November 10, 2022 - SACRAMENTO - At least 43 and as many as 52 women will serve in the California Legislature, a new all-time high of at least 36% of its 120 legislative seats. Women currently hold 39 of 120 seats.
Analysis of the initial election returns by Close the Gap California indicates that at least 43 women (80%+ Democrats) will serve after the new Legislature is sworn in on December 5. This is a significant surge from a recent low of 26 seats, only 21.6%, in 2017.
“California women made history in the 2022 elections,” said Susannah Delano, Close the Gap California Executive Director. “It’s clear that the effort to recruit and prepare more outstanding women to run for the Legislature is working. We’re making big strides in closing the California Legislature’s gender gap, and diverse women who are driven by a commitment to reproductive freedom, public education and social justice are leading the way.”
Women competed for legislative seats in unprecedented numbers in 2022. Women of color increased their share of all women legislative candidates dramatically to 59%, up from 43% in 2020. In the June primary, 113 women appeared on the ballot, representing 37.4% of all candidates, and 80 women advanced to the runoff. The rate at which women advanced to the 2022 runoffs in open seats (61%) nearly doubled 2020’s rate (33%).
“When women run, they are just as likely to win as men. That’s why it’s so important to recruit more women and prepare them to run in winnable districts,” said Delano.
A significant number of seats are yet to be decided. Most counties must certify election results by December 5, 2022.
Close the Gap recruits and prepares progressive women to run for the Legislature in targeted open and competitive districts. Of the 20 women in our Class of 2022, 16 ran off on Tuesday.
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Close the Gap California is a nonprofit organization that recruits and prepares progressive women to run for the California State Legislature, with the goal of achieving gender parity by 2028. Close the Gap targets both open seats and swing districts held by Republicans and works closely with selected potential candidates years in advance of each election cycle. Our recruits support reproductive freedom, public school funding and combatting poverty. We do not endorse or provide financial support to candidates.
Data set
++ Close the Gap Class of 2022
+ Close the Gap previous class
** Seat currently held by male legislator
* New district
WOC = woman of color
i = incumbent
6 Incumbents not up for reelection in 2022 (5/6 Dem, 4/6 WOC)
Susan Eggman (i,D)
Nancy Skinner (i,D)
Monique Limón+ (i,D)
Toni Atkins (i,D)
Lena Gonzalez (i,D)
Rosalie Ochoa Bogh (i,R)
24 Incumbents poised for reelection in 2022 24 (19/24 Dem, 15/24 WOC)
Shannon Grove (i,R)
Maria Elena Durazo (i,D)
Anna Caballero (i,D)
Susan Rubio (i,D)
Janet Nguyen (i,R)* to SD 36
Cecilia Aguiar-Curry+ (i,D)
Rebecca Bauer Kahan+ (i,D)
Wendy Carrillo+ (i,D)
Luz Rivas+ (i,D)
Laura Friedman (i,D)
Jacqui Irwin (i,D)
Eloise Gomez-Reyes+ (i,D)
Blanca Rubio+ (i,D)
Sabrina Cervantes+ (i,D)
Marie Waldron (i,R)
Akilah Weber (i,D)
Buffy Wicks (i,D)
Tasha Boerner-Horvath (i,D)
Megan Dahle (i,R)
Lisa Calderon (i,D)
Laurie Davies (i,R)
Mia Bonta+ (i,D)
Lori Wilson++ (i,D)
Tina McKinnor++ (D)
9 races featuring two women competing, ensuring a woman wins (6-9/9 Dem, 8/16 WOC)
SD 10: Aisha Wahab (D) ++ vs Lily Mei (D) **
SD 28: Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D) ++ vs Cheryl Turner (D)
AD 21: Diane Papan (D) ++ uncontested **
AD 28: Gail Pellerin (D) ++ vs Liz Lawler (R) **
AD 30: Dawn Addis (D) ++ vs Vicki Nohrden (R) **
AD 35: Leticia Perez (D) vs Jasmeet Bains (D) **
AD 40: Suzette Valladares (i, R) vs Pilar Schiavo (D) ++
AD 67: Sharon Quirk-Silva (i, D) vs Soo Yoo (R)
AD 72: Judie Mancuso (D) vs Diane Dixon (R) *
4 new women in strong position to win (4/4 Dem, 4/4 WOC)
SD 20: Caroline Menjivar (D) ++ vs Daniel Hertzberg (D) **
Leading with 54.3% as of 9:44am 11/9
AD 10: Stephanie Nguyen (D) vs Eric Guerra (D) **
Leading with 58% as of 9:44am 11/9
AD 20: Liz Ortega (D) vs Shawn Kumagai (D) **
Leading with 58.6% as of 9:44am 11/9
AD 64: Blanca Pacheco (D) vs Raul Ortiz (D)
Leading with 56% as of 9:44am 11/9
9 Additional Races to Watch
Each woman that wins will add to the new all-time high of 43 women:
SD 4: Marie Alvarado-Gil (D) vs Tim Robertson (D) **
SD 8: Angelique Ashby (D) vs Dave Jones (D) **
SD 16: Melissa Hurtado (D) vs David Shepard (R)
SD 38: Catherine Blakespear (D) ++ vs Matt Gunderson (R)
AD 27: Esmeralda Soria (D) vs Mark Pazin (R) **
AD 47: Christy Holstege (D) ++ vs Greg Wallis (R)
AD 71: Kate Sanchez (R) vs Matt Rahn (R) *
AD 73: Cottie Petrie-Norris (i, D) vs Steve Choi (R)
AD 76: Brian Maienschein (i, D) vs Kristie Bruce-Lane (R)