Welcome To The California State Legislature

Here is information about California's legislature, and how it relates to the San Diego area.

The California state legislature is divided into two bodies, the lower house, also known as the California State Assembly, and the upper house, also known as the California State Senate.

The California State Assembly has 80 members, one from each of the 80 Assembly districts. The Assembly is composed of 52 Democrats and 28 Republicans. Note that Democrats hold 65% of the Assembly seats. A map of Los Angeles - San Diego area districts is available here. So which districts are in the San Diego area, and who are the representatives?

• 74th District: Assemblyman Martin Garrick (R) - Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido (part), Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar
• 75th District: Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher (R) - Carmel Valley, Fairbanks Ranch, Poway, Ramona, Escondido (part), La Jolla, Miramar are
• 76th District: Assemblymember Toni Atkins (D) (Toni Atkins is the Majority Whip in the Assembly) - San Diego (North Clairemont, Montgomery Field, University Heights, Downtown, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, Balboa Park
• 77th District: Assemblyman Brian Jones (R) - The 77th is a big, sprawling district ranging from Miramar at the western end, El Cajon, La Mesa, Jamul, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, Descanso, Borrego Springs, and areas north of I-8 and east of the Sunrise Highway (except the Cuyamaca State Park area, Julian and Warner Springs), to the San Diego-Imperial County line
• 78th District: Assemblymember Marty Block (D) - South of Mission Trails Regional Park to Skyline West, La Presa, Bonita, San Miguel Ranch, Otay Ranch Village, to Eastlake Vistas
• 79th District: Assemblymember Ben Hueso (D) - Southern central San Diego, Coronao, San Diego Bay, National City, down to the border with Mexico, east to Chula Vista and Otay Mesa

Thus, in terms of Assembly representation, the San Diego area is split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

The California State Senate has 40 members, one from each of the 40 Senate Districts. The California State Senate has 24 Democrats and 14 Republicans (with 2 vacant seats). Similar to the Assembly, Democrats hold 64% of the seats, and Republicans 36%. Los Angeles and San Diego area districts are shown here. So which districts are in the San Diego area, and who are the representatives?

• 36th District (R): State Senator Joel Anderson - La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee east to the San Diego County line, and up to Temecula and Murietta
• 38th District (R): State Senator Mark Wyland - San Juan Capistrano, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch
• 39th District (D): State Senator Christine Kehoe - Del Mar, Carmel Valley, all of San Diego, Miramar, Lemon Grove, La Mesa (western part)
• 40th District (D): State Senator Juan Vargas - Coronado, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, east south of Highway 94 and east to the San Diego County line; all of Imperial County, north to the Palm Springs/Palm Desert/Cathedral City area

(No part of the 37th District is close to San Diego.) As for the Assembly, the San Diego area is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.

Earlier, I posted about our new Redistricting Commission, and how it is empowered to redraw Federal Congressional districts. Well, it is also empowered to redraw state Assembly and Senate district lines, as well. Take a look, for example, at Juan Vargas' district; it looks like a prime target for redistricting, and it wouldn't be too difficult to swing his Senate Seat from Democratic to Republican. We'll keep a watch on this one.