State Senate District 20 Menjivar is our pick.
The raceCaroline Menjivar vs Roberto David LaCarra vs Tony Rodriguez.
Quick readMenjivar is the Democratic incumbent. LaCarra is the left-ish challenger, but not enough to move off the incumbent.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksMenjivar. Progressive enough, already there, no need to make this complicated.
State Senate District 22 Rubio is our pick.
The raceSusan Rubio vs Mike Netter vs R. R. Jimenez.
Quick readRubio is the Democratic incumbent. The alternatives are not giving “serious progressive challenge.”
What The LA Voter Guide thinksRubio. Not the most thrilling thing on the ballot, but fine.
State Senate District 24 Erickson is our pick.
The raceVery crowded open seat. The serious Democratic lanes are Sion Roy, Brian Goldsmith, John Erickson, and Eric Alegria.
Quick readRoy has the Democratic Party endorsement. Goldsmith has money and names. Erickson has the community organizer, Working Families, teacher, and YIMBY lane. That is the lane we like.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksErickson. In a crowded field, he is the most left-coded viable option without looking like a protest vote.
State Senate District 26 Sara Hernandez is our pick.
The raceBig Democratic pileup to replace Maria Elena Durazo. The main serious names are Sara Hernandez and Wendy Carrillo, with Maebe Pudlo as the most lefty-energy option.
Quick readCarrillo has name ID. Hernandez has housing, teachers, labor-adjacent, and YIMBY support. Maebe is probably the most fun answer, but viability matters, sadly.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksSara Hernandez. Most progressive viable lane without tossing your vote into the “nice idea, wrong spreadsheet” pile.
State Senate District 28 Smallwood-Cuevas is our pick.
The raceLola Smallwood-Cuevas vs Joe Lisuzzo vs Daphne Bradford.
Quick readSmallwood-Cuevas is the Democratic incumbent and labor-oriented choice. The rest is not where the action is.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksLola. Easy one.
State Senate District 30 Archuleta is our pick.
The raceBob Archuleta vs Araceli Martinez.
Quick readDemocratic incumbent vs Republican challenger. Not exactly a soul-searching moment.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksArchuleta. Because the other option is a Republican.
State Senate District 32 Tate is our pick.
The raceTiffanie Tate vs Kelly Seyarto.
Quick readDemocrat challenging a Republican incumbent. The math here is not hard.
What The LA Voter Guide thinksTate. Flip it if you can.