United States Senate election in California, 2024

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← 2022
U.S. Senate, California
Top-two primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 8, 2023
Primary: March 5, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent: Vacant
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in California
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
See also
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This page contains information on the regular 2024 election. For information on the special 2024 election, see this article.

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Voters in California will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 5, 2024. The primary is March 5, 2024. The filing deadline was December 8, 2023.

The election will fill the Class I Senate seat held by Sen. Laphonza Butler (D). Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Butler after former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) died on September 29, 2023.

Ballotpedia identified the March 5, 2024, top-two primary as a battleground primary. For more on the top-two primary, click here.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

• United States Senate election in California, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)

Candidates and election results

General election

The primary will occur on March 5, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California

The following candidates are running in the primary for U.S. Senate California on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate
		Sharleta Bassett (R)
		James P. Bradley (R)
		Eric Early (R)
		Steve Garvey (R)
		Denice Gary-Pandol (R)
		Laura Garza (No party preference)
		Sepi Gilani (D)
		Don Grundmann (No party preference)
		Forrest Jones (American Independent Party of California)
		Harmesh Kumar (D)
		Barbara Lee (D)
		Sarah Sun Liew (R)
		Gail Lightfoot (L)
		James Macauley (R)
		Christina Pascucci (D)
		David Peterson (D)
		Douglas Howard Pierce (D)
		Katie Porter (D)
		Perry Pound (D)
		Raji Rab (D)
		Jonathan Reiss (R)
		John Rose (D)
		Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
		Adam Schiff (D)
		Stefan Simchowitz (R)
		Major Singh (No party preference)
		Martin Veprauskas (R)
		Eduardo Berdugo (Independent) (Write-in)
		Danny Fabricant (R) (Write-in)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Paul Anderson (G)
• Carson Franklin Jr. (D)
• Barack Obama Mandela (R)
• Zafar Inam (D)
• Renee Martinez (Independent)
• Lexi Reese (D)
• Peter Yuan Liu (R)
• Joe Sosinski (Independent)
• Roxanne Lawler (R)
• James Shuster (R)
• Frank Ferreira (Independent)
• Rommell Montenegro (D)
• Jeremy Fennell (D)
• Zakaria Kortam (R)
• John Pappenheim (R)
• Jacob Farmos (D)
• Joshua Bocanegra (D)
• Alexander Norbash (D)
• Dominick Dorothy (D)
• Jehu Hand (R)
• Dana Bobbitt (Independent)
• Fepbrina Keivaulqe Autiameineire (Vienmerisce Veittemeignzce USA)
• Jessica Resendez (D)

March 5, 2024, top-two primary

See also: United States Senate election in California, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)

Ballotpedia identified the March 5, 2024, top-two primary as a battleground primary. For more on the top-two primary, click here.

Twenty-nine candidates are running in the top-two primary for U.S. Senate in California on March 5, 2024. The primary will determine which two candidates will run in the state's general election on November 5, 2024.

Incumbent Laphonza Butler (D) announced she would not run for re-election on October 19, 2023. Governor Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Butler to replace Dianne Feinstein (D), who died on September 29, 2023. Butler was sworn in on October 3 of that year. This will be the first open race for California's Class I U.S. Senate seat since 1992.

The following candidates have received the most media attention: Barbara Lee (D), Katie Porter (D), Adam Schiff (D), and Steve Garvey (R). Lee, Porter, and Schiff are members of California's congressional delegation. Garvey is a former professional baseball player. The Democratic candidates are campaigning on democracy reform, climate change, the economy, and healthcare. Garvey's priorities are quality-of-life issues, public safety, and education. To learn more about the additional 25 candidates running in the primary, click here.

The top-two primary is for the six-year term beginning on January 3, 2025. Also on the primary ballot is a special top-two primary for the remainder of Feinstein's term, which will last until January 3, 2025. As of December 3, 2023, Lee, Porter, Schiff, and Garvey are running in both the special and regular primary elections. Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist and pollster, said, "In a crowded field of contenders, each with their own appeal, being on both ballots could potentially pose some risk. Even a small splitting of votes because of this ballot oddity could cause a candidate to make the runoff in the special election for the remainder term, and not make the runoff in the election for the full term."

The San Francisco Chronicle's Shira Stein and Joe Garofoli said the three Democratic candidates voted the same way 94% of the time over the past four and a half years in Congress. They differed most often on foreign policy, the military, and immigration. For example, "they had a rare moment of disunion over the surprise attack on Israel by Hamas. Schiff expressed unequivocal support for Israel while Lee called for a cease-fire and offered prayers for both Israelis and Palestinians killed. Porter stood out by taking an unusual position for a Democrat — attributing some of the blame to American inaction in Iran." On December 18, 2023, Porter updated her stance, saying, "I support working toward a lasting bilateral ceasefire in Gaza. ... The role of the United States should be to identify and push for conditions where a lasting bilateral ceasefire is possible. These conditions include release of all hostages, durable security for Israel, and an end to Hamas’ control of Gaza."

This is the second time in two years that four races will be held (two primaries and two generals) in California in one year for the same U.S. Senate seat. In 2022, Sen. Alex Padilla (D), who was appointed to fill Kamala Harris' (D) Senate seat, ran for the remainder of Harris' term, as well as for the new, six-year term.

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Steve Garvey

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Biography:  Garvey was a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987. He founded Garvey Marketing Group and worked with causes such as the Special Olympics, Juvenile Diabetes, The Blind Children Center, The Sisters of Carondelet, United Way, Ronald McDonald House, St. Vincent DePaul Center, and Pediatrics AIDS.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Speaking on education, Garvey said, "A quality education is the single most powerful tool we can provide for the future generations. Unfortunately, in California, we have failed to live up to that promise ... We must empower parents and teachers who know what’s best for their children and students. ... We must provide parents with more choices, reward great teachers, and bring back important trade skills to our education system."

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Garvey highlighted inflation and the effect it had on the middle class and California. He said, "For the first time in history, more people are leaving California because they can’t afford to live in our great state. This is a direct result of ... passing foolish laws and increasing taxes and fees, resulting in higher costs for our basic needs ... I will take a stand against out-of-control inflation and be a voice for the middle class and working families. ..."

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Garvey said, "We need to return to common-sense policies that hold criminals accountable, protect our victims, and places the safety of our families before politics. Our police departments need to be funded, our communities need to be engaged, and we must do all we can to make sure our neighborhood and schools are safe."

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Show sources

Sources: Steve Garvey For U.S. Senate, "Steve's Vision," accessed December 6, 2023; Steve Garvey For U.S. Senate, "Steve's Story," accessed December 6, 2023

Denice Gary-Pandol

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "As a Political Scientist with a lifelong passion for government service, I took my degrees in Political Science with an advanced degree in International Relations. My core field of study in graduate school was Middle Eastern affairs and United States foreign policy. Since that time, my central focus has remained on issues of National Security. Graduating from the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California, I worked my way through undergraduate and then graduate school. At the start of graduate school, I was recommended by the Chair of Middle Eastern Studies at the School of International Relations to join Analytical Assessments Corporation, AAC, a think tank that dealt with national security concerns. AAC operated in the Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. areas. Later I worked for Eaton, Information Management Systems Division, and have been an educator for many years. I also had a Christian radio show and then a podcast of which issues of national security were discussed on every program. Working with Top Secret clearances for AAC and Eaton, IMDS, I researched, analyzed, and wrote on matters regarding U.S. national security agencies including the United States Departments of Defense and the Defense Intelligence Agency, and other defense and intelligence-related organizations."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Ending California's Water "Crisis" as well as the fabricated crisis that is said to exist in other states. With emerging global food shortages federally mandatory water storage infrastructure must be required annually.

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Securing Energy Independence and working on issues to promote and safeguard the humanitarian, economic, environmental, and national security aspects regarding fossil fuels and the fossil fuel industry.

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Delivering on School Choice for all children. Every family should be able to choose the best possible education available for their children. No longer should children be trapped in failing government schools. Therefore, to ensure the education, health, safety, and well-being of America's children, learning opportunities should be based on educational options.

Sepi Gilani

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Physician, Surgeon, Public University Educator I entered the race for Senate after Senator Dianne Feinstein passed away. As a physician who sees homeless, ill, and struggling patients on a daily basis, I believe that these three issues are important in California and our nation: Homelessness Healthcare Education I was born in Denver, Colorado and graduated from high school in Liberty, Missouri. Since then I have lived most of my life in California. While in California, I have lived in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Mountain View and San Diego. I am currently Associate Professor at University of California San Diego, where I teach surgery. My husband of 36 years is a radiologist. My older twin son and my daughter-in-law are lawyers and my younger twin son does social research and served in the United States Peace Corps for two years. In 2012, when I ran for Town Committee, I was on the same election ballot as President Obama and was elected to Town Committee where I served from 2012-2015. I currently serve as president of the American College of Surgeons San Diego and Imperial County Chapter. I have worked on countless political campaigns including medical ones and have served on many non profit organization boards. I have knocked on thousands of doors and have made tens of thousands of phone calls to get others elected to political office, I have worked the polls and registered hundreds to vote. I hope you can join me for my campaign. "

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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#Homelessness Homelessness affects all of us and has not been solved despite billions spent by the government. We must work to solve homelessness without additional burden to taxpayers by coordinating efforts, eliminating wasteful inefficiencies, and implementing solutions proposed by advocates and researchers on homelessness.

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#Healthcare If everyone is insured and has easy access to healthcare, we will have less national health expenses and we will be able to prevent illness. One of our problems today is that health insurance is tied to being employed. If you lose your job, you also lose your health insurance. Families are often trapped without a job and without health insurance. Having health covered regardless of employment makes sure people can get the care they need when they need it. Much of our health care expenses are because we wait too long and when we finally do show up for care, the problem is more problematic and more costly to treat. Training more doctors to provide care earlier in the disease process helps reduce costs for healthcare and

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#Education I attended a public high school in a small farming town in northeast Missouri. In the Midwest we had robust vocational schools built into the public high schools which provided much needed training. Many of my classmates were able to graduate knowing a trade and were able to start working immediately. Classes and career pathways included agriculture, drafting, electronics, automotive, construction trades and animal science. Many states, including California, do not have vocational training. I would work to have vocational training available at all public high schools. High school can be a successful springboard to employment and having a vocation in early adulthood. I also believe that students who would like to participate i

Harmesh Kumar

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "As a clinical psychologist, I contemplate the potential of my medical background to contribute significantly towards addressing the escalating challenges of mental illness within our society. This pervasive issue is increasingly affecting various facets of our community. I have amassed nearly four decades of invaluable experience in my field. Throughout my career, I have been fueled by a deep-seated passion to serve those who have been overlooked and underserved. It pains me to witness the extensive suffering endured by individuals and families in our state. Regrettably, I believe that much of this suffering can be attributed to the emotional strains imposed upon our citizens by politicians and the perpetuation of a dysfunctional system that primarily serves the interests of its beneficiaries and the elite, rather than the ordinary people and small business owners who form the backbone of our society."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Promote real mental health to support the families, local communities, and reduce crime and recidivism

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Mitigate the alarming levels of gun violence

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Alleviate the pervasive issue of homelessness

Barbara Lee

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• United States House of Representatives (Assumed office: 1998)
• California State Senate - District 9 (1996-1998)
• California State Assembly (1990-1996)

Biography:  Lee received a B.A. from Mills College in 1973 and a master's degree in social work from the University of California at Berkeley in 1975. Lee worked as a staffer for former U.S. Representative Ronald V. Dellums.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Lee said, "[W]e need a single payer health insurance system with no copayments and no deductibles. ... we need to take on the greed and price gouging of the drug companies. ... we need to increase access to the full range of reproductive health care and enact a federal right to abortion care. ... we need to ensure that there are [mental] health care resources available in every community ... we need to expand the number of doctors, nurses and other health professionals who are trained each year."

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Lee said, "[C]ombating climate change and ensuring opportunities for neglected communities in this fight has been so central to my work as a legislator and an activist. ... I have a proven track record, both in Congress and the California State Legislature, of standing in strong opposition to taxpayer-funded giveaways to Big Oil and other major polluters, while also advocating for increased investments in clean, renewable energy technologies."

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Lee said her campaign priorities were to "find real solutions to homelessness, lift people out of poverty, protect our Democracy and human rights, and take on the climate crisis."

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Show sources

Sources: U.S. Senate Barbara Lee speaks for me, "Health Care for All," accessed December 5, 2023; U.S. Senate Barbara Lee speaks for me, "Climate Action," accessed December 5, 2023; U.S. Senate Barbara Lee speaks for me, "Meet Barbara," accessed December 5, 2023; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Lee, Barbara," accessed December 5, 2023

David Peterson

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am the ONLY Candidate in the race for U.S. Senate that will ADVANCE Landmark Legislation such as #MedicareForAll and the Green New Deal Today we only have 112 Co-Sponsors on #MedicareForAll in the House 15 in the Senate ! Within six weeks I will Publish all of the Lousy excuses from the other 100 Democratic Incumbents the House and the 35 INCUMBENTS in the Senate . I will empower American Citizens nationwide to get their Representatives & Senators on the Job or OUT Of Office !!

I have mentored , supported and Promoted more NEW Candidates into Congress than Anyone. Bernie Sanders is second & he WON 8 New congressional seats in 2022 !! Together Bernie & I have helped to OUST Corrupt Incumbents. We challenge Americans Citizens nationwide to join “US”

Are you tired of Politicians making Promises and then failing to deliver ? Well take ACTION - learn to stop Re-Electing your incumbents based on Celebrity and Popularity criteria. !! "

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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America needs a Senator that will ADVANCE Landmark Legislation - I will be the first in 60 years

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California Deserves a Senator as effective as Bernie Sanders, Ousting Corrupt incumbents and bringing in NEW Challengers especially Washington-Outsiders

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Only American Citizens can Fix what's wrong with our Government , by Voting AGAINST Big-Money Candidates & against Celebrity Criteria

Katie Porter

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• United States House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2019) 

Biography:  Porter received a B.A. from Yale University in 1996 and a J.D. from Harvard University in 2001. She was a law professor with the University of California at Irvine and a consumer and bankruptcy attorney.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Porter highlighted her work of "leading the fight to ban Members of Congress and their families from trading stocks. ... [And being] the only candidate in this race who has never taken corporate PAC money, refuses federal lobbyist money, and hasn’t funded their campaign with donations from Big Oil, Big Pharma, or Big Banks."

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Porter said affordable housing should be at the top of the Senate's to-do list: "Homelessness is the tip of the iceberg of the problem of housing affordability. From getting people off the streets, and into safe, secure homes—to making sure our kids can afford to live in the communities they grew up in, housing affordability must be treated as a priority."

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Porter said, "We can lower consumer prices and better protect workers ... by strengthening antitrust laws and enforcing those already on the books. We must also crack down on giant corporations coordinating price hikes and hold companies accountable for overcharging."

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Show sources

Sources: Katie Porter For Senate, "Issues," accessed December 5, 2023; Katie Porter For Senate, "Meet Katie," accessed December 5, 2023; Beyond the Whiteboard, "Put Housing Affordability at the top of DC's to-do list," November 29, 2023; Katie Porter For Senate, "Unrig the Economy," accessed December 5, 2023; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Porter, Katie," accessed December 5, 2023

Perry Pound

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Perry Pound is a dedicated public servant, experienced community builder, and accomplished entrepreneur committed to making a positive impact on the lives of Californians. Perry is the Founder and CEO of Pound Ventures, an investment and advisory firm specializing in real estate and climate technology. Perry has been entrusted to invest $3 Billion into the California economy, contributing $150 million to local parks and schools, building approximately 5,000 homes, multiple solar energy projects, and creating more than 7,000 jobs. He began his career in public service at the federal and local levels. Mr. Pound was recognized as one of California’s Top 100 Public Policy Leaders by the Sacramento Bee. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine Business School and has lectured at Harvard, Tufts, Berkeley, and USC. Perry holds an MA in Law & Diplomacy and International Business from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and completed his second year in the MBA Program at Harvard Business School. Mr. Pound graduated with honors from Pepperdine University, where he served as Student Body President. Perry resides in Southern California and enjoys international travel, reading, paddleboarding, skiing, and spending time with his wife and daughter. "

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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f you like the way things are right now, then I’m not the candidate for you. But, if, like me and most Californians, you’re no longer willing to stand by and watch the America we love slip away, then I invite you to join our campaign. We need a new generation of American leadership, not focused on moving to the Left or the Right, but on moving Forward to solve the myriad issues facing our country today.

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Pound is particularly focused on Senate reforms to break the current gridlock. "The Senate is the place where progress goes to die," he stated. His first action will be to work on eliminating the filibuster, which currently obstructs 98% of Senate votes. He also pledges to limit his service to no more than two terms, advocating for term limits to introduce new perspectives and mitigate gridlock in the Senate.

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"Our nation is at a crossroads; people are angry and anxious," said Pound. "From rampant store looting and escalating violence to environmental catastrophes and skyrocketing living costs, the challenges we face are multifaceted and urgent." Pound pledges to address a range of issues, including crime, gun violence, affordability in housing, healthcare, and higher education, homelessness, and climate change.

John Rose

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "As the only Senate candidate to file and win a National Labor Relations Board case, I officially registered my Senate candidacy on the anniversary of FDR signing 1935’s National Labor Relations Act, on July 5. Labor rights is the issue that pulled me out of high tech and back into art and humanities. My NLRB case opposed the offshoring of jobs and I support the Pro Act and other labor reforms that protect workers. I worked for Hewlett-Packard’s which was spun-off as Agilent Technologies. I joined HP because I believed in their corporate values. When my job launching new products included offshoring production I balked at the mission and chose my community over my career. Now I use my Systems Engineering skills for the good of the people. I’m running for Senate because it is at the root Congress systemic failure. Congress must pass legislation for the good of the nation, and the Senate filibuster rule has killed debate on popular and overdue bills. Congress has ignored the stakeholders and is only focused on the shareholders."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I support and promote Campaign Finance Reform and a Constitutional Amendment to empower citizens over corporations and the morbidly rich.

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I support policies that promote middle class economic growth. I support labor rights because wages have stagnated since Reagan declared war on workers rights in the 1980’s.

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I support fair taxation to invest in America. Our infrastructure and educational system promotes the welfare of business and investors and they must pay their fair share to keep our economy strong.

Mark Ruzon

Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

Party: No party preference

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am the chair of the American Solidarity Party of California, which has endorsed me. I am a Roman Catholic, a husband of 27 years, and a father of four. I have been a Republican, a Democrat, and an independent, and I have found them all wanting; I believe the ASP's philosophy offers America the best chance to ensure the full flourishing of society. I have been active in politics for 20 years, starting with advocacy for the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto, which provides housing and services for the homeless. I was chair of the Board of Directors for Peninsula Interfaith Action, a multi-faith community organizing non-profit seeking justice for communities. I have taught children to love chess, baseball, soccer, and scouting. My day job is software engineering."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Families are the fundamental building blocks of society. Today, there are not enough families being created in America, and we are not doing enough to sustain existing families. My campaign's primary focus is on supporting the American family.

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Every human being has an inviolable dignity that must be acknowledged and upheld, and all human beings have the right to live and be protected from harm.

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Recent events have shown a great need for an overhaul of our democratic institutions to ensure fair representation and justice for all.

Adam Schiff

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

• United States House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2001)
• California State Senate - District 21 (1996-2000)

Biography:  Schiff received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1982 and a J.D. from Harvard University in 1985. He worked as a prosecutor with the Office of the United States Attorney for the Central District of California.

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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Schiff said he was "best known for his work to protect our democracy," and cited his roles as lead manager of the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump, member of the January 6th Committee, and lead author of The Protecting our Democracy Act.

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Speaking on climate change, Schiff said he was an original co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, which "is not just a bold plan for climate action, it is also an urgent call to invest in growing a modern, green economy that is equitable and just for all."

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Schiff listed improving the economy as a campaign priority and highlighted previous successes: "In 2021, we passed the American Rescue Plan Act which increased the monthly Child Tax Credit up to $300 per child per month, expanded health care coverage, extended unemployment insurance, and so much more. And most noteworthy, Democrats passed this $1.9 trillion rescue legislation without a single Republican vote."

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Show sources

Sources: Adam Schiff For Senate, "About," accessed December 5, 2023; Adam Schiff For Senate, "Combating The Climate Crisis," accessed December 5, 2023, Adam Schiff For Senate, "Our Economy," accessed December 5, 2023; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Schiff, Adam," accessed December 5, 2023

Election news

This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election. The timeline is updated regularly as polling, debates, and other noteworthy events occur.

• Dec. 13, 2023: The election's filing deadline passed.

• Nov. 4, 2023: Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

• Oct. 15, 2023: Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by AFSCME California PEOPLE.

• Click to expand a timeline of earlier election updates
  • Oct. 8, 2023: Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

  • Sept. 8, 2023: Lee, Porter, Reese, and Schiff participated in a town hall organized by March For Our Lives.

See more

See more here: United States Senate election in California, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)

• Polls
• Campaign finance
• Satellite spending
• Noteworthy endorsements
• Campaign ads

Voting information

See also: Voting in California

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

No candidate in this race has completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Ballotpedia is seeking 100 percent participation so voters can learn more about all the candidates on their ballots.

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Sepi Gilani	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Harmesh Kumar	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Barbara Lee	Democratic Party	$3,390,205	$2,066,329	$1,323,876	As of September 30, 2023
Christina Pascucci	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
David Peterson	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Douglas Howard Pierce	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Katie Porter	Democratic Party	$22,130,231	$10,169,774	$11,960,457	As of September 30, 2023
Perry Pound	Democratic Party	$3,800	$150	$3,650	As of September 30, 2023
Raji Rab	Democratic Party	$10,900	$7,516	$3,384	As of September 30, 2023
John Rose	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Adam Schiff	Democratic Party	$21,520,628	$10,453,622	$32,127,524	As of September 30, 2023
Sharleta Bassett	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
James P. Bradley	Republican Party	$16,411	$16,151	$345	As of September 30, 2023
Eric Early	Republican Party	$547,023	$460,177	$86,846	As of September 30, 2023
Danny Fabricant	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Steve Garvey	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Denice Gary-Pandol	Republican Party	$89,892	$84,437	$5,455	As of September 30, 2023
Sarah Sun Liew	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
James Macauley	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Jonathan Reiss	Republican Party	$6,132	$4,901	$2,691	As of September 30, 2023
Stefan Simchowitz	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Martin Veprauskas	Republican Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Forrest Jones	American Independent Party of California	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Gail Lightfoot	Libertarian Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Laura Garza	No party preference	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Don Grundmann	No party preference	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Mark Ruzon	No party preference	$5,535	$1	$5,534	As of September 30, 2023
Major Singh	No party preference	$200	$108	$1,348	As of September 30, 2023
Eduardo Berdugo	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2024. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from three outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in California, 2024
Race tracker	Race ratings
	January 2, 2024	December 19, 2023	December 12, 2023	December 5, 2023
The Cook Political Report	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic	Solid Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic	Safe Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in California in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
California	U.S. Senate	All candidates	65-100	$3,480.00	12/8/2023	Source

Election history

The section below details election results for this state's U.S. Senate elections dating back to 2016.

2022

Regular election

See also: United States Senate election in California, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. Senate California

Incumbent Alex Padilla defeated Mark Meuser in the general election for U.S. Senate California on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Padilla (D)	61.1	6,621,621
		Mark Meuser (R)	38.9	4,222,029

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,843,650
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. Senate California on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Padilla (D)	54.1	3,725,544
✔		Mark Meuser (R)	14.9	1,028,374
		Cordie Williams (R)	6.9	474,321
		Jonathan Elist (R)	4.2	289,716
		Chuck Smith (R)	3.9	266,766
		James P. Bradley (R)	3.4	235,788
		Douglas Howard Pierce (D)	1.7	116,771
		John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party)	1.5	105,477
		Sarah Sun Liew (R)	1.1	76,994
		Dan O'Dowd (D)	1.1	74,916
		Akinyemi Agbede (D)	1.0	70,971
		Myron Hall (R)	1.0	66,161
		Timothy Ursich Jr. (D)	0.8	58,348
		Robert Lucero (R)	0.8	53,398
		James Henry Conn (G)	0.5	35,983
		Eleanor Garcia (Independent)	0.5	34,625
		Carlos Guillermo Tapia (R)	0.5	33,870
		Pamela Elizondo (G)	0.5	31,981
		Enrique Petris (R)	0.5	31,883
		Obaidul Huq Pirjada (D)	0.4	27,889
		Daphne Bradford (Independent)	0.4	26,900
		Don Grundmann (Independent)	0.1	10,181
		Deon Jenkins (Independent)	0.1	6,936
		Mark Ruzon (No party preference) (Write-in)	0.0	206
		Lily Zhou (R) (Write-in)	0.0	58
		Irene Ratliff (No party preference) (Write-in)	0.0	7
		Marc Roth (No party preference) (Write-in)	0.0	1

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,884,065
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Chloe Hollett-Billingsley (D)
• Dhruva Herle (D)
• Chris Theodore (D)
• Ernest Taylor (D)
• B. John-Michael Williams (Independent)
• Marie Encar Arnold (D)
• Peter Yuan Liu (R)
• Brian Ainsworth (R)
• Yvonne Girard (R)
• Elizabeth Heng (R)
• Erik Urbina (R)
• Denard Ingram (D)
• Ellerton Whitney (L)
• Danny Fabricant (R)
• Fepbrina Keivaulqe Autiameineire (Independent)
• Paul Gutierrez (R)
• Mary Glory Thach (Independent)

Special election

See also: United States Senate special election in California, 2022

General election

Special general election for U.S. Senate California

Incumbent Alex Padilla defeated Mark Meuser in the special general election for U.S. Senate California on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Padilla (D)	60.9	6,559,308
		Mark Meuser (R)	39.1	4,212,450

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,771,758
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California

The following candidates ran in the special primary for U.S. Senate California on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Alex Padilla (D)	55.0	3,740,582
✔		Mark Meuser (R)	22.1	1,503,480
		James P. Bradley (R)	6.9	472,052
		Jonathan Elist (R)	5.9	403,722
		Timothy Ursich Jr. (D)	3.3	226,447
		Dan O'Dowd (D)	2.8	191,531
		Myron Hall (R)	2.1	143,038
		Daphne Bradford (Independent)	1.6	112,191
		John Thompson Parker (Peace and Freedom Party) (Write-in)	0.1	9,951
		Irene Ratliff (No party preference) (Write-in)	0.0	12

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,803,006
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Yvonne Girard (R)

2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate California

Incumbent Dianne Feinstein defeated Kevin de León in the general election for U.S. Senate California on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dianne Feinstein (D)	54.2	6,019,422
		Kevin de León (D)	45.8	5,093,942

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,113,364
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: United States Senate election in California, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated California's U.S. Senate race as safely Democratic. California's U.S. Senate seat was open following the retirement of incumbent Barbara Boxer (D). Thirty-four candidates filed to run to replace Boxer, including seven Democrats, 12 Republicans, and 15 third-party candidates. Two Democrats, Kamala Harris and Loretta Sanchez, defeated the other 32 candidates to advance to the general election. Harris won the general election.

U.S. Senate, California General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kamala Harris	61.6%	7,542,753
	Democratic	Loretta Sanchez	38.4%	4,710,417
Total Votes				12,253,170
Source: California Secretary of State

U.S. Senate, California Primary, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Kamala Harris	40.2%	3,000,689
	Democratic	Loretta Sanchez	19%	1,416,203
	Republican	Duf Sundheim	7.8%	584,251
	Republican	Phil Wyman	4.7%	352,821
	Republican	Tom Del Beccaro	4.3%	323,614
	Republican	Greg Conlon	3.1%	230,944
	Democratic	Steve Stokes	2.3%	168,805
	Republican	George Yang	1.5%	112,055
	Republican	Karen Roseberry	1.5%	110,557
	Republican	Tom Palzer	1.2%	93,263
	Libertarian	Gail Lightfoot	1.3%	99,761
	Republican	Ron Unz	1.2%	92,325
	Democratic	Massie Munroe	0.8%	61,271
	Green	Pamela Elizondo	1.3%	95,677
	Republican	Don Krampe	0.9%	69,635
	Republican	Jarrell Williamson	0.9%	64,120
	Independent	Elanor Garcia	0.9%	65,084
	Republican	Von Hougo	0.9%	63,609
	Democratic	President Cristina Grappo	0.8%	63,330
	Republican	Jerry Laws	0.7%	53,023
	Libertarian	Mark Matthew Herd	0.6%	41,344
	Independent	Ling Ling Shi	0.5%	35,196
	Peace and Freedom	John Parker	0.3%	22,374
	Democratic	Herbert Peters	0.4%	32,638
	Democratic	Emory Rodgers	0.4%	31,485
	Independent	Mike Beitiks	0.4%	31,450
	Independent	Clive Grey	0.4%	29,418
	Independent	Jason Hanania	0.4%	27,715
	Independent	Paul Merritt	0.3%	24,031
	Independent	Jason Kraus	0.3%	19,318
	Independent	Don Grundmann	0.2%	15,317
	Independent	Scott Vineberg	0.2%	11,843
	Independent	Tim Gildersleeve	0.1%	9,798
	Independent	Gar Myers	0.1%	8,726
Total Votes				7,461,690
Source: California Secretary of State

Political context

This section will be updated with information about the political landscape in California.

See also

California	2024 primaries	2024 U.S. Congress elections
California congressional delegation Voting in California California elections: 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries	U.S. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

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California's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Laphonza Butler (D)

Alex Padilla (D)

Representatives

District 1

Doug LaMalfa (R)

District 2

Jared Huffman (D)

District 3

Kevin Kiley (R)

District 4

Mike Thompson (D)

District 5

Tom McClintock (R)

District 6

Ami Bera (D)

District 7

Doris Matsui (D)

District 8

John Garamendi (D)

District 9

Josh Harder (D)

District 10

Mark DeSaulnier (D)

District 11

Nancy Pelosi (D)

District 12

Barbara Lee (D)

District 13

John Duarte (R)

District 14

Eric Swalwell (D)

District 15

Kevin Mullin (D)

District 16

Anna Eshoo (D)

District 17

Ro Khanna (D)

District 18

Zoe Lofgren (D)

District 19

Jimmy Panetta (D)

District 20

Vacant

District 21

Jim Costa (D)

District 22

David Valadao (R)

District 23

Jay Obernolte (R)

District 24

Salud Carbajal (D)

District 25

Raul Ruiz (D)

District 26

Julia Brownley (D)

District 27

Mike Garcia (R)

District 28

Judy Chu (D)

District 29

Tony Cárdenas (D)

District 30

Adam Schiff (D)

District 31

Grace Napolitano (D)

District 32

Brad Sherman (D)

District 33

Pete Aguilar (D)

District 34

Jimmy Gomez (D)

District 35

Norma Torres (D)

District 36

Ted Lieu (D)

District 37

Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D)

District 38

Linda Sánchez (D)

District 39

Mark Takano (D)

District 40

Young Kim (R)

District 41

Ken Calvert (R)

District 42

Robert Garcia (D)

District 43

Maxine Waters (D)

District 44

Nanette Barragán (D)

District 45

Michelle Steel (R)

District 46

Lou Correa (D)

District 47

Katie Porter (D)

District 48

Darrell Issa (R)

District 49

Mike Levin (D)

District 50

Scott Peters (D)

District 51

Sara Jacobs (D)

District 52

Juan Vargas (D)

Democratic Party (42)

Republican Party (11)

Vacancies (1)