priority. He rejects the notion that accountability and compassion are mutually exclusive and calls for real enforcement in every neighborhood.
• Enforcement-First on Homelessness: Gaspar supports camping bans, swift encampment clearances, and cutting red tape to build cost-effective housing. He has publicly called out the billions spent on homelessness with poor results and demands measurable outcomes.
• Built a Business, Knows the Burden: Gaspar founded Gaspar Insurance in 2008, growing it to over 60 employees and 11,000 clients. He pledges a pro-growth agenda that clears bureaucratic obstacles and rewards entrepreneurship rather than punishing it with new taxes and fees.
• Fiscal Accountability at City Hall: Endorsed by former City Controller Laura Chick, Gaspar wants to end ineffective incentive programs and redirect wasted funds to workforce training. He calls for a top-to-bottom review of permitting and licensing to eliminate costly delays.
• Broad Coalition Support: Gaspar has built one of the broadest coalitions in the District 3 race, with endorsements from sitting council members, state legislators, IBEW Local 40, and over 100 community and business leaders.

Why we endorse

Katy Yaroslavsky is the incumbent Councilwoman for District 5, an attorney and former policy advisor who chairs the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee and serves on the LA Metro Board of Directors. While she would not be considered a natural Thrive LA candidate, incumbency has tempered ideology with reality, and Yaroslavsky has shown pragmatic instincts where they matter most to District 5 residents. On homelessness, Yaroslavsky reports a 27% reduction in street homelessness across CD5, a number that matters more than any policy white paper. She has tripled interim housing beds in the district and moved hundreds of affordable units through the pipeline. Measurable reductions in encampments are the outcome residents demand, and she is delivering them. As chair of Budget and Finance, Yaroslavsky has real power to demand spending offsets and audits at a moment when the city faces enormous fiscal pressures. We expect her to use that authority to bring discipline to City Hall spending. Yaroslavsky is the practical choice in District 5 because the results on homelessness are real and her relationship with the housing community signals she can govern, not just legislate. Thrive LA will hold her accountable on housing production, public safety staffing, and fiscal discipline.

Key positions

• Homelessness Results Over Rhetoric: Yaroslavsky reports a 27% reduction in street homelessness in CD5 and has tripled interim housing beds. We want to see enforcement tools like 41.18 used more aggressively alongside shelter investments.
• Budget Chair Accountability: As chair of the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee, Yaroslavsky controls the purse strings. We expect her to demand spending offsets for new programs and rigorous audits of existing ones.
• Housing Production Watchpoint: District 5's Westside corridors need more housing, not less. We will be watching closely on density near transit and fast-tracking affordable housing in historic districts.
• Public Safety Watchpoint: Increased overtime funding is a short-term fix. We need her commitment to long-term LAPD staffing and retention goals.

Why we endorse

Monica Rodriguez is the incumbent City Councilmember for District 7, representing the working-class communities of the Northeast San Fernando Valley since 2017. She is running unopposed for a third term in June 2026, and she has consistently demonstrated the kind of pragmatic, results-driven governance that District 7 residents deserve. In a council chamber that too often drifts toward ideological posturing, Rodriguez has built a reputation for independence, a willingness to walk alone on issues and take positions that "rub people the wrong way." That is not a flaw. That is exactly the quality we look for in a public servant. As chair of the City's Public Safety Committee, Rodriguez has prioritized strengthening community safety and restoring public confidence in law enforcement. She has the backing of the Los Angeles County Firefighters Local 1014, a signal that the people who protect this city trust her judgment. On homelessness, Rodriguez has rejected the passive, services-only approach that has failed Los Angeles for a decade. She launched a district-level program to move homeless individuals out of RVs and into housing, a practical model she wants to take citywide. That is the kind of accountability-based strategy that produces measurable outcomes rather than perpetual encampments. Before joining the Council, Rodriguez served on the Board of Public Works and cut her teeth in city government working for former Mayor Richard Riordan and former Councilmember Mike Hernandez. She created the City's first Youth Development Department with a $1.4 million budget allocation, a targeted investment in prevention rather than another sprawling bureaucracy. Monica Rodriguez has earned a third term by doing the work: keeping District 7 safe, holding the homelessness bureaucracy accountable, and standing with the housing providers and businesses that keep the Northeast Valley's economy alive.

Key positions

• Public Safety Leadership: As chair of the City Council's Public Safety Committee, Rodriguez has prioritized strengthening community safety and restoring confidence in law enforcement. Her endorsement from LA County Firefighters Local 1014 reflects trust from the people who protect this city.
• Accountability on Homelessness: Rodriguez launched a district-level program to move homeless individuals out of RVs and into housing, a practical, results-oriented model she wants to scale citywide. She has rejected the services-only approach that has failed Los Angeles for a decade.
• Independent Voice on the Council: Rodriguez has built a reputation for independence and pragmatic problem-solving in a council chamber that too often drifts toward ideological posturing.
• Deep Institutional Experience: Before joining the Council, Rodriguez served on the Board of Public Works and worked for former Mayor Richard Riordan and former Councilmember Mike Hernandez. She created the City's first Youth Development Department with a $1.4 million budget allocation, prioritizing prevention over bureaucracy.

Why we endorse

Jose Ugarte is a longtime community leader and senior City Hall staffer who has spent nearly two decades working in and around Los Angeles City Council District 9. We endorse Jose Ugarte because he brings something rare in this race: deep, preexisting ties to the communities of CD9 and the institutional knowledge to lead from day one. Having served as deputy chief of staff in the council office for approximately seven years across two stints, Ugarte understands the mechanics of city government, from navigating the budget process to coordinating with city departments on public safety, infrastructure, and permitting. That operational fluency matters. District 9 cannot afford a learning curve. Ugarte has identified public safety and community policing as a central campaign priority, and we take that seriously. CD9 residents deserve a councilmember who will work with the LAPD to increase patrols, reduce response times, and ensure that enforcement is part of the strategy for reclaiming public spaces. His years inside the council office give him direct relationships with the departments that deliver those outcomes. On housing and economic development, we will be watching Ugarte closely. His framing around displacement prevention and rent sustainability suggests a tilt toward regulatory approaches rather than the supply-side, deregulatory policies that Thrive LA believes are essential to bringing down housing costs. We urge him to prioritize streamlining permits, reducing fees on new construction, and welcoming private investment into the district rather than layering on new restrictions that drive housing providers out of the market. CD9 needs more housing, not more red tape. Jose Ugarte is the candidate best positioned to hit the ground running for District 9, and we expect him to govern with the accountability and independence that residents deserve.

Key positions

• Ready to Lead Day One: Nearly seven years as deputy chief of staff in the CD9 council office gives Ugarte direct experience with city budgets, department coordination, and constituent services. No other candidate in this race matches that operational knowledge.
• Public Safety as a Priority: Ugarte has identified public safety and community policing as a top campaign issue. We expect him to work with LAPD leadership to increase patrols and reduce response times across the district.
• Deep Community Roots: Ugarte has built relationships across CD9's neighborhoods through years of direct community outreach and constituent work. Those ties translate into a councilmember who understands what residents need.
• Housing Supply Over Red Tape: We urge Ugarte to prioritize streamlining permits and reducing fees on new construction rather than expanding rent control or anti-housing-provider regulations. CD9 needs more units built, not more barriers to building them.

Why we endorse

Traci Park is the incumbent City Councilmember for District 11, an attorney and Westside native who won her seat in November 2022 by running on the issues that matter most to residents: public safety, accountability on homelessness, and economic vitality. She replaced one of the most permissive members of the City Council on encampment policy, and she has delivered a dramatically different approach for Venice, Pacific Palisades, Playa del Rey, and the surrounding communities ever since. When the Palisades wildfire devastated her district in early 2025, Park stepped up as a visible, organized leader advocating for smart, responsible rebuilding. That crisis leadership alone would justify a second term, but the full picture is even stronger. Park carries endorsements from virtually every major law enforcement organization in the region, including the Los Angeles Police Protective League, United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, and the LA Association of Deputy District Attorneys. This is not a coincidence. It reflects a councilmember who funds public safety, supports officers, and rejects the reckless "defund" rhetoric that made Los Angeles less safe. When the people responsible for protecting your family all agree on a candidate, that tells you something. Her four-point economic plan for CD11 focuses on partnering with private industry, including tech and entertainment companies, to bring good jobs to the Westside. This is the right framework: attract investment, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and let the private sector create opportunity. Two former LA City Controllers, Wendy Greuel and Ron Galperin, have endorsed her, signaling confidence in her fiscal judgment at a time when the city faces enormous budget pressures from wildfire recovery and pension obligations. The contrast with her challenger could not be sharper. Her opponent aligns with the activist wing that has made Los Angeles' housing and homelessness crises worse, not better, favoring more taxes on housing providers, more regulations that strangle new construction, and a "services-only" approach to encampments that has left neighborhoods across the city unsafe and unsanitary. District 11 already lived through that experiment under Park's predecessor, Mike Bonin. Residents rejected it decisively in 2022, and they should reject it again. Traci Park has earned a second term through results, not rhetoric.

Key positions

• Unmatched Public Safety Support: Park is endorsed by LAPPL, UFLAC, ALADS, CCLEA, the LA Association of Deputy District Attorneys, and five additional law enforcement organizations. No candidate in District 11 comes close to matching this depth of support from the people who keep Angelenos safe.
• Enforcement-First on Homelessness: Park replaced Mike Bonin's permissive encampment policies with an enforcement-oriented approach that prioritizes clearing encampments and restoring public spaces. She rejected the "care-first, enforcement-never" framework that failed Venice and the entire Westside.
• Crisis Leadership Under Fire: When the Palisades wildfire devastated District 11 in 2025, Park led the response with urgency and advocated for smart, responsible rebuilding. Her constituents saw a councilmember who showed up, not one who deferred to bureaucratic timelines.
• Fiscally Accountable Leadership: Endorsements from former City Controllers Wendy Greuel and Ron Galperin reflect confidence in Park's fiscal discipline. At a time when Los Angeles faces wildfire recovery costs and mounting pension liabilities, the city needs leaders who treat taxpayer dollars with respect.

Why we endorse

District 13 has become ground zero for the ideological experiment of Democratic Socialists of America governance at Los Angeles City Hall. Under incumbent Hugo Soto-Martinez, the district has seen activist-driven policymaking that prioritizes ideology over outcomes: anti-housing-provider legislation, hostility to the business community, and a "services-only" approach to homelessness that has failed to restore order to Hollywood, Silver Lake, and Echo Park. Voters in CD13 deserve a representative who understands that a functioning city requires a functioning economy. Both Rich Sarian and Dylan Kendall offer that alternative. Either would be a meaningful improvement over the incumbent, and Thrive LA encourages CD13 voters to support whichever candidate they believe is best positioned to defeat Soto-Martinez and deliver pragmatic, results-oriented leadership. Rich Sarian is a third-generation Angeleno, Business Improvement District leader, and community builder. His 15 years of leadership in the Hollywood and South Park Business Improvement Districts give him a ground-level understanding of what it takes to keep commercial corridors safe, clean, and attractive to investment. He has walked the blocks, worked with small business owners, and seen firsthand how permitting delays, red tape, and punitive regulation drive entrepreneurs out of the city. His explicit commitment to cutting permitting costs, reducing bureaucratic barriers, and finding revenue sources "that aren't taxes" is a sharp and welcome contrast to the DSA playbook of taxing and regulating the private sector into submission. His founding of Hollywood Harvest, which has rescued over 10 million pounds of food, and his board service with the Hollywood Police Activities League demonstrate the kind of community investment that comes from rolling up your sleeves rather than passing resolutions. Sarian also proposes a public dashboard for council office expenditures and a community advisory panel for discretionary spending. Accountability measures Angelenos across the city should demand from every council office. Dylan Kendall is an entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and longtime District 13 resident of more than 30 years. She founded Hollywood Arts, a nonprofit using arts to address chronic homelessness among high-risk young adults, and built Dylan Kendall Home from the Hollywood Farmers Market into an international brand. At the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, she managed intellectual property for the Hollywood Sign and Walk of Fame before leaving to form an Economic Development Corporation focused on strengthening small businesses in Hollywood. Kendall supports rebuilding the LAPD to at least 9,500 officers, citing Los Angeles's low officer-to-resident ratio, and backs enforcing no-camping rules under 41.18 authority while ensuring people in encampments are offered shelter and treatment. She has been openly critical of the city's failure to meet transparency standards on homelessness spending and has called for breaking from approaches that are not working. Her plans to make CD13 "Open for Business" through public-private partnerships, audit special funds like Quimby, and treat council discretionary funds as something other than "a blank check" reflect the kind of fiscal seriousness CD13 has lacked.

Key positions

• Unseating a DSA Incumbent: Hugo Soto-Martinez is one of DSA's flagship officeholders in Los Angeles, advancing anti-housing-provider legislation and activist-driven governance. Electing either Sarian or Kendall is the most direct way voters in CD13 can reject that experiment and restore pragmatic representation.
• Public Safety: Kendall supports rebuilding the LAPD to at least 9,500 officers and backs enforcement of no-camping rules under 41.18 authority. Sarian's record of partnership with the Hollywood Police Activities League reflects an understanding that public safety is foundational to a functioning district.
• Anti-Red Tape: Sarian's 15 years in Business Improvement District leadership and Kendall's work building an Economic Development Corporation for small businesses in Hollywood both reflect a commitment to cutting permitting costs, streamlining approvals, and welcoming investment back into CD13.
• Fiscal Accountability: Both candidates have proposed concrete tools to bring transparency to City Hall: Sarian with a public spending dashboard and community advisory panel for discretionary funds, and Kendall with audits of special funds like Quimby and a clear stance that council discretionary funds are "not a blank check."
• Deep Community Roots: Sarian founded Hollywood Harvest (10+ million pounds of food rescued) and chairs the Hollywood Arts Council. Kendall founded Hollywood Arts to address chronic homelessness among at-risk young adults and is a foster mom and 30-year district resident. Both have built institutions in CD13 rather than campaigning on promises.

Why we endorse

Tim McOsker is a lifelong San Pedro resident, attorney, and incumbent councilmember who brings more than three decades of government and land development experience to one of the most complex districts in Los Angeles. He represents the Harbor communities, Watts, and Wilmington, neighborhoods that depend on responsive government and a globally competitive economy. McOsker has secured the backing of both the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, the two strongest signals of a candidate's commitment to public safety. District 15 includes neighborhoods, particularly Watts and Harbor Gateway, where residents depend on responsive, well-resourced police and fire services. McOsker's relationship with these unions reflects a willingness to stand with the men and women who keep these communities safe. On homelessness, McOsker supported the city's anti-encampment ordinance (LAMC 41.18), which prohibits tents near schools, daycare centers, and other sensitive facilities. This is the enforcement-plus-services approach Thrive LA demands. Too many elected officials in Los Angeles treat encampment enforcement as optional or cruel. McOsker has recognized that allowing encampments to proliferate near children's facilities is not compassion. It is abdication. McOsker's background as former CEO of AltaSea, his board service with Linc Housing Corporation, and his prior role as Chief of Staff to Mayor James K. Hahn give him institutional fluency that most councilmembers lack. His deep roots in the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and vice chairmanship of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority reflect real engagement with the economic engines of his district. District 15 is the front door of the American economy. The Port of LA complex handles more cargo than any other port in the Western Hemisphere, and District 15 needs a councilmember who fights for housing production, keeps construction costs down, and ensures the port remains globally competitive. McOsker has the relationships and the experience to deliver.

Key positions

• Backed by Police and Fire: McOsker earned endorsements from both LAPPL and UFLAC, the two most important public safety signals for any Los Angeles candidate. These endorsements reflect a genuine commitment to supporting first responders in a district that includes high-need communities like Watts.
• Enforces Anti-Encampment Law: McOsker supported LAMC 41.18, the city's ordinance prohibiting encampments near schools, daycare centers, and other sensitive locations. This enforcement-based approach protects children and residents while connecting people to services.
• Deep Institutional Experience: With over 30 years in government and land development, including service as Chief of Staff to Mayor James K. Hahn and CEO of AltaSea, McOsker brings rare institutional knowledge to the council.
• Economic Steward of the Port: As vice chair of ACTA and a former San Pedro Chamber of Commerce board member, McOsker is deeply embedded in the economic infrastructure of District 15, home to the busiest port complex in the Western Hemisphere.
• Housing Production Engagement: McOsker served on the board of Linc Housing Corporation and has championed affordable housing in the district.

What it does

Extends LA City's cannabis business tax to unlicensed cannabis businesses operating in the city, closing a loophole that exempted illegal storefronts from taxation.

Why we support

Measure CB extends the City of Los Angeles's existing cannabis business tax to unlicensed (illegal) cannabis operations. Licensed cannabis businesses already pay city taxes ranging from 1% to 10% depending on the type of activity. Illegal storefronts pay nothing. This measure closes that loophole by applying the same rates to unlicensed operators, with revenue flowing to the city's general fund for services like 911 response, fire protection, street repairs, and parks. Let's be clear about why this matters. Los Angeles has an estimated 500 to 1,000 illegal cannabis storefronts operating openly, undercutting the licensed businesses that play by the rules, pay taxes, and submit to regulatory oversight. Licensed operators face a massive competitive disadvantage. Illegal shops avoid taxes, skip testing requirements, sell unregulated products, and pocket the savings. Measure CB gives the city an additional enforcement tool: the ability to pursue unlicensed operators for tax evasion, adding legal consequences on top of existing (and clearly insufficient) shutdown efforts. Thrive LA generally opposes new taxes. Every tax reduces economic activity. But this measure is unusual. It does not impose a new burden on any legal, tax-paying business. It extends an existing obligation to operators who are already breaking the law. The practical question is whether the city can actually collect. If an illegal storefront ignores licensing requirements, will it voluntarily pay taxes? Probably not. But the measure creates a paper trail of liability that strengthens enforcement actions, including asset seizure and criminal prosecution. That is a tool worth having. The honest concern is context. Measure CB arrives alongside a wave of proposed revenue grabs: hotel tax hikes, parking tax increases, ticket surcharges, ride-share fees, vacancy taxes, and retail delivery fees. The city faces a nearly $1 billion deficit driven by overspending and rising liability payouts, and the instinct at City Hall is to tax its way out rather than cut. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez was right to object that the city is asking for more revenue without demonstrating meaningful cost control. We share that concern. But the alternative here is not "no tax." The alternative is that illegal operators continue to pay nothing while legal businesses shoulder the full burden. That is not a market outcome worth defending. Measure CB is a narrow, targeted enforcement tool that levels the playing field for law-abiding cannabis businesses. Vote yes.

Key points

• Levels the Playing Field: Licensed cannabis businesses already pay city taxes of up to 10% on sales. Illegal storefronts pay nothing and use that price advantage to undercut legal operators. Measure CB applies the same rates to unlicensed businesses, reducing the financial incentive to operate outside the law.
• Enforcement Tool, Not Legitimization: Tax liability creates a legal paper trail that strengthens the city's ability to pursue illegal operators through tax evasion charges, asset seizure, and criminal prosecution. This supplements existing shutdown efforts that have proven insufficient on their own.
• No New Burden on Legal Businesses: Unlike most tax measures, Measure CB does not raise rates on anyone operating legally. It extends an existing tax to businesses that are already violating licensing, health, and safety laws.

What it does

Requires online travel companies (e.g., Expedia, Booking.com) to collect and remit LA City's transient occupancy tax based on the total price guests pay, including fees and service charges.

Why we oppose

Measure TC would expand the collection base of Los Angeles's existing 14% transient occupancy tax (hotel tax) to cover the full price guests pay when booking through online travel platforms like Expedia and Booking.com. Currently, these platforms may remit the tax only on the lower wholesale room rate they pay hotels, excluding their own markups, service fees, and booking charges. Measure TC would require the tax to apply to those additional charges as well. The city estimates this would generate roughly $5 million per year in new general fund revenue. The framing is clever: supporters call this "closing a loophole," not raising a tax. But expanding what gets taxed is a tax increase by any honest definition. The 14% rate stays the same, but the dollars subject to that rate grow. Visitors booking through online platforms will pay more. At the margin, that means fewer bookings, less tourism spending, and a higher effective cost of visiting Los Angeles. The California Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that under many existing municipal ordinances, online travel companies are not "operators" and their markups are not taxable rent. Measure TC would legislatively override that legal framework for Los Angeles, redefining the tax base by ballot measure rather than addressing it through the courts or the legislature. This measure must also be evaluated alongside Measure TT on the same ballot, which would raise the hotel tax rate itself. Together, these two measures represent a significant increase in the tax burden on visitors and the hospitality industry at a time when Los Angeles should be making itself more competitive for tourism and convention business, not less. The revenue flows into the general fund with no dedicated spending purpose, no new oversight mechanism, and no sunset clause. It continues "until ended by voters," which in practice means forever. The city has not identified any spending cuts or accountability reforms to accompany this new revenue. Expanding the tax base without fiscal discipline is not reform. It is just more money for a city government that has not earned the public's trust with the revenue it already collects. Vote No on Measure TC.

Key points

• Tax Increase by Another Name: Expanding what gets taxed is a tax increase. Applying the 14% hotel tax to online platform fees and markups raises the effective cost of booking a hotel room in Los Angeles, regardless of whether the rate itself changes.
• Paired With Measure TT: Measure TC does not exist in isolation. Measure TT on the same ballot raises the hotel tax rate itself. Together, the two measures represent a compounding tax hit on visitors and the hospitality industry.
• No Accountability, No Sunset: Revenue goes to the general fund with no dedicated purpose, no oversight provisions, and no expiration date. The measure continues until voters affirmatively repeal it.
• Overrides Court Precedent: The California Supreme Court's 2016 ruling held that online travel company markups are not taxable rent under existing ordinances. Measure TC rewrites that framework by ballot measure rather than earning it through the legislature or the courts.
• Hurts Tourism Competitiveness: Los Angeles competes with other major cities for conventions, events, and leisure travel. Raising the effective cost of a hotel stay makes the city less attractive at a time when it should be rebuilding its reputation and its visitor economy.

What it does

Conforms the city's transient occupancy tax to apply to short-term rentals (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) on the same basis as hotel stays.

Why we oppose

Measure TT raises the City of Los Angeles hotel tax (Transient Occupancy Tax) from 14% to 16% through 2028, then locks in a permanent increase to 15% thereafter. It applies to hotel guests and short-term rental guests staying 30 days or fewer. Revenue goes to the city's general fund with no earmarks, no spending restrictions, and no accountability mechanisms. Vote No. Every tax increase reduces economic activity, and this one targets one of the city's most important industries at exactly the wrong time. Los Angeles already competes with cities across the country for tourists, conventions, and business travelers. Adding two percentage points to the cost of every hotel and short-term rental stay makes the city measurably less competitive. The Hotel Association of Los Angeles, the Northeast Los Angeles Hotel Owners Association, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association all oppose the measure, and they are right to do so. The timing is deliberately cynical. Proponents are banking on the 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympics to mask the impact of the rate hike. When demand is high, a tax increase is easier to hide. But the temporary 16% rate is not the real story. The permanent 15% rate has no sunset. It persists long after the Olympics leave town, saddling the hospitality sector and small property owners who operate short-term rentals with a higher cost structure indefinitely. For individual hosts listing a unit on Airbnb or VRBO, this is a direct hit to their bottom line and a disincentive to participate in the short-term rental market at all. The ballot language waves at popular spending categories like 911 emergency response, fire protection, street repairs, and parks. None of these are guaranteed. The revenue flows into the general fund and can be spent on anything the City Council decides. New revenue with no identified cuts, no dedicated purpose, and no oversight is not fiscal policy. It is a blank check. Los Angeles does not need another tax increase. It needs spending discipline. Vote No on Measure TT.

Key points

• A Tax Increase, Period: Measure TT raises the transient occupancy tax by up to two percentage points. There is no such thing as a painless tax hike. Higher rates reduce demand, discourage investment, and make Los Angeles less competitive for tourism and conventions.
• No Accountability, No Earmarks: Revenue flows into the general fund with zero spending restrictions. The ballot language lists potential uses like fire protection and street repairs but requires none of them. The City Council can redirect every dollar.
• Permanent Rate With No Sunset: The 16% rate expires after 2028, but the 15% rate is permanent. Long after the Olympics leave, hotels, short-term rental operators, and their guests will still be paying the higher rate.
• Broad Opposition From Industry: The Hotel Association of Los Angeles, the Northeast Los Angeles Hotel Owners Association, Councilmember John Lee, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association all oppose the measure. The people closest to the industry know this tax will cost jobs and reduce economic activity.

Why we endorse

Jeffrey Prang has served as Los Angeles County Assessor since 2014, bringing a decade of institutional knowledge to an office that directly affects every property owner's tax bill. Before that, he served on the West Hollywood City Council and as Mayor of West Hollywood, giving him over two decades of public service in local government. The County Assessor's office is responsible for valuing more than 2.8 million parcels of property across Los Angeles County, generating the property tax revenue that funds schools, public safety, and infrastructure. Getting assessments right matters: overvaluations burden homeowners and small businesses, while undervaluations shortchange essential services. Prang has run this office with the kind of quiet competence that rarely makes headlines but directly impacts millions of residents. In an era when voters are rightly skeptical of government bloat and inefficiency, Prang has modernized operations, reduced processing backlogs, and maintained the accuracy and timeliness of assessments without calling for expanded budgets or new fees. Under Prang's leadership, the Assessor's office has moved toward greater digital accessibility, making it easier for property owners to understand and, when warranted, appeal their assessments. He has emphasized transparency and efficiency in an office that touches every real estate transaction in the county. His nonpartisan approach and focus on operational excellence over political ambition make him a reliable steward of an office that most voters rarely think about but that shapes the fiscal foundation of the entire county. Jeffrey Prang is the proven, steady hand the County Assessor's office needs.

Key positions

• A Decade of Experience: Prang has led the Assessor's office since 2014, overseeing the valuation of more than 2.8 million parcels across Los Angeles County. That institutional knowledge cannot be replicated overnight.
• Accurate, Fair Assessments: Property assessments determine what every homeowner, small business, and housing provider pays in taxes. Prang has maintained accuracy and timeliness, protecting both taxpayers and public revenue.
• Modernized Office Operations: Prang has invested in digital tools and streamlined processes, reducing backlogs and making it easier for property owners to access their records and file appeals.
• Fiscal Discipline: Rather than seeking expanded budgets or new programs, Prang has focused on doing the core job well. That restraint is exactly what taxpayers should expect from an administrative office.
• Nonpartisan Public Service: In an increasingly politicized environment, Prang has kept the Assessor's office focused on its technical mission rather than ideological agendas. The office works for every property owner in the county.

Why we endorse

Robert Luna is a 36-year law enforcement veteran who rose through every rank of the Long Beach Police Department before serving as its Chief from 2014 until his election as Los Angeles County Sheriff in 2022. He took over a department battered by years of scandal, distrust, and dysfunction under his predecessor, Alex Villanueva. He leads the largest sheriff's department in the country, responsible for policing unincorporated areas and contract cities across a county of ten million people. The Sheriff's office is not a policy lab or a platform for ideology. It exists to keep people safe, run the county jail system, and maintain public order. Luna understands that. His career in Long Beach demonstrated that professional, data-driven policing produces results. He has the backing of all five LA County Supervisors, a rare bipartisan consensus that reflects confidence in his operational leadership. Since taking over LASD, Luna has prioritized deputy wellness and modernization, recognizing that a depleted, demoralized workforce cannot protect a county this large. His Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) has resolved more than 300 encampments, addressed more than 140 RVs, and moved more than 1,000 people off the streets, demonstrating that enforcement and outreach are not mutually exclusive. Robert Luna is the steady, results-driven Sheriff LA County needs.

Key positions

• Enforcement on Homelessness: LASD's Homeless Outreach Services Team has resolved more than 300 encampments and moved more than 1,000 people off the streets. Luna treats encampment enforcement as a core public safety function, not an afterthought.
• Accountability and Professionalism: He has prioritized deputy wellness, peer counseling, and mental health support to sustain a professional force.

What it does

Imposes a half-cent (0.5%) general sales tax in LA County for five years, sunset 2031. Allocates revenue to county health services, community clinics, school health, and public health. Establishes a 9-member citizens' oversight committee. Requires a simple majority to pass.

Why we oppose

Measure ER would impose a new half-cent sales tax across Los Angeles County for five years, raising approximately $1 billion per year. The revenue would flow into the county's general fund, with a non-binding spending plan directing it toward county hospitals, community clinics, and public health services. Vote No. Every new tax reduces economic activity, and this one is enormous. At $5 billion over five years, Measure ER would push LA County's combined sales tax rate to 10.25%, the legal state maximum. That means LA County would have zero remaining local sales tax capacity, and no city within the county could levy its own sales tax increase without special state legislation. Residents already paying among the highest sales taxes of any major metro in the nation would see that burden grow, and businesses near county borders would lose customers to neighboring jurisdictions. The measure's structure tells you everything about the Board of Supervisors' priorities. Proponents deliberately classified this as a general tax so it needs only a simple majority to pass, not the two-thirds supermajority required for a special tax with legally enforceable spending restrictions. The "spending plan" is a wish list. The oversight committee is advisory. And the measure was placed on a low-turnout June primary ballot rather than the November general election, a strategic choice proponents openly acknowledged to improve their odds. Proponents frame the measure as an emergency response to federal Medi-Cal funding cuts, but the county has not demonstrated it exhausted alternatives before reaching into residents' wallets. The crisis framing deserves skepticism, not a blank check. Measure ER is a billion-dollar annual tax with no binding accountability, structured to avoid voter protections, and rushed onto a low-turnout ballot. LA County residents deserve better.

Key points

• Hits the State Tax Ceiling: Measure ER would push LA County's sales tax to 10.25%, the legal maximum under California law, exhausting all remaining local sales tax capacity for every city in the county.
• No Binding Spending Commitment: Despite being marketed as a healthcare measure, the revenue flows into the general fund with a non-binding spending plan. The Board of Supervisors retains full discretion over every dollar.
• Regressive Tax Hurts Working Families: Sales taxes take a larger share of income from low-income households, the very population this measure claims to serve. Imposing a $1 billion annual burden on residents already facing the highest cost of living in the country is the wrong approach.
• Structured to Dodge Accountability: Proponents classified the measure as a general tax to require only a simple majority, then placed it on a low-turnout June ballot rather than the November general election. Both choices prioritize passage over public accountability.
• Broad Opposition: Glendale, Norwalk, Arcadia, Rosemead, and Temple City have formally opposed Measure ER, alongside the California Contract Cities Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and the LA County Taxpayers Association. Supervisor Kathryn Barger is the lone Board member standing against the measure.

Key positions

• Endorsement Pending Detail: Thrive LA has endorsed Samuel Wolloch Krause but is awaiting verified biographical and policy information before publishing a full voter guide entry.

Why we endorse

Nick Melvoin is a two-term incumbent on the LAUSD Board of Education representing District 4, a former LAUSD teacher and attorney who has spent nearly a decade fighting for fiscal discipline and educational accountability in a district that desperately needs both. Melvoin's background gives him credibility his opponents cannot match. He taught in LAUSD classrooms, earned a Master's in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount, and studied law at NYU. He served on the Obama administration's domestic policy council and clerked in the U.S. Attorney General's Office. Melvoin has also championed parental choice and school quality by supporting the expansion of high-performing charter schools, giving families, particularly in underserved communities, alternatives when their neighborhood schools fail them. Competition drives improvement, and Melvoin understands that giving parents options is not a threat to public education but a necessary complement to it. Nick Melvoin is the fiscally responsible, results-driven leader LAUSD District 4 needs to protect classrooms from budget crises and keep every education dollar accountable.

Key positions

• Fiscal Discipline at LAUSD: Melvoin negotiated a 90-10 healthcare cost-sharing plan with UTLA projected to save roughly $57 million annually and has been one of the few board members willing to publicly confront LAUSD's $13.5 billion unfunded pension liability.
• Teacher Compensation Reform: He advocates paying teachers more earlier in their careers rather than deferring pay into unsustainable lifetime benefit structures. A model that supports current educators while protecting district solvency.
• Parental Choice and School Quality: Melvoin has championed the expansion of high-performing charter schools, giving families in underserved communities real alternatives when neighborhood schools fall short.
• Deep Institutional Experience: A former LAUSD teacher with a Master's in Urban Education from LMU and a law degree from NYU, Melvoin has also served on the Obama administration's domestic policy council and clerked in the U.S. Attorney General's Office.

Why we endorse

Matt Mahan is the Democratic Mayor of San Jose, a former tech entrepreneur, and the most fiscally serious candidate running for Governor of California. He grew up in a working-class family in Watsonville, graduated from Harvard, served in Teach for America, and built two technology companies before entering public life. He ran for San Jose City Council in 2020 because, in his own words, he 'believed the answer to every problem should not always be another tax, another measure or another regulation.' That instinct has defined his tenure as mayor and now defines his campaign for governor. Mahan's record in San Jose is not theoretical. It is measurable. He reduced the city council's sprawling list of 40 top priorities down to four, forcing government to do fewer things well instead of everything poorly. He launched real-time public dashboards so residents could track spending and performance. He shifted San Jose's homelessness strategy away from million-dollar-per-door permanent housing units toward cost-effective interim shelter, achieving the largest shelter expansion on the West Coast and reducing unsheltered homelessness by nearly one-third. And he did it while making San Jose the safest big city in America, with a 100% homicide clearance rate. On housing, Mahan understands the fundamental problem: regulation and fees have made it impossible for new projects to pencil out. As mayor, he cut development fees, which directly led to over 2,000 housing construction starts after the city recorded zero market-rate starts in 2024. His gubernatorial platform calls for capping local fees on new housing, mandating 30-day permit approvals, overhauling CEQA, promoting factory-built housing, unlocking surplus government land, and implementing a two-year tax holiday for new construction. This is not a wish list. It is a deregulation agenda grounded in the simple economic reality that you cannot tax and regulate your way to affordability. Mahan was one of the leading Democratic voices behind Proposition 36 in 2024, which corrected the failures of Proposition 47 by restoring meaningful penalties for repeat theft and drug offenses. Prop 36 passed with nearly 70% of the vote, proving that Californians across the political spectrum reject the 'care-first, enforcement-never' approach that has hollowed out public safety in our cities. As governor, Mahan would expand force-multiplying police technology, appoint tough-on-crime judges, and disrupt fentanyl trafficking networks through state-federal cooperation. His fiscal philosophy is exactly what California needs. He explicitly opposes new tax increases, including the proposed wealth tax on billionaires. He has identified billions in state waste, including $1 billion spent annually on 15,000 empty prison beds. His plan to commission an independent 'Progress Audit' of every state department, implement performance-based budgeting with automatic 'kill switches' for failing programs, and publicly track return on investment per dollar spent would bring a level of accountability that Sacramento has never seen. Matt Mahan is the governor California's taxpayers, housing providers, small business owners, and working families have been waiting for.

Key positions

• Proven Public Safety Results: Led San Jose to become the safest big city in America with a 100% homicide clearance rate. Championed Proposition 36, which passed with nearly 70% of the vote, restoring penalties for repeat theft and drug crimes that Proposition 47 had gutted.
• Housing Through Deregulation, Not Mandates: Cut development fees in San Jose, producing over 2,000 housing construction starts after zero market-rate starts in 2024. His gubernatorial platform includes capping local fees, mandating 30-day permits, overhauling CEQA, and a two-year tax holiday for new construction.
• Enforcement-Based Homelessness Strategy: Shifted San Jose from $1 million-per-door permanent housing to cost-effective interim shelter, reducing unsheltered homelessness by nearly one-third. Supports requiring shelter use when available and mandating treatment for drug, alcohol, and mental health conditions.
• No New Taxes, Period: Explicitly opposes new tax increases, including the proposed wealth tax. Believes government must perform better with existing revenue before asking Californians to pay more, and supports tax incentives, PAGA reform, and reducing regulatory costs on employers.
• Radical Fiscal Accountability: Plans an independent audit of every state department, performance-based budgeting with automatic kill switches for failing programs, and public tracking of return on investment. Has already identified $1 billion in annual waste on 15,000 empty state prison beds.

Why we endorse

Fiona Ma is a licensed CPA with over three decades of public finance experience. She has served as a San Francisco Supervisor, California Assembly Speaker pro Tempore, Chair of the Board of Equalization, and California's 34th State Treasurer. She holds a Bachelor's in Accounting, a Master's in Taxation, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. She is now running for Lieutenant Governor. Ma brings something different: a financial operator's mindset, credibility with law enforcement, and a track record of cutting government waste rather than expanding it. As Treasurer, she has managed California's $124 billion investment portfolio and overseen more than $3 trillion in annual state payments. At the Board of Equalization, she ordered three external audits and led structural reforms that improved accountability. In the Assembly, she authored 60 bills that were signed into law, most of which required no new taxpayer money. That is a rare discipline in Sacramento. Ma carries endorsements from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, California Professional Firefighters, San Francisco Firefighters 798, and Crime Victims United. LAPPL President Craig Lally praised her "unwavering commitment to public safety." She is also endorsed by California YIMBY, signaling alignment with the state's urgent need to build more housing. Her support extends across the political establishment: Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, State Controller Malia Cohen, Congressman Ted Lieu, LA County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, and LA City Councilmember Traci Park have all backed her campaign. The building trades, operating engineers, and carpenters unions are behind her as well, reflecting confidence from the people who actually construct California's infrastructure. Fiona Ma is the fiscally grounded, public-safety-aligned leader California needs as its next Lieutenant Governor.

Key positions

• Backed by Law Enforcement: Endorsed by LAPPL, ALADS, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, California Professional Firefighters, and Crime Victims United. These organizations back candidates who take public safety seriously, not candidates who treat it as an afterthought.
• Real Financial Expertise: A licensed CPA since 1992, Ma manages California's $124 billion investment portfolio as State Treasurer and oversees more than $3 trillion in annual state payments. She ordered three external audits as Board of Equalization Chair and led reforms that eliminated waste and improved accountability.
• Pro-Housing, Pro-Building: Endorsed by California YIMBY and backed by the building trades. Ma's record shows alignment with the fundamental need to increase housing supply rather than pile on regulations that make construction more expensive.
• Broad, Credible Coalition: Endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis, Congressman Ted Lieu, LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Councilmember Traci Park, and over 30 Assembly Democrats. This is not an ideological candidacy. It is a competence candidacy.

Why we endorse

Malia M. Cohen is the incumbent California State Controller, first elected in November 2022. A San Francisco native, she holds a master's in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University and has spent over a decade in public finance roles: San Francisco Board of Supervisors (including Board President), Chair of the California State Board of Equalization (the nation's only elected tax commission), and now the state's chief fiscal officer. She sits on the boards overseeing CalPERS and CalSTRS, which together manage roughly $750 billion in pension assets. The Controller's office is California's fiscal watchdog. It audits every agency that spends state funds, disburses $100 billion in annual payments, and serves as the last line of accountability before taxpayer money leaves Sacramento. Cohen has the institutional knowledge and the relationships to keep that machinery running. She carries endorsements from the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association and the California Professional Firefighters, two organizations that do not hand out endorsements casually. In the absence of a challenger who offers a sharper commitment to spending discipline, Cohen is the practical choice to hold this seat. Malia Cohen has the credentials and the platform to be a genuinely effective Controller. Whether she uses them for rigorous fiscal accountability or political convenience is the question that earns this endorsement its conditions.

Key positions

• Law Enforcement Support: Endorsed by the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association and California Professional Firefighters. These endorsements signal that Cohen takes public safety budgets and personnel needs seriously at the state level.
• Pension Oversight Responsibility: Cohen sits on the CalPERS and CalSTRS boards overseeing $750 billion in combined pension assets. Responsible stewardship of these funds is critical to California's long-term fiscal health and to every city and county that makes employer contributions.
• Institutional Experience: Cohen chaired the state Board of Equalization, led the SF Board of Supervisors' Budget and Finance Committee, and has served as Controller since 2023. No other candidate in this race matches her depth in public finance and state-level fiscal operations.

Why we endorse

Eleni Kounalakis is the current Lieutenant Governor of California and a candidate for State Treasurer. Before entering public service, she spent nearly two decades as president of AKT Development, her family's real estate firm, which built master-planned housing communities in the Sacramento region housing over 200,000 families. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and served as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary under President Obama. The State Treasurer manages California's $100 billion investment portfolio, oversees bond financing for infrastructure and housing, and sits on the boards of CalPERS and CalSTRS. The office demands someone who understands capital markets, housing finance, and fiscal discipline. Kounalakis is the rare candidate who has actually built housing at scale in the private sector and can apply that experience to lowering the state's cost of capital and accelerating housing production through streamlined bond financing. She opposed Proposition 33 (2024), which would have removed state limitations on local rent control, a clear signal that she understands price controls reduce supply. Her commitment to keeping the state's debt-service-to-General-Fund ratio at or below 6%, opposing the use of one-time windfalls for permanent spending programs, and creating a public-facing financial dashboard reflects the kind of fiscal seriousness the office requires. Kounalakis carries endorsements from law enforcement organizations including the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, and the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. California Professional Firefighters and multiple firefighter unions also back her candidacy. She is endorsed by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, State Controller Malia Cohen, and former State Treasurer Kathleen Brown. Her background in real estate development gives her direct, operational understanding of what it takes to move housing from approval to construction, knowledge that is essential for a Treasurer who will oversee billions in housing bond financing. Eleni Kounalakis is the fiscally disciplined, housing-literate Treasurer California needs.

Key positions

• Built Housing at Scale: As president of AKT Development, Kounalakis led the construction of master-planned communities housing over 200,000 families. No other candidate brings that level of private-sector housing experience to the office that finances California's housing bonds.
• Opposed Rent Control Expansion: Kounalakis opposed Proposition 33 (2024), which would have removed state limitations on local rent control. Price controls reduce housing supply and discourage investment. Her opposition signals alignment with market-based housing policy.
• Fiscal Discipline Commitments: She has pledged to keep California's debt-service-to-General-Fund ratio at or below 6%, oppose committing windfall revenues to permanent programs, strengthen reserve practices, and launch a public-facing financial dashboard for transparency.
• Law Enforcement Support: Backed by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, California Correctional Peace Officers Association, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and California Professional Firefighters.

Why we endorse

Dr. Shirley N. Weber is the incumbent California Secretary of State, first appointed by Governor Newsom in January 2021 and elected to the office in 2022. Before that, she represented San Diego's Assembly District 79 for nearly a decade and spent 40 years as a professor at San Diego State University, where she helped found the Africana Studies Department. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA and served on the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education for eight years. The Secretary of State's office is fundamentally an administrative role: it oversees election integrity, business filings, and public records. On that narrow but important mandate, Weber has been a competent steward. She has managed California's massive election infrastructure without significant controversy, certified candidate lists on schedule, and maintained the state's business registry. In a role where quiet competence matters more than ideology, Weber has delivered. The California Professional Firefighters and California YIMBY both endorse her, two organizations that signal practical governance over ideological posturing. Shirley N. Weber is the steady, experienced administrator California's Secretary of State office needs.

Key positions

• Clean Election Administration: Weber has managed California's election infrastructure since 2021, certifying results and candidate lists without significant operational failures. In a state with over 22 million registered voters, reliable administration is the baseline, and she has met it.
• Business Filing Stewardship: The Secretary of State's office processes millions of business filings annually. Weber has maintained the registry's functionality, a critical but unglamorous service for the entrepreneurs and small businesses that drive California's economy.
• California YIMBY Endorsement: Weber's endorsement by California YIMBY signals alignment with the state's pro-housing movement. While the Secretary of State does not directly set housing policy, this endorsement distinguishes her from candidates beholden exclusively to anti-growth constituencies.
• Accountability Mechanisms Watchpoint: Weber supported weakening California's recall process for state officers. Recall elections are an essential check on elected officials. We expect her to administer any future recall processes with full transparency and without bureaucratic obstruction.

Why we endorse

Patrick Wolff is a financial analyst, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and two-time U.S. Chess Champion running for California Insurance Commissioner. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, built a home and auto insurance brokerage at Capital One, managed a hedge fund (Grandmaster Capital Management), and currently makes private real estate investments through BPW Capital Holding. He is a registered Democrat based in San Francisco who has never held public office. California's insurance market is in crisis. Insurers are fleeing the state, dropping coverage in fire-prone areas, and hiking premiums for the homeowners and businesses that remain. The cause is not greed. It is decades of regulatory overreach that made California too expensive and too unpredictable for carriers to operate in. The Insurance Commissioner needs to understand how insurance markets actually work, not treat them as a vehicle for ideological experimentation. Wolff's opponent, Jane Kim, is a former San Francisco supervisor who has proposed a government-run, single-payer insurance system. That approach would drive even more private insurers out of California, reduce competition, and leave consumers with fewer choices and higher costs. Wolff offers the opposite: market-based reform grounded in financial expertise. Wolff's platform centers on increasing competition among insurers, accelerating rate-review timelines so companies can adjust pricing to reflect actual risk, and creating transparency through public "report cards" that grade insurers on claims handling. Rather than layering on new mandates that raise costs for everyone, he wants to remove the regulatory friction that discourages carriers from writing policies in California. He has pledged not to accept campaign contributions from insurance companies, their employees, or their lobbyists, and not to accept corporate gifts. He has also pledged not to use the office as a political stepping stone. His endorsement from the Orange County Register's editorial board specifically cited his market-oriented approach and his understanding that overregulation harms consumers. He is also endorsed by GrowSF, a pro-housing, pro-accountability organization with a strong track record of backing candidates who prioritize results over ideology. Outside of insurance, Wolff has demonstrated civic commitment: he founded Families for San Francisco in 2020, served as Vice Chair of the SFUSD Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, and created Excellence in Investing for Children's Causes, a charity conference that has raised over $3.5 million. These are the credentials of someone who builds institutions rather than dismantling them. Patrick Wolff is the market-oriented, financially rigorous Insurance Commissioner California needs.

Key positions

• Real Financial Expertise: A Chartered Financial Analyst who built an insurance brokerage at Capital One, managed a hedge fund, and currently runs a private real estate investment firm. Wolff brings private-sector rigor to a regulatory office that desperately needs it.
• Pro-Competition Insurance Reform: Wolff's core agenda is removing the regulatory friction that drives insurers out of California. He would speed up rate-review timelines, boost competition among carriers, and create public report cards grading insurers on claims handling, rather than imposing government-run alternatives.
• No Industry Money, No Conflicts: Wolff has pledged not to accept contributions from insurance companies, their employees, or their lobbyists, and not to accept corporate gifts. He has also committed not to use the office as a political stepping stone.
• Against Government-Run Insurance: His opponent has proposed a single-payer insurance system that would reduce competition and drive private carriers out of the state. Wolff rejects that approach in favor of market-based transparency and accountability.

Why we endorse

Josh Newman is a Yale graduate, U.S. Army veteran, and former California State Senator who represented parts of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties across two stints in Sacramento (2017-2018, 2021-2024). He founded ArmedForce2Workforce, a nonprofit helping veterans transition to civilian careers, and chaired the Senate Education Committee. He is now a candidate for California Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Superintendent of Public Instruction oversees the state's entire K-12 system: standards, accountability, school funding formulas, and the regulatory burden that either empowers or suffocates local schools. Newman brings real legislative experience in education policy and a demonstrated ability to work across party lines. His endorsements from the California Charter Schools Association alongside traditional labor organizations suggest a pragmatist, not an ideologue, on school choice and educational innovation. Newman's law enforcement support is notable for a statewide Democratic candidate. He carries endorsements from PORAC (Peace Officers Research Association of California), the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS). He also holds the backing of California Professional Firefighters and multiple local firefighter unions. On campus safety and school security, these relationships matter. His legislative record includes authoring SB 552 on public safety standards and legislation targeting ghost guns. His veteran background and nonprofit work with ArmedForce2Workforce demonstrate a commitment to discipline, service, and accountability that translates well to overseeing a $130 billion public education system. Josh Newman is the experienced, coalition-building leader California's schools need.

Key positions

• Law Enforcement Backed: Endorsed by PORAC, ALADS, the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, and the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. For a statewide education leader responsible for campus safety policy, these endorsements signal seriousness.
• Education Committee Leadership: Chaired the California Senate Education Committee, giving him direct oversight of K-12 policy, school accountability frameworks, and funding formulas. Few candidates for Superintendent bring this level of legislative fluency in the office's core mission.
• Charter School Support: Endorsed by the California Charter Schools Association, signaling openness to school choice and educational innovation. Parents deserve options, and the Superintendent should not be captured by a single-model ideology.
• Veteran Service Record: U.S. Army veteran and founder of ArmedForce2Workforce, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans transition to civilian careers. That organizational discipline and mission-first orientation is exactly what California's sprawling education bureaucracy needs.

Why we endorse

Brian Goldsmith is a Beverly Hills attorney, tech entrepreneur, and former CBS News political producer running for the open State Senate District 24 seat vacated by Senator Ben Allen. This is his first run for elected office, and he has assembled the strongest coalition of law enforcement, business, and civic endorsements in a crowded 14-candidate field. Brian Goldsmith combines a clear-eyed understanding of California's regulatory failures with the pragmatic, enforcement-friendly approach to public safety that Los Angeles desperately needs. In a district stretching from the Westside to the South Bay, voters deserve a senator who will fight to reduce the cost of building housing, hold government accountable for wasted dollars, and reject the failed ideological experiments that have made our streets less safe. Goldsmith has earned the endorsement of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the California Association of Highway Patrolmen (CAHP), CAL FIRE Local 2881, and both LA school police associations. He actively supported Proposition 36 to correct the failures of Proposition 47, going so far as to produce ads advocating for its passage. He backed Nathan Hochman over George Gascon for LA County District Attorney. When asked, he stated plainly: public safety is "the first responsibility of government," and he was "never for defunding the police." That is exactly the clarity voters need. On housing, Goldsmith identifies the real problem: California's permitting and regulatory burden makes it cost 2.5 times more per unit to build here than in Texas. He supports streamlined permitting and the Builder's Remedy concept while opposing bills like SB 79 that impose unfunded mandates on local governments. He has no record of supporting excessive rent control or anti-housing-provider regulations. On fiscal matters, he explicitly opposed the wealth tax when pressed by UNITE HERE, calls out "billions of wasted taxpayer dollars," and frames his candidacy around accountability and measurable results rather than new spending programs. Goldsmith's endorsement list reads like a who's who of pragmatic governance: Rick Caruso, Antonio Villaraigosa, Nancy Pelosi, Teamsters Joint Council 42, and the Asian Business Association PAC. Brian Goldsmith is the pro-safety, pro-building, fiscally accountable candidate that Senate District 24 needs to push Sacramento toward results instead of rhetoric.

Key positions

• Strongest Law Enforcement Support: Endorsed by the LAPPL, CAHP, CAL FIRE Local 2881, and both LA school police associations. Supported Prop 36 to restore felony penalties for repeat theft and drug offenses, and backed DA Nathan Hochman over George Gascon.
• Cut Red Tape to Build: Identifies California's permitting costs (2.5x per unit vs. Texas) as the core housing crisis driver. Supports Builder's Remedy and streamlined approvals while opposing unfunded mandates like SB 79 that Sacramento pushes onto local cities.
• No New Taxes: Explicitly opposed the wealth tax proposal when challenged by UNITE HERE. Frames affordability around reducing regulatory burden and government waste rather than extracting more revenue from businesses and residents.
• Accountability Over Spending: Campaigns on ending "billions of wasted taxpayer dollars" and demands that nonprofits receiving government funds deliver measurable results with transparency. Opposes unfunded mandates from Sacramento to local governments, calling them unconstitutional.
• Enforcement-Based Homelessness Approach: States "there is nothing progressive about allowing anyone to sleep on the street." Rejects care-only approaches in favor of accountability, connecting the crisis to housing costs and permitting failures rather than calls for more spending without results.

Why we endorse

Juan Camacho is a first-generation immigrant from Mexico who built a career at the intersection of government, entertainment, and community advocacy. He currently serves as President of the Equality California Institute and previously led government and community affairs at Fox Studios, where he helped triple California's film and TV tax credit and shepherded the $1.5 billion Fox Future studio modernization project through approval. Before that, he worked for Senator Barbara Boxer, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, and the Southern California Association of Governments. He holds a degree from UC Davis and lives in Echo Park. State Senate District 26 needs a representative who understands how policy affects the industries that actually employ people in Los Angeles. Camacho's work at Fox Studios is the strongest proof point in this race: he fought to expand a tax credit that kept film and television production in California rather than letting it flee to Georgia, New Mexico, or overseas. That is the right instinct. When government makes it cheaper to do business here, businesses stay. When it doesn't, they leave. Camacho demonstrated that he understands this dynamic in practice, not just in theory. His record includes tangible, large-scale outcomes. The tripling of California's film and TV tax credit preserved tens of thousands of production jobs in the state. The $1.5 billion Fox Future studio modernization project brought major private investment into Los Angeles. His earlier work at the Southern California Association of Governments gave him regional planning experience, and his time on the LA Tourism Commission connected him to one of the city's core economic engines. These are not theoretical credentials. We endorse Camacho because his professional instincts are pro-investment and pro-retention, and because the practical experience of navigating a $1.5 billion development through government approvals tends to produce legislators who understand what red tape actually costs. But we expect him to bring that same pragmatism to Sacramento across every policy area, not just entertainment. Juan Camacho has the real-world experience to fight for the jobs and investment Los Angeles needs.

Key positions

• Pro-Investment Track Record: Camacho helped triple California's film and TV tax credit, keeping production jobs in the state. He also led the $1.5 billion Fox Future studio modernization project through government approvals, demonstrating he understands how to move private capital through bureaucracy.
• Regional Planning Experience: Prior work at the Southern California Association of Governments and the LA Tourism Commission gives Camacho a regional perspective on infrastructure, transportation, and economic development that most first-time candidates lack.

Why we endorse

Bob J. Archuleta is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, a former reserve police officer with the Montebello Police Department, and a longtime public servant who rose from the Pico Rivera City Council (where he served as Mayor) to the California State Senate. He has represented the 30th Senate District, covering parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties, since 2018. He currently chairs the Senate Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. Archuleta has helped secure over $100 million in state funding for local infrastructure projects across his district. He earned endorsements from the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS) and received support from the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), two of the most important law enforcement organizations in the region. He authored the Agent Joshua Byrd Memorial Act (SB 962) to authorize blue emergency response lights for parole officers, a practical public safety measure that reflects his instincts on the issue. Bob Archuleta is the practical, public-safety-minded senator the 30th District needs.

Key positions

• Law Enforcement Background: A former reserve police officer with the Montebello Police Department, Archuleta has earned endorsements from ALADS and support from LAPPL. His public safety instincts are rooted in experience, not talking points.
• Pro-Taxpayer on Veterans: Authored SB 1407 to exclude military retirement pay from California state income tax. It is one of the clearest pro-taxpayer positions any member of the Senate Democratic caucus has taken.
• Infrastructure Over Ideology: Helped secure over $100 million in state funding for local infrastructure projects. Investing in roads, utilities, and public facilities is a legitimate use of state resources that directly benefits residents and businesses.

Why we endorse

John Harabedian represents California's 41st Assembly District, covering the Pasadena area and surrounding foothill communities. He is an attorney with degrees from Yale, Oxford, and Stanford Law School, a former prosecutor in the LA District Attorney's Office, a former policy analyst for Mayor Villaraigosa, and a two-time mayor of Sierra Madre. He was elected to the Assembly in 2024. Harabedian's housing legislation is the strongest reason to support him. He has authored bills that directly address the regulatory barriers choking housing production: AB 2058 streamlines inspection and permitting for factory-built housing, AB 2576 promotes transit-oriented development, and AB 748 expands preapproved housing plans to cut red tape at the local level. He co-chairs the Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability and, importantly, has called for both affordable and market-rate housing, not just subsidized units. In a Legislature dominated by members who treat housing providers as adversaries, Harabedian's willingness to reduce permitting friction is a real distinction. His push to streamline approvals for wildfire rebuilding is also timely and necessary for communities recovering from recent fires. Harabedian also chairs the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which gives him direct oversight of how Sacramento spends public money. That role matters. On homelessness, his emphasis on mental health services and supportive housing is reasonable, though we would prefer to see a stronger willingness to pair those investments with encampment enforcement. John Harabedian is a capable legislator whose housing work earns this endorsement, but fiscal discipline must follow.

Key positions

• Pro-Housing Legislation: Authored AB 2058 (factory-built housing permitting), AB 2576 (transit-oriented development), AB 748 (preapproved housing plans), and AB 2094 (affordable housing). Co-chairs the Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability. Supports both market-rate and affordable housing production.
• Wildfire Rebuilding Streamlining: Advocates cutting permitting and approval timelines for communities rebuilding after wildfires. In a district adjacent to fire-prone foothill areas, this is not abstract policy.
• Audit Committee Oversight: Chairs the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, giving him direct authority to scrutinize state spending. This is the right role for a former prosecutor, and we expect him to use it aggressively.

Why we endorse

Deborah Klein Lopez is the Mayor Pro Tem of Agoura Hills, first elected to the City Council in 2018 and reelected in 2022. She holds dual degrees in Mathematical Methods in Social Sciences and Economics from Northwestern University, and has worked as a financial analyst, currency trader, and field representative for the California State Assembly. She is now running for Assembly District 42, a sprawling district that stretches from Pacific Palisades and Malibu through Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, and into Simi Valley. Assembly District 42 faces an unusual convergence of challenges: wildfire recovery in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, housing affordability pressures across the corridor, and the everyday public safety and quality-of-life concerns that suburban communities expect Sacramento to take seriously. Klein Lopez brings the right combination of local government experience and financial training to represent this district effectively. Her background in quantitative economics and capital markets gives her a fluency with budgets and risk that most legislators lack, and her years on the Agoura Hills City Council mean she understands how state mandates land on real cities with real constraints. On public safety, Klein Lopez supports expanding resources for local law enforcement, including technology, training, recruitment, and retention. She backs drug treatment courts and additional mental health beds as tools to keep repeat offenders out of the cycle that Proposition 47 accelerated. She earned the endorsement of LA County Firefighters Local 1014 during her 2022 council race, a meaningful signal from a union that evaluates candidates on operational competence, not ideology. On housing, she has pushed for workforce and senior housing production and supports cutting red tape for disaster rebuilding, a position that is immediately relevant as Palisades fire recovery moves forward. Her nearly 20 years managing a weekly winter homeless shelter demonstrates sustained, hands-on engagement with homelessness rather than sloganeering. Her campaign emphasizes reducing the cost and regulatory burden of doing business in California, supporting employers of all sizes, and leveraging major economic events for local opportunity. Klein Lopez also carries endorsements from termed-out Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, former LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and a broad coalition of local elected officials across both counties. That breadth of support reflects a candidate who builds coalitions rather than picking ideological fights. Deborah Klein Lopez is the experienced, analytically rigorous Assembly representative District 42 needs.

Key positions

• Public Safety Resources: Supports expanded funding for law enforcement technology, training, recruitment, and retention. Backs drug courts and mental health beds to address the revolving door created by weak state policy. Endorsed by LA County Firefighters Local 1014.
• Wildfire Recovery and Rebuilding: Supports cutting red tape for homeowners and businesses rebuilding after disasters, directly relevant to Palisades and Malibu fire recovery. Advocates for resilient infrastructure investment to reduce future wildfire risk across the district.
• Housing Production Over Process: Promotes workforce and senior housing in underutilized areas and supports streamlining approvals for rebuilding. Her focus on increasing supply rather than layering new restrictions is the right direction for a district facing acute affordability pressure.
• Hands-On Homelessness Engagement: Managed a weekly winter homeless shelter for nearly 20 years. That sustained, direct involvement signals a practical understanding of homelessness that goes beyond policy abstractions.
• Financial Literacy in Sacramento: A Northwestern-trained economist and former financial analyst and currency trader, Klein Lopez brings quantitative rigor to a legislature that routinely approves spending without understanding its second-order effects on employers, housing providers, and taxpayers.

Why we endorse

Celeste Rodriguez represents California's 43rd Assembly District, covering the Northeast San Fernando Valley. She holds a Bachelor's in Economics from San Diego State and a Master's in Social Work from USC. Her career spans city and county government: Homelessness Policy Coordinator and Deputy Director of Community Development Strategies under Mayor Garcetti, San Fernando City Councilmember (2020-2024), and Mayor of San Fernando (2022-2024). She was sworn into the Assembly in December 2024 and serves as Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore. This is a cautious endorsement. Rodriguez is not a natural fit for Thrive LA's economic philosophy. Her career has been spent inside government, her donor base is dominated by public-sector unions, and her instincts lean toward expanding programs rather than restraining spending. But the 43rd District needs a representative who can navigate Sacramento effectively, and Rodriguez has demonstrated the operational competence and coalition-building skills to do so. Her endorsement from Abundant Housing LA signals at least some openness to building more housing, and the California Professional Firefighters endorsement reflects credibility with first responders. In a district where the alternative is further left, Rodriguez represents a pragmatic center that can be held accountable. Her record in San Fernando showed she could govern, not just campaign. As Mayor, she set strategic goals around financial strength and stability for the city. Her time coordinating homelessness policy under Garcetti gave her direct experience managing one of LA's most visible crises across multiple city departments. While her approach has been services-oriented rather than enforcement-driven, she understands the operational complexity of the issue at a level most legislators do not. Her rapid rise to Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore suggests she will have the institutional leverage to deliver results for her district. Celeste Rodriguez has the experience and positioning to serve the 43rd District effectively, and we will be watching to make sure she does.

Key positions

• Homelessness Enforcement: Her career has been built on services-first homelessness policy with no record of supporting encampment clearances or enforcement tools. The Northeast San Fernando Valley needs a balanced approach that pairs services with accountability. We need to see her support enforcement mechanisms, not just prevention programs.
• Housing Production Signal: The Abundant Housing LA endorsement is a positive indicator. California's housing crisis is a supply crisis caused by regulation. We expect Rodriguez to support streamlining permits, reducing compliance burdens, and opposing new restrictions on housing providers.
• First Responder Support: Rodriguez carries the endorsement of the California Professional Firefighters, a meaningful signal that she takes public safety seriously. The 43rd District deserves a representative who will back both fire and law enforcement staffing and resources.

Why we endorse

Jesse Gabriel represents Assembly District 46, covering much of the San Fernando Valley, and serves as Chair of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee. A Harvard Law graduate and former constitutional rights attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, he has been in the Assembly since 2018 and has authored more than fifty laws spanning public safety, food regulation, and children's welfare. Gabriel's legislative record includes AB 2492, which addressed public safety planning for major sporting events, and AB 468, which targeted looting crimes. He also authored AB 1915, which accelerated restaurant equipment permitting, a small but genuine deregulatory step. Former Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin and retired Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky have endorsed him, lending credibility from experienced fiscal stewards. Jesse Gabriel is a practical choice for Assembly District 46, and we expect him to use his considerable budget authority to deliver for Valley residents.

Key positions

• Public Safety Leadership: Gabriel has authored landmark legislation including AB 2492, addressing public safety planning for major sporting events, and AB 468, targeting looting crimes. His record reflects a serious commitment to keeping communities safe.
• Cutting Red Tape for Small Business: Gabriel authored AB 1915 to accelerate restaurant equipment permitting, a practical, deregulatory step that helps small businesses open faster and operate more efficiently.
• Budget Authority for the Valley: As Chair of the powerful Assembly Budget Committee, Gabriel sits at the center of California's fiscal decision-making. Endorsements from former LA City Controller Ron Galperin and retired LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky reflect confidence from experienced fiscal stewards that he will use that authority responsibly.

Why we endorse

Rick Chavez Zbur represents California's 51st Assembly District, covering Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and West LA. A Harvard Law graduate and former partner at Latham & Watkins, he brings serious legal and organizational credentials to the Legislature. Before his election in 2022, he led Equality California as Executive Director and served as President of California Environmental Voters. Zbur has shown enough pragmatism on key issues to warrant continued support, even as his overall policy orientation skews toward expanded government. He has maintained a working relationship with law enforcement, accepting support from the Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC. He carries the endorsement of Abundant Housing LA, a pro-housing organization. His record includes advocacy for building more housing near transit and work hubs, and he has called for measurable goals and accountability mechanisms on homelessness spending. He has earned the endorsement of the California Professional Firefighters. His legal background at a top-tier firm gives him the technical fluency to navigate complex legislative drafting, and his leadership of a major statewide organization with significant staff and budget demonstrates executive capacity. Rick Chavez Zbur has the credentials and the relationships to deliver for this district.

Key positions

• Law Enforcement Relationship: Zbur accepted support from the Los Angeles Police Protective League PAC and carries the endorsement of the California Professional Firefighters. These relationships matter in a Legislature that too often treats public safety as an afterthought.
• Housing Production Over Price Controls: Endorsed by both Abundant Housing LA, Zbur has positioned himself as open to working with housing providers. His support for building near transit is the right instinct.
• Homelessness Accountability: Zbur has called for measurable goals and deadlines on homelessness spending and acknowledged that allowing people to live on streets indefinitely is unacceptable.

Why we endorse

Jessica Caloza represents California's 52nd Assembly District, covering Northeast LA neighborhoods including Echo Park, Silver Lake, Highland Park, and Eagle Rock, along with downtown Glendale. A first-generation Filipino immigrant, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as an LA City Public Works Commissioner, and as a policy advisor in the Obama Administration's Department of Education before winning her Assembly seat. This is a cautious endorsement. Caloza carries endorsements from organizations that give us real pause: UNITE HERE Local 11, which has pushed anti-business hotel mandates across Los Angeles, and DSA-aligned City Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez, and Nithya Raman. Her legislative orientation toward wage mandates and renter protections, including AB 2609 (regulating pet-related rents), signals a comfort with imposing new burdens on housing providers and small businesses. At the same time, she has earned support from California YIMBY, Abundant Housing LA, the Housing Action Coalition, and YIMBY Action, organizations that want to make it faster and cheaper to build. She has also secured endorsements from the LA Area Chamber of Commerce Jobs PAC and Central City Association, which suggests she is at least listening to the business community. She is not an ideological purist, and that matters in Sacramento. Caloza has delivered tangible results on fire safety, securing investment in firefighter training and recruitment. She carries the endorsement of California Professional Firefighters, UFLAC (IAFF Local 112), LA County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014, and CAL FIRE Local 2881. That is a clean sweep of every major fire union in her footprint. She has also spoken credibly about accountability for existing homelessness spending, though her approach leans toward services and housing-first strategies rather than the enforcement tools that LA's streets desperately need. Jessica Caloza has the relationships and the institutional support to deliver for her district. We expect her to use that leverage for housing production and fiscal restraint, not just expanded regulation.

Key positions

• Housing Watchpoint: Caloza authored AB 2609 and emphasizes 'strengthening renters' protections.' We expect her to balance renter advocacy with policies that keep housing providers in the market. Regulation that drives small property owners out of LA reduces housing supply for everyone.
• Strong Fire Union Support: Endorsed by California Professional Firefighters, UFLAC, LA County Firefighters IAFF Local 1014, and CAL FIRE Local 2881. She has secured real investment in firefighter training and recruitment, a critical priority after the Palisades fires exposed capacity gaps.
• Pro-Housing YIMBY Alignment: Endorsed by California YIMBY, Abundant Housing LA, YIMBY Action, and the Housing Action Coalition. These organizations push to cut permitting delays, reduce regulatory barriers, and increase housing supply. This is the right coalition for a district that needs more homes built faster.
• Homelessness Enforcement Watchpoint: Caloza favors services-based strategies for homelessness but has shown no support for enforcement tools like encampment clearances. Accountability for existing spending is welcome. But services without enforcement has failed in Los Angeles for a decade.

Why we endorse

Mark Gonzalez represents California's 54th Assembly District, covering downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, and surrounding communities. A former district director for Assemblymember Miguel Santiago and seven-year Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Gonzalez was elected in November 2024 and quickly appointed Assembly Majority Whip. This is a cautious endorsement rooted in practical assessment, not full alignment. He carries endorsements from California YIMBY and Abundant Housing LA, signaling a willingness to cut permitting red tape and accelerate housing production. He authored AB 2418 to allow nonresidential private permitting review, a genuine deregulatory step. He also authored AB 1941 targeting organized metal theft and sits on the Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety. These are substantive positions, not symbolic ones. We endorse him because his pro-housing-production instincts and public safety committee work give him a platform to deliver real results, but he will be held to account on whether he uses it. On housing, Gonzalez has pledged to work with the Governor to "cut red tape and build more affordable housing faster and for less money." His AB 2418, streamlining permitting through private review, is exactly the kind of supply-side reform California needs. On public safety, his focus on investing in firefighters and paramedics and his legislation on organized metal theft are concrete steps. His support for CARE Courts to address severe mental illness among the unhoused population reflects a pragmatic recognition that services alone do not solve encampment crises. Mark Gonzalez has the legislative leverage and housing-production instincts to deliver for District 54.

Key positions

• Pro-Housing Production Credentials: Endorsed by California YIMBY and Abundant Housing LA. Authored AB 2418 to allow private permitting review for nonresidential projects, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks that delay construction and increase costs.
• Public Safety Committee Work: Sits on the Assembly Standing Committee on Public Safety. Authored AB 1941 targeting organized metal theft and supports investing in firefighters and paramedics to reduce 911 response times.

Why we endorse

Dr. Ayanna Davis is a lifelong Compton resident, LAUSD public school principal, and elected member of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees. She holds a Doctorate of Education from USC's Rossier School of Education and currently serves as Vice President of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles. She is running for California Assembly District 65 to succeed termed-out Assemblymember Mike Gipson. Davis brings a practical, community-rooted profile that distinguishes her in this race. Her law enforcement endorsements signal she is not aligned with the defund-the-police wing of her party. Davis carries endorsements from the Long Beach Police Officers Association, the LA Port Police Association, the LA City Stentorians, and California Professional Firefighters. That public safety coalition is noteworthy for an Assembly race in a district where crime and safety are top concerns. On the legislative side, she has the backing of outgoing Assemblymember Mike Gipson, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, California Controller Malia Cohen, and former State Senate Majority Leader Isadore Hall. Her experience governing a school district budget and navigating LAUSD bureaucracy gives her operational knowledge that many first-time Assembly candidates lack. Ayanna Davis is the community-tested, public-safety-backed leader Assembly District 65 needs.

Key positions

• Law Enforcement Backing: Endorsed by the Long Beach Police Officers Association, LA Port Police Association, LA City Stentorians, and California Professional Firefighters. In a district where violent crime remains a daily concern, Davis has earned the trust of the people who respond to it.
• Rooted in the District: Born and raised in Compton, educated at USC, and currently serving on the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees. Endorsed by the Compton Chamber of Commerce for her understanding of local business needs.
• Legislative Credibility: Backed by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Controller Malia Cohen, and outgoing Assemblymember Mike Gipson. These relationships position her to be effective from day one, provided she uses that influence to protect taxpayers and small businesses.

Why we endorse

Paul Seo is the Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes, a Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice, and a West Point graduate with a degree in economics. He is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a Captain at the Korean DMZ, spent seven years as a Deputy District Attorney prosecuting serious and violent felonies in Los Angeles County, and now prosecutes political corruption, corporate fraud, and white-collar crime in the AG's Special Prosecutions Section. He is running for California State Assembly District 66. Assembly District 66 stretches across the South Bay. Seo brings a rare combination: a career spent enforcing the law, executive experience running a city, and the economics training to understand what regulation actually costs. He grew up working in his family's small business. He knows firsthand what red tape does to the people who create jobs. Seo's law enforcement credentials are not theoretical. Seven years prosecuting violent felons at the LA County DA's office. Current service as a Deputy AG targeting fraud and corruption. That record has earned him endorsements from the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS), the Association of Deputy District Attorneys of Los Angeles County, the Long Beach Police Officers Association, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the California Narcotic Officers' Association. When every major law enforcement organization in the region lines up behind a candidate, it tells you something about how seriously that person takes public safety. On homelessness, Seo has called out Sacramento's failure to deliver results and supports holding homelessness initiatives accountable, cutting red tape, and getting people off the streets and into stable housing or mental health programs. On housing, he supports building more and reducing the bureaucratic barriers that slow production. On small business, he wants to reduce regulatory burdens and create an environment that attracts investment. Paul Seo is the law-and-order, cut-the-red-tape leader Assembly District 66 needs.

Key positions

• Every Major Law Enforcement Endorsement: LAPPL, ALADS, the Association of Deputy District Attorneys, Long Beach POA, California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and the California Narcotic Officers' Association all back Seo. His seven years as a Deputy DA prosecuting violent felonies and current role as a Deputy Attorney General make this support earned, not performative.
• Prosecutor, Not a Politician: Seo has spent his career putting criminals and corrupt officials behind bars. He supports increasing funding for police, deputy sheriffs, prosecutors, and firefighters, and he wants to give law enforcement more tools and resources to keep communities safe.
• Cut Red Tape for Builders and Businesses: Seo supports reducing the bureaucratic barriers that slow housing production and strangle small businesses. He grew up working in his family's small business and understands that every new regulation is a cost that gets passed on to consumers or drives employers out of the state.
• Homelessness Accountability: Seo has publicly stated that California has failed to address the homelessness crisis and calls for holding spending programs accountable for results. He supports targeted, commonsense approaches that provide immediate relief, including mental health care and stable housing, not open-ended spending without outcomes.