United States Senate election in California, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
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| U.S. Senate, California |
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| Top-two primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: December 8, 2023 |
| Primary: March 5, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent: Laphonza Butler (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in California |
| Race ratings |
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 |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th • 26th • 27th • 28th • 29th • 30th • 31st • 32nd • 33rd • 34th • 35th • 36th • 37th • 38th • 39th • 40th • 41st • 42nd • 43rd • 44th • 45th • 46th • 47th • 48th • 49th • 50th • 51st • 52nd California elections, 2024 U.S. Congress elections, 2024 U.S. Senate elections, 2024 U.S. House elections, 2024 |
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.[1] Governor Gavin Newsom (D) appointed Butler to replace Dianne Feinstein (D), who died on September 29, 2023.[2] Butler was sworn in on October 3 of that year.[3] This will be the first open race for California's Class I U.S. Senate seat since 1992.[4]
The following candidates have received the most media attention: Barbara Lee (D), Katie Porter (D), Adam Schiff (D), and Steve Garvey (R).[4][5] 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.[6][7][8] Garvey's priorities are quality-of-life issues, public safety, and education.[9] 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.[5] 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."[5]
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."[10] 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."[11]
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.[5]
Denice Gary-Pandol (R), Sepi Gilani (D), Harmesh Kumar (D), David Peterson (D), Perry Pound (D), John Rose (D), and Mark Ruzon (No party preference) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
This page focuses on California's United States Senate top-two primary. For more in-depth information on the general election, see the following page:
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.[12]
- Nov. 4, 2023: Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.[13]
- Oct. 15, 2023: Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by AFSCME California PEOPLE.[14]
Candidates and election results
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for U.S. Senate California
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) | |
| ||||
| = 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
- 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)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in California
Candidate comparison
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.
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.
Show sources
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."
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. "
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."
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.
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
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. !! "
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.
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
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. "
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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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."
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.
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
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. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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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.
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 (D)
#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
#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 (D)
Mitigate the alarming levels of gun violence
Alleviate the pervasive issue of homelessness
David Peterson (D)
California Deserves a Senator as effective as Bernie Sanders, Ousting Corrupt incumbents and bringing in NEW Challengers especially Washington-Outsiders
Only American Citizens can Fix what's wrong with our Government , by Voting AGAINST Big-Money Candidates & against Celebrity Criteria
Perry Pound (D)
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.
"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 (D)
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.
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 (No party preference)
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.
Recent events have shown a great need for an overhaul of our democratic institutions to ensure fair representation and justice for all.
Sepi Gilani (D)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
David Peterson (D)
Federal Policy that protects Monopoly firms. especially those that pay Massive Bribes to Politicians for Protection
Corrupt Monopoly Firms pay Bribes for Protection form Free-Market Competition
Including Fossil Fuels Subsidies and blockades on Wind & Solar
Pharmaceutical Price Gouging; due to Federal Protections against competition
War Profiteers ; who expand their wealth by Bribing politicians to start new wars every year
Wall Street Fraudsters who wreck our economy and pay bribes so they Neve go to Jail
Predatory Health Insurance Firms; These are the death panels we were warned about.
Perry Pound (D)
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
I want to improve the quality of voting, elections, and representation in our democracy. The two ways that in my view are simplest to implement and would have the greatest impact are Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and proportional representation. RCV allows voters to make their preferences fully known without forcing them to guess which candidate is most likely to beat the candidate they don't like. It also encourages positive campaigning as candidates compete for all voters. Proportional representation allocates seats based on actual vote shares instead of winner-take-all systems that distort the voters' will.
Housing is a unique area of our economy because, unlike shares of stock, houses are lived in. I want to give more families more opportunity to own their own home.
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
John Rose (D)
David Peterson (D)
Stop fooling people with Political Theatrics 🎭
Stop promising and FAILING to Deliver Americans paid BILLIONS to elect politicians that promise to codify Roe v Wade . But all the got was Petroleum Politicians and Wall Street Politicians and War Profiteer politicians
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
An elected official is also a leader, and so, having spent more time understanding details of important issues than most people, they are responsible for communicating to the public what they know and what they have learned from considering different sides of an issue. Sometimes that means they will be able to see a little farther ahead, and they should take the time to explain where a trend is headed.
Finally, an elected official should be flexible. Elected officials are powerful, and even the President cannot get everything he wants when he wants it. Elected officials should be wise enough to understand that the perfect should not become the enemy of the good.
Harmesh Kumar (D)
These emotional pressures have given rise to social chaos, fueling a distressing cycle of anxiety, depression, gun violence, domestic strife, and homelessness. Recognizing the urgent need for change, I have made the decision to enter the political arena. My primary objective is to ensure that mental health services are accessible to all, a cause that I am determined to secure adequate funding for. By taking this crucial step, we can begin to mitigate the alarming levels of gun violence, alleviate the pervasive issue of homelessness, and prevent incidents of police brutality.
Thus, I implore the esteemed voters of California to join me in effecting the transformative change we so desperately need. Together, we can lay the foundation for a society where mental health services are readily available to all, catalyzing a cascade of positive outcomes that will not only heal our collective wounds but also uplift the lives of every citizen in our great state.
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
David Peterson (D)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
David Peterson (D)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1655/all-info?s=1&r=2
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
Growing up in that area gave me the typical conservative views of Republicans in the '80s and '90s: low taxes, free enterprise, small government. I kept these views as a Californian during my 20s until about 2004 when Republicans, who had had control of both branches of Congress and the presidency for 2 years, failed to address the tragedy of abortion in any meaningful way. The cynicism of watching the government pass tax cuts for the wealthy while using abortion as a way to get poor people to vote against their own economic interests, plus a growing realization that it wasn't enough to tell the poor that they had the "freedom" to improve their lot in life and leave it at that, led me to become a Democrat.
I stayed a pro-life Democrat for over a decade as that wing of the party slowly dried up from lack of support until after the 2016 election, when the Democratic National Committee announced that no pro-life Democrat would receive support from the national party. Since I no longer felt wanted, I left, and a year later found the American Solidarity Party, where I have been happy ever since.
Harmesh Kumar (D)
John Rose (D)
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
I love these books because, in addition to having interesting plots and being set in seas all around the world, they describe the intricacies of sailing ships, of daily life in the navy, and the tactics and strategy of naval warfare. When I go to my local library, I usually pick one at random off the shelf and read a random chapter for a few minutes while my family is finding things to read themselves.
I harbor no illusions that life in the 18th century British navy or the 21st century American navy is any kind of picnic. War is brutal, and we must always exhaust all diplomatic means of resolving conflict before we undertake military action. The idea of being the captain of a ship, somewhat like being a U.S. Senator, involves making hard decisions while sticking to a moral code, and I like that.
Harmesh Kumar (D)
John Rose (D)
John Rose (D)
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
David Peterson (D)
or Re-elect them based on Celebrity & Popularity Characteristics
American Citizens need to learn to Demand More from their INCUMBENTS
STOP Listening to the Adjectives tossed out by Media propaganda
Ask the Candidates DIRECTLY yourself !!
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
John Rose (D)
Mark Ruzon (No party preference)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
Harmesh Kumar (D)
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
David Peterson (D)
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
David Peterson (D)
David Peterson (D)
May as well start with the Senate and share with the Public so they can take ACTION in the next Election.
-
David Peterson (D)
John Rose (D)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign ads
Barbara Lee
| October 2, 2023 |
| May 26, 2023 |
| February 21, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Katie Porter
| October 14, 2023 |
| June 13, 2023 |
| January 10, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Adam Schiff
| July 26, 2023 |
View more ads here:
Steve Garvey
View more ads here:
Debates and forums
This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.
November 4 candidate forum
On November 4, 2023, Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.[17]
Click on the link below for a summary of the event:
October 15 candidate forum
On October 15, 2023, Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by AFSCME California PEOPLE.[18]
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
October 8 candidate forum
On October 8, 2023, Lee, Porter, and Schiff participated in a candidate forum hosted by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.[19]
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
September 8 candidate forum
On September 8, 2023, Lee, Porter, Reese, and Schiff participated in a town hall organized by March For Our Lives.[20]
Click on the links below for summaries of the event:
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[21] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[22] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.
| 2024: Primary election polls | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Schiff
|
Porter
|
Garvey
|
Lee
|
Bradley
|
Early
|
Pascucci
|
Reese
|
Reiss
|
Liew
|
Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size[23] | Sponsor[24] |
| Emerson College | Nov. 11-14 | 16% | 13% | 10% | 9% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 41%[25] | ± 3.0 | 1,000 RV | Nexstar Media |
| PPIC Statewide Survey | Nov. 9-16 | 21% | 16% | 10% | 8% | 4% | 3% | 1% | 0% | 2% | 2% | 17%[26] | ± 3.8 | 1,113 LV | N/A |
| LA Times/Berkeley IGS | Oct. 24-30 | 16% | 17% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 4% | 1% | 1% | N/A | N/A | 35%[27] | ± 2.5 | 4,506 LV | Los Angeles Times |
| PPIC Statewide Survey | Oct. 3-19 | 21% | 18% | N/A | 9% | 5% | 6% | N/A | 1% | 2% | 2% | 20%[28] | ± 4.0 | 1,395 LV | N/A |
| PPIC Statewide Survey | Aug. 25-Sept. 5 | 20% | 15% | N/A | 8% | 5% | 5% | N/A | 1% | 3% | 2% | 19%[29] | ± 3.7 | 1,146 LV | N/A |
| Click [show] to see older poll results | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Schiff
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Porter
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Garvey
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Lee
|
Bradley
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Early
|
Pascucci
|
Reese
|
Reiss
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Liew
|
Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size[30] | Sponsor[31] |
| LA Times/Berkeley IGS | Aug. 24-29 | 20% | 17% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 5% | N/A | 1% | N/A | N/A | 36% | ± 2.5 | 3,113 LV | Los Angeles Times |
| PPIC Statewide Survey | June 7-29 | 16% | 19% | N/A | 13% | 6% | 7% | N/A | N/A | 4% | 5% | 9%[32] | ± 3.8 | 1,092 LV | N/A |
| Emerson College | June 4-7 | 15% | 14% | N/A | 6% | 4% | 3% | N/A | N/A | 1% | N/A | 48%[33] | ± 2.9 | 1,056 RV | Nexstar Media |
| LA Times/Berkeley IGS | May 17-22 | 14% | 17% | N/A | 9% | N/A | 18% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 42% | ± 3.0 | 5,236 LV | Los Angeles Times |
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.[34]
- 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.[35][36][37]
| 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. | |||||||||
Election spending
Campaign finance
This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[38] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[39]
| 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." |
|||||
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[40][41]
If available, satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. FEC links include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports. OpenSecrets.org compiles data from those reports as well as 24- and 48-hour reports from the FEC.[42]
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. The amounts listed may not represent the total satellite spending in the election. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
Election context
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[43] | 12/8/2023 | Source |
U.S. Senate California Class I election history
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 | |
| 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. | ||||
2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Dianne Feinstein Incumbent |
62.5% | 7,864,624 | |
| Republican | Elizabeth Emken | 37.5% | 4,713,887 | |
| Total Votes | 12,578,511 | |||
| Source: California Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Richard Mountjoy (R), Todd Chretien (G), Michael Metti (L), Marsha Feinland (P&F) and Don Grundmann (American Independent) in the general election.[44]
| U.S. Senate, California General Election, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein incumbent |
59.4% | 5,076,289 | |
| Republican | Richard Mountjoy | 35% | 2,990,822 | |
| Green | Todd Chretien | 1.7% | 147,074 | |
| Libertarian | Michael Metti | 1.6% | 133,851 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 1.4% | 117,764 | |
| American Independent | Don Grundmann | 0.9% | 75,350 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 326 | |
| Total Votes | 8,541,476 | |||
2000
On November 7, 2000, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Tom Campbell (R), Medea Susan Benjamin (G), Gail Katherine Lightfoot (L), Diane Beall Templin (American Independent), Jose Luis Camahort (Reform) and Brian Rees (Natural Law) in the general election.[45]
| U.S. Senate, California General Election, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein incumbent |
55.8% | 5,932,522 | |
| Republican | Tom Campbell | 36.6% | 3,886,853 | |
| Green | Medea Susan Benjamin | 3.1% | 326,828 | |
| Libertarian | Gail Katherine Lightfoot | 1.8% | 187,718 | |
| American Independent | Diane Beall Templin | 1.3% | 134,598 | |
| Reform | Jose Luis Camahort | 0.9% | 96,552 | |
| Natural Law | Brian Rees | 0.6% | 58,537 | |
| Total Votes | 10,623,608 | |||
1994
On November 8, 1994, Dianne Feinstein won re-election to the United States Senate. She defeated Michael Huffington (R), Elizabeth Cervantes Barron (P&F), Richard Benjamin Boddie (L), Paul Meeuwenberg (American Independent) and Barbara Blong (G) in the general election.[46]
| U.S. Senate, California General Election, 1994 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein incumbent |
46.7% | 3,979,152 | |
| Republican | Michael Huffington | 44.8% | 3,817,025 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Elizabeth Cervantes Barron | 3% | 255,301 | |
| Libertarian | Richard Benjamin Boddie | 2.1% | 179,100 | |
| American Independent | Paul Meeuwenberg | 1.7% | 142,771 | |
| Green | Barbara Blong | 1.7% | 140,567 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 173 | |
| Total Votes | 8,514,089 | |||
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This election is a battleground race. Other 2024 battleground elections include:
- California's 31st Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
- Pennsylvania Attorney General election, 2024
- Texas' 34th Congressional District election, 2024
See also
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- United States Senate election in California, 2024
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States Senate elections, 2024
- U.S. Senate battlegrounds, 2024
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Cal Matters, "Laphonza Butler skips the U.S. Senate race: What you need to know," October 19, 2023
- ↑ Politico, "Newsom picks Laphonza Butler as Feinstein replacement," October 1, 2023
- ↑ The Hill, "Laphonza Butler sworn in to replace Feinstein in Senate," accessed October 3, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cal Matters, "Where are the top U.S. Senate candidates raising their cash?" November 1, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Los Angeles Times, "The same California Senate seat will be on your ballot four times in 2024. Here’s why," November 19, 2023
- ↑ Adam Schiff for Senate, "Issues," accessed December 3, 2023
- ↑ U.S. Senate Barabara Lee speaks for me, "Issues," accessed December 3, 2023
- ↑ Katie Porter for Senate, "Issues," accessed December 3, 2023
- ↑ Steve Garvey For U.S. Senate, "Steve's Vision," accessed December 3, 2023
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "California Senate race is once-in-generation decision for voters. Here are 5 things to know now," October 30, 2023
- ↑ Katie Porter Putting Orange County families first, "Rep. Katie Porter Statement on Israel-Hamas War," December 18, 2023
- ↑ KTLA5, "Significant deadline looms in California’s U.S. Senate race," December 11, 2023
- ↑ ABC 7, "U.S. Senate candidates debate immigration issues at Santa Clarita forum," November 5, 2023
- ↑ NBC San Diego, "California US Senate candidates speak to voters at forum in Coronado," October 15, 2023
- ↑ Roll Call, "Lee, Porter, Schiff face off in California Senate forum," October 8, 2023
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "In city scarred by January mass shooting, California Senate candidates push for tighter gun laws," September 9, 2023
- ↑ ABC 7, "U.S. Senate candidates debate immigration issues at Santa Clarita forum," November 5, 2023
- ↑ NBC San Diego, "California US Senate candidates speak to voters at forum in Coronado," October 15, 2023
- ↑ Roll Call, "Lee, Porter, Schiff face off in California Senate forum," October 8, 2023
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "In city scarred by January mass shooting, California Senate candidates push for tighter gun laws," September 9, 2023
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ RV=Registered Voters
LV=Likely Voters - ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Undecided" (39%) and "Someone else" (2%).
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Don't know" (14%), "Would not vote for U.S. Senator" (2%), and "Someone else" (1%).
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Undecided" (30%) and "Others" (5%).
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Don't know" (8%) and "Someone else" (12%).
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Don't know" (16%), "Someone else" (3%), and "Would not vote for U.S. Senator" (1%).
- ↑ RV=Registered Voters
LV=Likely Voters - ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Don't know" (6%) and "Someone else" (3%).
- ↑ Includes the responses of "Undecided" (47%) and "Someone else" (1%).
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Amee LaTour, Email correspondence with the Center for Responsive Politics, August 5, 2022
- ↑ 7,000 signatures can be provided in lieu of the filing fee
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2000," accessed March 28, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 8, 1994," accessed March 28, 2013
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