California State Legislature — 2026 General Election
November 3, 2026 — the State Senate and Assembly races that overlap CA-31, CA-40, and CA-48
About these races: All 80 State Assembly seats and 20 State Senate seats (the even-numbered districts) are on the November 3, 2026 ballot. California uses a top-two primary, so each November contest is between the two candidates who finished first and second on June 2, regardless of party. This page covers the two legislative districts that overlap the congressional districts featured on this site: State Senate District 32 (parts of Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and San Bernardino counties) and State Assembly District 71 (Orange and Riverside counties). Each is an incumbent-vs.-challenger race in a Republican-leaning area.
State SenateDistrict 32 — Seyarto (R) vs. Tate (D)
District 32 covers the San Diego County backcountry, the Temecula Valley, southern Riverside County, Chino Hills (San Bernardino County), and Yorba Linda (Orange County). Voter registration: ~37% Democrat, ~33% Republican, ~21% No Party Preference — a competitive purple district where the registration edge has shifted D+3.6 since 2022. Incumbent Republican Kelly Seyarto (Murrieta) faces Democratic physician and Navy veteran Tiffanie Tate (Riverside). Although Seyarto won the open seat with 62% in 2022, the district's changing demographics and midterm turnout make this a genuine battleground — a conventional Lean Republican rating with toss-up potential if Democratic turnout surges.
Kelly Seyarto Rep Age ~62 Incumbent
State Senator, SD-32 • Murrieta
Incumbent State Senator since 2022. Previously served in the State Assembly (2020–2022) and as Mayor of Murrieta. Retired firefighter and battalion chief with 35 years of service. Holds an Associate's in Fire Science (Mt. SAC), a BS in Fire Administration (CSULA), and an MPA (CSU Long Beach). Has 6 bills signed into law in 2025 and serves on 8 committees (5 as Vice-Chair). Born in La Puente and raised in the district. Won the open seat in 2022 with 62% of the vote.
Top Issues / Platform
- Public safety & wildfire: Overturn policies that restrict law enforcement; fully fund fire prevention and vegetation management — the only candidate with fire service experience
- Cost of living: Cut gas taxes, oppose new taxes and fees; roll back mandates driving up costs (PAGA, minimum-wage hikes, energy regulations)
- Government accountability: End budget gimmicks such as deferring Prop 98 payments and shifting state payroll across fiscal years to create the illusion of a balanced budget
- Housing & infrastructure: Prioritize roads and water storage over high-speed rail; streamline housing-planning coordination between the state and local government
- Homelessness: Reject one-size-fits-all approaches; target different causes with pragmatic solutions
Key Endorsements
- California Professional Firefighters (sway voting group)
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (consistent high score)
- California Chamber of Commerce
- April's Common Sense Cali Voters
Read on the race
- Strengths: Incumbent with a proven 24-point win in 2022; a 35-year fire-service career that gives authentic public-safety credentials in a wildfire-prone district; legislative productivity (6 bills signed in 2025) and multiple leadership roles; a wide fundraising edge.
- Weaknesses: District registration has shifted D+3.6 since 2022; midterm turnout could help Democrats; in a purple district, national issues (Trump, abortion) can define the race beyond local control; low name ID in a district spanning five counties.
Tiffanie Tate Dem Age ~52 Challenger
OB-GYN Physician, U.S. Navy Veteran • Riverside
Board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist with decades of clinical practice. Served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1997–2004. Holds a BA from UC Santa Barbara (1996) and an MD from Meharry Medical College (2000). Author, ordained minister, podcaster, and single mother. Originally a candidate for U.S. House in CA-40 but switched to this State Senate race to avoid a divisive multi-candidate primary. Raised by a single aunt in Lynwood after her biological parents struggled with addiction — a life story built around resilience and service. Endorsed by IBEW Local 440, California Young Democrats, Run Sister Run PAC, and The Politicians Creed.
Top Issues / Platform
- Healthcare access: Expand reproductive care, protect abortion access, lower prescription-drug prices, expand Medicare/Medicaid eligibility
- Cost of living: Stabilize prices; close corporate tax loopholes; support affordable housing development
- Public education: Fully fund K-12 and community colleges; raise teacher wages; invest in student mental health and job training
- Immigrant protections: Stop ICE from removing community members who contribute to society
- Workers' rights: Protect unions and worker protections; support fair wages and small-business growth
Key Endorsements
- IBEW Local 440
- California Young Democrats
- Run Sister Run PAC
- The Politicians Creed
- EMPOWER CA NOW PAC
- San Bernardino Young Democrats
Read on the race
- Strengths: A physician's credibility on healthcare — the top issue for Democratic voters; Navy-veteran status that crosses over in a district with a large military/veteran population; an inspiring personal story; a D+3.6 registration edge and potential midterm turnout that could make the race very close.
- Weaknesses: First-time legislative candidate with no elected experience; switched races from U.S. House to State Senate; a large fundraising deficit against the incumbent; a district spanning five counties with very different communities; needs Democratic turnout that top-of-ticket races may not drive.
State AssemblyDistrict 71 — Sanchez (R) vs. Galvez (D)
District 71 covers Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, Coto de Caza, and Trabuco Canyon (Orange County) plus Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, and French Valley (Riverside County). Voter registration: ~40.5% Republican, ~29.9% Democrat, ~21.4% No Party Preference — a reliably Republican seat (R+10.6). Incumbent Republican Kate Sanchez (Mission Viejo), who won re-election with 61.5% in 2024, faces Democratic technology consultant and park-board trustee JJ Galvez (Silverado Canyon). Sanchez is a heavy favorite.
Kate Sanchez Rep Age 37 Incumbent
Assemblywoman, AD-71 • Mission Viejo / Temecula
Incumbent Assemblywoman since 2022. BA in political science/law from Salve Regina University. Small-business owner and former nonprofit executive. Served as Executive Director of the California Women's Leadership Association, on legislative staff for the U.S. House, and at the California Policy Center. Has never voted for a tax increase. Authored bills to cut the gas tax, reduce the sales tax rate by 1%, create a childcare tax credit, and increase penalties for organized retail theft. Serves as Vice-Chair of Revenue & Taxation and sits on the Health, Judiciary, and Rules committees. Won the open seat in 2022 (51.3% in an R-vs-R general) and was re-elected in 2024 with 61.5%.
Top Issues / Platform
- Cost of living: Authored AB 53 (suspend gas tax), AB 1724 (reduce sales tax by 1%), AB 14 (childcare tax credit), and AB 46 (military retirement tax exclusion). Never voted for a tax increase
- Public safety: Authored AB 75 (penalties for shoplifting and organized retail theft), AB 88 (crime-victim rights), AB 257 (anti-camping buffer zones near schools and parks)
- Parental rights: Advocate for transparency in schools and parental involvement in education decisions
- Small business: AB 306 (one-stop capital shop); endorsed by NFIB as an "exceptional friend of small business"
- Budget discipline: Cut wasteful spending, eliminate redundant programs, oppose budgeting gimmicks
Key Endorsements
- California Republican Party
- California Professional Firefighters
- NFIB California PAC
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (high score)
- California Chamber of Commerce
Read on the race
- Strengths: Incumbent with a strong record (won by 23 points in 2024); a safe R+10.6 district; a productive legislative record on taxes, public safety, and schools; a wide fundraising advantage; and small-business, family-focused messaging that resonates in the suburbs.
- Weaknesses: Relatively new to the Legislature (first elected 2022) and still building seniority; a geographically large district spanning two counties with different local concerns; some tax-cut bills face long odds in a Democratic-controlled Legislature.
JJ Galvez Dem Age ~34 Challenger
Technology Consultant, Park Board Trustee • Silverado Canyon
Immigrant from Honduras who came to California for college; earned a BA from Loyola Marymount University (2014). Built a career in technology consulting for startups and large companies. Appointed Treasurer and Director of the Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District Board. Lives in Silverado Canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains with his wife and two dogs, where wildfires and floods are a fact of life. Completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey outlining a pragmatic, centrist platform focused on lowering costs, AI-resilient jobs, and unity. Endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Equality California, Rep. Mike Levin, Assemblymembers Corey Jackson and Cottie Petrie-Norris, and State Treasurer Fiona Ma.
Top Issues / Platform
- Lowering the cost of living: Tackle housing, childcare, transportation, healthcare, and insurance costs without raising taxes on working families; remove regulatory bottlenecks
- AI-resilient jobs: Expand career pathways to skilled trades and caregiving — roles resistant to automation; rethink workforce redevelopment and unemployment support for the AI era
- Unity & community: Govern for everyone regardless of party; rebuild faith in the American Dream through practical, non-ideological solutions
- Education: Invest in civics, ethics, and skills-based learning as the foundation of opportunity
- Wildfire preparedness: Personal experience living in a wildfire-prone area informs a focus on emergency management and community resilience
Key Endorsements
- California Democratic Party
- Equality California
- California Young Democrats
- U.S. Rep. Mike Levin
- Assemblymember Corey Jackson
- Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
- State Treasurer Fiona Ma
- Mission Viejo Councilmember Cynthia Vasquez
Read on the race
- Strengths: A compelling immigrant story that resonates with the district's ~30% Latino community; a technology background offering a fresh perspective on AI, workforce, and modernizing government; a pragmatic, centrist tone that could appeal to NPP and moderate Republican voters; a strong endorsement list for a first-time candidate.
- Weaknesses: First-time candidate with no legislative or elected experience beyond a park-board appointment; running in an R+10.6 district; a significant fundraising disadvantage; and low name ID outside Silverado Canyon and Democratic activist circles.
Bottom line: Both legislative districts lean Republican. AD-71 is a safe Republican seat — Kate Sanchez is well-positioned for a third term against a credible but outgunned JJ Galvez. SD-32 is the more interesting race: Kelly Seyarto starts as the favorite on incumbency and fundraising, but a D+3.6 registration edge and midterm turnout dynamics keep it on the edge of the battleground map. CalMatters and other forecasters rate AD-71 Safe Republican and SD-32 Lean Republican.
Sources
- Ballotpedia — California State Senate District 32 and State Assembly District 71 (2026 candidate pages and registration data)
- CalMatters — 2026 State Senate and State Assembly voter guides
- LAist — 2026 California legislative races guide
- Orange County Register — SD-32 and AD-71 candidate questionnaires (May 2026)
- San Diego Union-Tribune — SD-32 candidate Q&As (May 2026)
- Official Secretary of State certified list of qualified candidates (2026 general)