Two Democrats are vying to succeed incumbent Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), who did not seek reelection. Santiago instead ran for the Los Angeles City Council but lost in the primary. Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair Mark Gonzalez will face John Yi, executive director of Los Angeles Walks, a pedestrian advocacy group.
Gonzalez is the district director for Santiago and received endorsements from major labor unions, including those representing teachers and construction workers. The California Democratic Party and Gov. Gavin Newsom also endorsed him.
The support has helped Gonzalez raise nearly 10 times as much campaign money as his opponent. A resident of Chinatown, Gonzalez said his goals as a lawmaker would be to focus on “affordable housing, criminal justice reform, climate justice, and a just economy.” As district director, he worked on housing with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and on economic justice issues, including advocating for a $25 minimum wage for healthcare workers in California.
Yi has had a career leading nonprofit advocacy groups including the American Lung Assn. in California and Parent Revolution, an education reform organization. Support for his campaign comes largely from the left wing of the Democratic Party, including the L.
A. chapter of Our Revolution, the organization founded by U.S.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
He is also endorsed by the Korean American Democratic Committee and the East Area Progressive Democrats. Born in.