California’s 2026 midterm elections will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Get general information about the election, news coverage, an interactive ballot guide and results on election day.
What does a state senator do?
- Represent their constituents by holding meetings in the district and keeping attuned to priorities.
- Participate on some of 22 standing committees, six subcommittees or joint committees, each focused on areas such as labor, health and the environment.
- Introduce as many as 40 bills per two-year session, as well as specific budget items.
Source: CalMatters
How much does a state senator get paid?
As of 2025, state senators were paid $132,703 a year, plus $236 a day for expenses when the Legislature is in session. They also get mileage reimbursements at 70 cents per mile.
Party leaders get higher pay.
District 18: South County and Imperial Valley
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The candidates
| Art Hodges III |
Party: Republican
Professional background: Superintendent of the So Cal United Pentecostal International Churches | Past position: Senior Pastor South Bay Pentecostal Church
Top three priorities:
Professional background: Superintendent of the So Cal United Pentecostal International Churches | Past position: Senior Pastor South Bay Pentecostal Church
Top three priorities:
- Cost of Living & Housing Crisis
- Border solutions regarding pollution, immigration and drug trafficking
- Education & Indoctrination
- California Republican Party
- Republican Parties of San Diego/ San Bernardino/ Imperial/ Riverside Counties
- Senator Brian Jones
- Senator Shannon Grove
- Senator Mike Morrell (Ret.)
Courtesy of Steve Padilla
| Steve Padilla |
Party: Democrat
Professional background: Incumbent state senator for District 18 | Past positions: Chairman of California’s Coastal Commission, Police Detective, Mayor of Chula Vista.
Top three priorities:
Professional background: Incumbent state senator for District 18 | Past positions: Chairman of California’s Coastal Commission, Police Detective, Mayor of Chula Vista.
Top three priorities:
- Housing affordability and cost of living
- Opposing federal government's ICE attacks
- Pushing for state action on the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis
- California Democratic Party
- San Diego County Democratic Party
- U.S. Senator Adam Schiff
- California Federation of Labor Unions
- National Union of Healthcare Workers
The issues
An ongoing cross-border sewage crisis is affecting tens of thousands of San Diegans. Wildfires, extreme heat and rising seas are also a large concern. That’s in addition to a push from developers to build high energy-consuming data centers in the district.
- Hodges says “water restrictions, energy blackouts, and building codes are burdensome,” and that “Climate change policies often hurt small communities and the working class.” He also says that “wildfires and poor forest management are ongoing concerns.”
- Padilla authored bills for stricter air standards and funding to permanently clean up the Tijuana River Valley. He also authored bills to “protect California ratepayers from the potential increased costs and environmental damage caused by data centers.”
Like most places in California, State Senate District 18 has been hit hard by increased costs to rents and mortgages, food and groceries, and energy and utilities in recent years. Wages aren’t keeping up.
- Hodges says “Skyrocketing housing prices and rent make home ownership nearly impossible for many,” and that “utility costs, gas prices, and food expenses are well above the national average.”
- Padilla introduced Legislation to develop a living wage formula tied to housing costs and basic expenses. His campaign website states one of his priorities is “tackling income inequality.”
Campaign finance
- Steve Padilla has a very large campaign finance lead over Art Hodges. As of early September the 2026 Padilla campaign had raised over $1.3 million, Hodges was just over $40,000.
Significant donations to the Hodges campaign include donations from the founder of non-profit ministry The Salt and Light Council, the Brian Jones for Lt. Governor 2026 campaign, and Carl DeMaio for State Assembly 2026 campaign.
- Steve Padilla has a very large campaign finance lead over his opponent. As of early September the 2026 Padilla campaign had raised over $1.3 million.
Some significant donations to the Padilla campaign include the law enforcement PAC Peace Officers Research Association of California, the California Teachers Association/Association for Better Citizenship PAC, and the United Domestic Workers of America Action Fund
District 32: Temecula and Northeast County
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The candidates
| Kelly Seyarto |
Party: Republican
Professional background: Incumbent State Senator representing the 32nd District since 2022. Former Assemblymember and former mayor of Murrieta. He is a retired firefighter and battalion chief with more than 30 years of service.
Top three priorities:
Professional background: Incumbent State Senator representing the 32nd District since 2022. Former Assemblymember and former mayor of Murrieta. He is a retired firefighter and battalion chief with more than 30 years of service.
Top three priorities:
- Public safety and emergency preparedness
- Lowering the cost of living and reducing government spending
- Housing, infrastructure and wildfire resilience
- California Republican Party
- California Professional Firefighters union
- Republican Party of San Diego County
Courtesy of Tiffanie Tate
| Tiffanie Tate |
Candidate overview
Party: Democrat
Professional background: Obstetrician-gynecologist and physician. Previously ran for Congress before launching her State Senate campaign
Top three priorities:
Professional background: Obstetrician-gynecologist and physician. Previously ran for Congress before launching her State Senate campaign
Top three priorities:
- Expanding access to health care, including reproductive care
- Lowering costs for families, including housing and health care
- Supporting public education and community services
- California Democratic Party
- California Labor Federation
- California Legislative Black Caucus
The issues
The district includes suburban and rural communities in Riverside County and the northeastern corner of San Diego County. The candidates have both made the cost of living a focus of their campaigns, but they emphasize different concerns: Seyarto points to taxes, fuel costs, regulations and government spending, while Tate focuses on rising costs for middle- and working-class families, including groceries.
- Kelly Seyarto says California is becoming unaffordable because of taxes, fuel costs and regulations. He supports reducing regulations and government spending and opposes tax increases he says raise costs for businesses and consumers. In June, he voted against the state budget, saying it included tax increases and did not sufficiently address affordability.
- Tiffanie Tate says middle and working-class families are struggling with rising costs. She says she would support farmers and small businesses, create jobs and workforce-development opportunities, and work to reduce everyday costs, including groceries.
Access to health care is a particular issue in the district's rural eastern San Diego County communities. A 2026 study of rural residents found that geographic isolation, transportation problems and financial barriers can lead people to delay or go without care. Researchers specifically identified gaps in primary care, aging services and public-health infrastructure in rural eastern San Diego County, which includes the Anza-Borrego area.
- Kelly Seyarto: Health care has not been one of his primary campaign themes. His record includes support for expanding behavioral and mental health services and programs for children and childcare. He has also opposed some proposals that would expand what health insurance plans must cover.
- Tiffanie Tate: Makes health care one of the central issues of her campaign. As a retired OB-GYN, she says she has seen patients delay or forgo care because of cost. She supports protecting Medicare and Medicaid from federal cuts, reducing prescription-drug costs for seniors and improving women's health care.
Much of the district is rural, mountainous or desert, where emergency response can involve long distances and limited infrastructure. Anza-Borrego also has restrictions during periods of extreme heat and fire danger because of limited firefighting resources.
- Kelly Seyarto: Wildfire preparedness and emergency response are central parts of his legislative record, reflecting his career as a firefighter. He authored SB 87, extending a sales-tax exemption for fundraising by volunteer fire departments, and SB 90, which allows state wildfire-prevention funds to support mobile water-storage tanks and firefighting equipment. He also serves as vice-chair of the Senate's new Emergency Management Committee.
- Tiffanie Tate: says California should invest in fire prevention and fire-resistant infrastructure, along with home and building upgrades that can improve resilience to climate-related threats. She also supports expanding clean energy and green spaces as part of a broader approach to climate resilience.
Campaign finance
- Seyarto's 2026 Senate campaign has raised $650,282 according to the California Secretary of State campaign-finance data as of Sept. 25, 2026.
- Seyarto's campaign has received substantial support from political committees and industry groups. The largest contribution comes from the California Republican Party, followed by the California Real Estate Political Action Committee (CREPAC), Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association PAC, Brian Jones for Lt. Governor 2026 and DaVita. The campaign's largest reported transactions are monetary contributions rather than loans.
- California Secretary of State campaign-finance data available for the 2026 Senate race shows $102,765.16 in contributions as of Sept. 25, 2026.
- Tate's campaign has received funding from a mix of loans from Tate herself and contributions from PACs, organizations and individual donors. The two largest transactions reported in the Secretary of State's campaign-finance database are loans from Tate, totaling $28,000. Among the largest outside contributions are money from the UA Journeymen & Apprentices Local 250 PAC, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists PAC, and her former congressional campaign committee.
District 38: Coastal North County and South OC
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The candidates
| Laura Bassett |
- Party: Republican
- Professional background: Licensed real estate professional, licensed professional fiduciary and San Diego County Civil Service Commissioner
- Top three priorities:
- Affordability and Cost of Living
- Coastal Protection and Environmental Stewardship
- Public Safety and Supporting Law Enforcement
- California Republican Party
- Senate Minority Leader, Brian Jones
- State Assemblymember, Carl DeMaio
- San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond
- Assemblymember Laurie Davies
| Catherine Blakespear |
- Party: Democrat
- Professional background: Incumbent state senator for District 38, Chair: Senate Environmental Quality Committee | Past positions: Mayor of Encinitas, estate planning attorney, journalist
- Top three priorities:
- Tackling the affordability crisis
- Ensuring safe, healthy communities
- Protecting the environment and combating climate change
- California Democratic Party
- San Diego County Democratic Party
- San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council
- California Governor Gavin Newsom
- U.S. Senator Adam Schiff
The issues
Like most places in California, State Senate District 38 has been hit hard by increased costs to rents and mortgages, food and groceries, and energy and utilities in recent years. Wages aren’t keeping up.
- Bassett looking to rein in “wasteful government spending” and “stop unnecessary new taxes.” Also says she wants to cut down on “excessive fees and regulations” that have made building new homes challenging.
- Blakespear authored bills to close loopholes in state’s housing density bonus law, protect access to healthcare for seniors, and increase child care options for military families. Introduced a senate bill looking to incentivize more interim housing construction for homeless residents.
San Diego’s coastline has been battered by a changing climate. Many of the sandy beaches that once covered the district are disappearing.
- Bassett says “protecting our coastline is one of the most important issues facing our district.” and that “addressing coastal erosion requires cooperation, science-based planning, and a commitment to preserving our shoreline for the generations that will come after us.”
- Blakespear authored legislation regarding California Environmental Quality Act reforms, closures of oil refineries, recycling and a ban on plastic bags at grocery stores. Also introduced a bill to protect lifeguards, park rangers and other outdoor workers from Tijuana River Valley pollution.
Campaign finance
- The Bassett campaign is dwarfed by Blakespear’s 2026 campaign finance totals. As of early September the Bassett campaign had raised just over $153,000.
The Brian Jones for Lt. Governor 2026 and Carl DeMaio for State Assembly 2026 campaigns each contributed over $11,000, making them her largest contributors. She also self-funded $10,000 towards the campaign.
- Blakespear has a massive lead over her opponent in campaign finance totals.
The 2026 Blakespear campaign has raised over $1.8 million as of early September. The California Democratic Party is Blakespear’s top contributor providing over $187,500 this campaign cycle. Other large contributors include labor and education union PACs.
District 40: East County and Inland
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The candidates
| Kristie Bruce-Lane |
- Party: Republican
- Professional background: Businesswoman and victims advocate
- Top three priorities:
- Cost of living
- Homelessness
- Public safety
- Republican Party of San Diego
- Reformed California
- Assemblymember Carl DeMaio
| Mara Elliott |
Party: Democratic
Professional background: Ethics attorney, former San Diego City Attorney
Top three priorities:
Professional background: Ethics attorney, former San Diego City Attorney
Top three priorities:
- Cost of living
- Workers’ protection
- Public safety
- California Democratic Party
- North County Young Dems
- California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA)
The issues
With inflation outpacing household incomes and wage growth, many San Diegans struggle to meet basic needs like housing, food and fuel.
- Kristie Bruce-Lane, however, frames the issue as a crisis caused by policy choices in Sacramento. She claims taxes are too high and take a significant chunk from workers’ paychecks, making living in San Diego unaffordable. She also calls government regulations “job killers” that hamper economic growth, drive up costs and cause businesses to leave the state.
- Mara Elliott views the issue as driven by rising prices and reduced assistance. She blames the expiration and reduction in federal benefits and assistance for the strain on household budgets.
The high costs of living, combined with a housing and affordability crisis have contributed to the rise in homelessness.
- Bruce-Lane calls homelessness an out-of-control crisis. She blames state governance for allowing the "homelessness epidemic" to grow unchecked and is advocating for “common-sense” policy reforms. She wants to reform shelter usage, stating that “shelters should be used as a tool, not a goal.”
- Elliott is approaching homelessness primarily through treatment-focused intervention, mental health care and diversion programs. She favors treatment over jail. She highlights her record of establishing diversion programs such as PLEADS (Prosecution and Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) and LIFT (Lifesaving Intervention for Treatment) to evaluate whether treatment programs are better alternatives for some individuals rather than jail.
The San Diego metropolitan area remains one of the safest metropolitan areas in the nation, according to FBI and SANDAG crime reports. But residents have concerns about Fentanyl and drug trafficking, homeless encampments and a surge in retail theft.
- Bruce-Lane, however, positions herself as a pro–law enforcement candidate. She says public safety must be built on direct partnerships with police officers and sheriff departments. She criticizes Sacramento politicians for passing laws that “protect criminals while punishing law-abiding citizens"
- Elliot calls for implementing Proposition 36 for drug addiction treatment to direct addicted or severely mentally ill individuals into conservatorship or treatment rather than jail. She cites her experience as San Diego City Attorney and the creation of the Gun Violence Response Unit to enforce Gun Violence Restraining Orders.
Campaign finance
- Bruce-Lane has raised $303,128.97 across 353 transactions between January 2025 and September 2026, with more than half of her donors identified as retirees. Of the 353 transactions, 184 were from retirees, contributing $67,533.65.
Nearly 40% of the money raised came from outside San Diego County, totaling $120,461.52 through 38 transactions. Most of those funds came from political action committees and party committees, such as Reform California, San Diego Credit Unions PAC and San Diego County Gun Owners PAC.
She also lent her campaign $10,000.00 to kick-start her run for office. The campaign must repay the debt. - Elliot has raised $709,223.83 across 531 transactions between January 2025 and September 2026. Her largest funding bloc is labor unions, such as SEIU, AFSCME and CTA, which contributed $238,300.00 across 34 transactions.
Her top contributor is the California Democratic Party with $54,186.60. About 74% of Elliot’s funding came from outside San Diego County, with 149 transactions accounting for $523,925.60.
