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DSA San Diego’s November 2026 Midterm Voter Guide

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Content
Table of Contents

Introduction

DSA San Diego is proud to present our 2026 Midterms General Election Voter Guide. Use the table of contents or the Quick Guide section below to find the races on your ballot. We encourage you to check out the full writeups (linked) to get more context about the race and analysis from DSA members. Chapter members worked collectively to prioritize races for research and analysis, focusing on contests where our perspective may make a difference for our readers.

Quick Guide

Statewide Races

California propositions and races for positions in statewide offices. We've copied the CA DSA voter guide recommendations here for convenience. To see their write-ups on each of the races and propositions, please click here.

  • Governor: No Recommendation

  • Lieutenant Governor: No Recommendation

  • Secretary of State: No Recommendation

  • Controller: No Recommendation

  • Treasurer: No Recommendation

  • Attorney General: No Recommendation

  • Insurance Commissioner: Jane Kim

  • State Superintendent of Public Instruction: NOT Sonja Shaw (see CA DSA Guide)

  • U.S. Representative 48th District: No Recommendation

  • U.S. Representative 51st District: Sara Jacobs

  • State Assembly 79th District: LaShae Sharp-Collins

  • Prop 1: Yes

    • Prop 2: Yes

  • Prop 3: Yes

  • Prop 4: Yes

  • Prop 5: Yes

  • Prop 37: No Recommendation

  • Prop 38: No

  • Prop 39: No

  • Prop 40: Yes

  • Prop 41: No

  • Prop 42: No

    • Prop 43: No

      • Prop 44: Yes

      • Prop 45: No

County Races

Races at the county level and San Diego county ballot measures.

Local Races

City Of San Diego

Oceanside

Vista

Escondido

El Cajon

Grossmont Union High School District

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

Chula Vista

Imperial Beach

Definitions

Endorsed

DSA endorsements are special. They require a chapter’s whole membership to vote to endorse a candidate and include a commitment by the chapter to devote time and resources to that candidate’s campaign. That means substantial energy is devoted to field organizing including neighborhood canvasses, phone, and textbanking. Endorsements therefore aren’t handed out to anyone; they’re reserved for candidates we really believe in.

Recommended

Sometimes a candidate closely aligns with us but for one or more of a number of reasons, is not endorsed. Maybe they didn’t seek an endorsement, or maybe we don’t have the capacity to support their endorsement. Sometimes a candidate may not be a socialist but we believe some parts of their platform will materially benefit the working class. Sometimes we recommend a candidate if the alternatives are much worse. It’s best to read the write-up to understand how enthusiastic our recommendation is. 

No recommendation

Choosing not to recommend any candidate in a race is still a decision. Some write-ups will lay out our rationale for refusing to recommend any one candidate. Not being able to identify a good candidate in a race should trouble us all. Consider joining us and using that energy to get candidates we can be proud of in office.

Statewide Races

See our Quick Guide section or the California DSA voter guide for propositions and races not listed here.

US Representative 48th District: No Recommendation

California’s 48th congressional district was redistricted to be a likely democratic win with the passing of Prop 50, but was unfortunately bungled by an insanely crowded Democratic primary election, resulting in Democrat Marni Von Wilpert facing off against Republican Jim Desmond.

Von Wilpert, a Democratic San Diego City Council member and workers’ rights attorney, has emphasized labor rights, expanding the affordable care act and opposition to the Trump administration during her campaign. She is backed by the SEIU and California’s Teacher Association. Notably, though, she has taken millions in dollars from, and is backed by, pro-Israel PACs like DMFI and J Street and has vowed to continue strengthening the US’s relationship with Israel. She has also been an intransigent supporter of Flock cameras, repeatedly voting against cancelling the City of San Diego’s contract with Flock.

Desmond is everything you would expect from a hopeful Republican candidate backed by Trump. He has deep reverence and admiration for the work of DHS and ICE and is backed by every law enforcement agency in the region. While Desmond has not taken any money from pro-Israel PACs, he is undoubtedly someone who would proudly vote to continue arming Israel’s genocide, were he to be elected.

Von Wilpert has a narrow opportunity to flip CA 48 from red to blue, and this race has national implications for whether Republicans maintain control of the House of Representatives, but she has shown throughout her campaign that despite being a champion for workers’ rights, she will be a loyal vote to continue the genocide in Palestine and endless wars in the Middle East using our tax dollars, exasperating the affordability crisis and killing countless more people in its wake.

We have no recommendation in this election.

US Representative 51st District: Sara Jacobs

The outcome of the race in the 51st Congressional District is not in doubt: Sara Jacobs is expected to cruise to an easy reelection over Ricardo Cabrera, a Republican mounting a purely symbolic challenge. Normally, we would not bother with a recommendation in a race like this, but Jacobs – while no socialist – has proven herself to be one of the more progressive members of Congress from California (and by far the most progressive from San Diego County). She introduced the Block the Bombs Act (H.R. 3565), is an original co-sponsor of the Medicare for All Act (H.R. 3069), voted against the GOP’s most recent red-baiting anti-socialism resolution (H.Res. 58 – she voted present two years earlier on a similar resolution, H. Res. 9), has voted for every War Powers Act resolution to end the illegal war against Iran, is an original co-sponsor of the Green New Deal (H. Res. 332), and – despite being one of the wealthiest members of Congress – introduced the LEGACY Act (H.R. 4330) to slash the federal estate tax exemption in order to fund childcare for working families.

There are places where she could be better. For one, she is not a co-sponsor of the Colleges for All Act (H.R. 3543) to pay for tuition-free public four-year colleges for working-class and middle-class students. And she has not come out in support of Prop. 40, the Billionaire Tax Act. (We’re hoping to have the opportunity to amend this writeup before election day – come on, Rep. Jacobs. It’s a moral issue.) Nevertheless, we think it is important to recognize where she’s been closely aligned.

We recommend a vote for Sara Jacobs.

State Assembly 79th District: LaShae Sharp-Collins

Assembly District 79 covers the southeastern portion of San Diego County, including La Mesa, Lemon Grove, parts of El Cajon, and parts of the city of San Diego itself. It is currently represented by LaShae Sharp-Collins, who initially won election as a progressive member of the Democratic Party in 2024 over two more moderate challengers. Her platform has focused on confronting corporate influence and systemic inequity in government, with an emphasis on community-centered police oversight and criminal justice reform. She has expressed support for the “Tax the Rich” ballot measures (Prop 3 and Prop 40), and supports using the additional funding to improve social safety nets. She is backed by labor groups, the Working Families Party, and CAIR Action.

Her Republican opponent Andrew Larson is running as a conservative who supports deregulation, cutting taxes on the wealthy, and further privatizing public services in education and healthcare. He additionally seems to spend a large amount of time posting on Twitter to defend Donald Trump’s inflationary tariffs, unjustified war with Iran, and unconstitutional ICE raids.

The choice here is clear: we recommend a vote for LaShae Sharp-Collins.

County Races

Board of Supervisors District 4: Monica Montgomery Steppe

District 4 in the County is a huge swath that covers most of the city proper (Bay Park, Mission Valley, Hillcrest, Balboa Park, Little Italy, University Heights, North Park) as well as stretching east out to La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Chollas Park, Encanto, and Skyline. This race is admittedly less spicy than some others on this guide, but one candidate deserves our openly expressed support. Monica Montgomery Steppe has been a pillar in progressive San Diego politics. The former SD City Councilwoman is the incumbent in this race and has continuously provenher dedication to the community through achievements in addressing housing insecurity, holistic public safety, affordable housing, and community health projects. She’s endorsed by both the Working Families Party and the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.

Her opponent, Kristine Alessio, is a former Councilwoman of La Mesa. She’s endorsed by the Lincoln Club, SD Union Tribune, and the SD Republican Party, oh my! The first image you see on her website is an obviously AI-generated image of people holding a “VOTE!” poster in front of an ambiguous building.

We recommend a vote for Monica Montgomery Steppe.

Board of Supervisors District 5: No Recommendation

This is a pretty disappointing race. District 5 in the county covers much of North County. Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido are all in D5. Hardcore MAGA Jim Desmond has termed out, so this seat is open. Assuming Monica Montgomery Steppe wins her re-election, Democrats will have a majority on the county board regardless of the outcome of this race. Which is good, given who’s competing here.

San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones is the Republican in this race. For what it’s worth, she’s not quite fully fascist, despite an endorsement from the infamous Carl DeMaio (it seemed more of a petty rivalry endorsement rather than a political alignment one). But don’t let that description fool you… she’s still in favor of expanding police presence, cooperating with ICE, and opposes taxation generally.

Democrat to the rescue? Not quite. Kyle Krahel is his opponent in this race, and he’s about as much a Democratic Party insider as they come. He’s the deputy chief of staff for Congressman Mike Levin and former chair of the Democratic Party. He’s focused on the cost of living in the county but harps on DOGE-esque talking points about inefficiency, which is somewhat concerning. He’s firmly against ICE raids in the county but does not approach homelessness with a housing-first approach. He is a centrist through and through. Jones does not deserve anybody’s vote, but Krahel has not done enough to warrant a recommendation from DSA in this race.

We have no recommendation in this race.

County Board Of Education 3rd District: Alicia Muñoz

In solidarity with AFT Guild Local 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices. Thus, we recommend a vote for Alicia Muñoz.

County Board Of Education 5th District: Rick Shea

In solidarity with AFT Guild Local 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices. Thus, we recommend a vote for Rick Shea.

Measure A: Yes

This measure is a package of proposed reforms to the governing charter of the county of San Diego. Reform packages can be uniquely opaque to voters because substantive policy changes are delivered to voters alongside procedural and bureaucratic adjustments. For instance, this measure proposes significant structural changes alongside capitalizing defined words for syntactical consistency—hardly a proposal most voters can be expected to parse. On balance, the procedural and substantive changes proposed move the County in a positive direction towards increased transparency and an empowered public.

There are two key provisions we think are worth noting. First, this measure would change the term limits for the board of supervisors, increasing the maximum number of terms a supervisor can serve from two to three. While a proposal to increase term limits might feel like a power grab, it really returns power to the electorate. Elections are term limits, and effective ones at that, so allowing an elected official to run for a third term gives voters more power over their own representation, allowing us to continue choosing effective leadership beyond arbitrary timelines.

Second, this measure would empower the Board of Supervisors to review top appointments at the County, reclaiming some authority from the Chief Administrative Officer who executes the business of the County. Giving hiring and firing power for additional, highly impactful positions to elected representatives, instead of resting solely with the CAO, should establish more accountability to the public for those roles.

These two significant pillars are accompanied by the formation of an ethics commission, new requirements for financial disclosure, and rule clarifications. In an effort not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, we recommend a Yes vote on Measure A.

Measure B: Yes

This measure is a half-cent sales tax increase on retail purchases. The revenue generated will be placed into a new fund, called the Protect San Diego’s Health and Safety Fund, and allocated in support of providing affordable healthcare, nutrition, and family services (60%), programs related to toxic sewage in the Tijuana River Valley (22.5%), public safety services (17.5%) and general administrative costs (1.5%). It is estimated to raise about $400 million annually and would increase the county sales tax rate floor from 7.75% to 8.25%.

Sales taxes are regressive and one of our least favorite taxes. However, the County’s sales tax rate is significantly lower than many comparable California areas, even with the increase. Plus, the funds are critical—federal cuts from the Trump administration have made it necessary for the County to fill gaps it unequivocally does not have the resources to fill without changes like a tax increase. While the measure does not contain the ever-elusive solution to the Tijuana sewage crisis or singlehandedly solve SNAP cuts, it is a crucial opportunity to generate local revenue to keep people and communities alive and healthy in the coming years. We recommend a Yes vote on Measure B.

School Bond Measures G, M, N: Yes

There are multiple school bond measures on the ballot this November, but only three of them are in districts which have negotiated Project Labor Agreements (“PLAs”) with the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council to ensure that the work is performed with union labor. PLAs help ensure that the work is done with highly-trained local workers who are protected by a union contract, rather than by unscrupulous contractors trying to fleece public agencies. Find our write-ups for G here, M here, and N here.

We recommend a YES vote on Measures G, M, and N.

City Of San Diego

City Council District 2: Nicole Crosby

District 2 stretches from Point Loma up through OB, Bay Park, and Clairemont. The incumbent, Jennifer Campbell, is termed out. In June, Richard Bailey (technically Independent, formerly Republican and a three-time Trump voter) and Nicole Crosby (Democrat) each won about a third of the votes, advancing to the November election. Crosby beat out the other two prominent Democrat challengers, Josh Coyne and Mandy Havlik.

Richard Bailey is deceptively clever. He's reading the room: 1) people are upset with the current state of San Diego's leadership, and 2) Zohran Mamdani was perhaps the most unexpectedly successful campaign we've seen in this country since Donald Trump in 2024. Why does that last point matter? Well first off, he literally copied Zohran's entire campaign font and colorway. Second, he's tried to imitate Zohran's "man on the street" style social media videos, hyper-focused on local issues and proposing (unclear) solutions. And it's working! Richard Bailey has amassed over 25,000 Instagram followers. To put this into perspective, his opponent Nicole Crosby has less than 1,000. Bailey has more followers than our current Mayor Todd Gloria, as well as more than all sitting City councilmembers combined! Now obviously, Instagram followers aren't everything. But we think it's interesting! Richard Bailey's whole shtick is slashing city resources. He continuously claims that our city is the same size it was back in 2015 and is "performing" worse, despite an increased payroll. The general manager of the San Diego Municipal Employees Association wrote an op-ed in the VOSD calling Bailey out on his BS that we think is worth the read.

Nicole Crosby is a current Deputy City Attorney for San Diego and former Clairemont Town Council President. There are a lot of things to like about Nicole. She is focused on gun safety and wants to curb corporate homeownership and ICE using city resources. She supported Measure A (RIP) and is endorsed by a lineup of local progressives including Monica Montgomery Steppe, Paloma Aguirre, and Sean Elo-Rivera. She’s outwardly opposed to Flock and wants to invest more into public transit. This is all great! Our one cause for concern is that her housing plan uses words like “gentle density” and “neighborhood character,” which set off some alarms. But if you look at District 2, it’s hard to imagine a different stance coming out of these neighborhoods.

All of that being said, we recommend Nicole Crosby for San Diego City Council, District 2.

City Council District 4: Henry Foster III

D4 is the southeastern corner of the city. It includes the neighborhoods of Chollas Park, Encanto, Emerald Hills, Skyline, and Valencia Park. It is currently represented by Henry Foster III, who is running for re-election. Foster has been a fairly reliable vote in the progressive bloc of City Council. He delivered a full-throated opposition to Flock in late 2025 and throughout budget balancing season this year he continuously banged the table to preserve public services like libraries, recreation centers, homelessness programs, and arts funding. His vote against Sean Elo-Rivera for the IHRA anti-semitism definition was certainly disappointing, but he has reliably gone to bat for his community in District 4. He has an all-star cast of endorsements including Monica Montgomery Steppe, Sean Elo-Rivera, Working Families Party, and the Labor Council.

Foster is being challenged by nurse/local activist, Martha Abraham. Much of Abraham’s name recognition in D4 stems from her outspoken opposition to “Footnote 7” in 2021. This footnote in the Land Development Code Update allowed denser development in the historically underserved District 4. Footnote 7 was successfully repealed by a unanimous City Council vote (including Foster) in 2025, but the spectacle inspired Abraham to launch a City Council campaign. Abraham’s official platform is very vague. However, she has come out in favor of warrantless surveillance via ALPRs and maintaining San Diego PD’s contract with Flock Safety. Additionally, a cast of unsavory characters is aligning behind Abraham, including San Diego United Communities (an anti-housing group that is also supporting Richard Bailey), the Lincoln Club, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Todd Gloria. Notably, the San Diego Firefighters recently pulled their endorsement from Foster and switched it to Abraham; journalist Scott Lewis theorizes that this is an attempt to punish the city to resolve a contract dispute.

Foster is a progressive ally that we want to keep in City Council. We recommend voting for Henry Foster III.

City Council District 6: No Recommendation

This race is a match-up between Democrat Kent Lee and Republican (and former cop) Mark Powell. Since being elected to the Council four years ago, Lee has tried to steer a middle course between critics and backers of Mayor Todd Gloria. In one of his first consequential votes on the Council, he opposed Gloria’s anti-homelessness “Unsafe Camping” ordinance in 2023 – but simultaneously voted to file an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to eviscerate protections for the unhoused. His approach to the surveillance state has been similar: Lee voted in 2025 to continue the use of Flock surveillance cameras, while acknowledging the concerns of the community. Six months later he voted (in the minority) to cancel the contract with Flock. Likewise, earlier in 2026, he helped kill an effort to impose a tax on homes being used as short-term vacation rentals, but supported placing a tax on vacant homes on the ballot. And, perhaps most disappointingly, he voted in favor of adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism (which falsely equates anti-Zionism with antisemitism), while mouthing concerns with why this divisive resolution was being pushed through the Council. All in all, Lee has demonstrated that he recognizes the right thing to do, but often seems to lack the courage to do it consistently.

Given Lee’s history of vacillating on issues of importance to DSA, we have no recommendation in this race.

City Council District 8: No Recommendation

The race for District 8 on the San Diego City Council features a showdown between two insiders: Gerardo Ramirez (Chief of Staff to incumbent Councilwoman Vivian Moreno) versus Antonio Martinez (former staffer to Congressman Juan Vargas and longtime San Ysidro school board member). Ramirez, who has never run for office before, has been endorsed by the Police Officers Association and promises a continuation of the pro-developer policies of both Vivian Moreno and David Alvarez (who previously held this seat and is now in the State Assembly). He is not an option for socialists. On the other hand, Martinez, who lost twice to Moreno, promises he will be a “fighter” for the community but is light on details. Meanwhile, the San Ysidro School District, where Martinez has served on the Board for the last 16 years, has repeatedly teetered on the brink of insolvency during his tenure. He has won the endorsement of both the Democratic Party and of the Labor Council, but he has also promised that, if elected, he will hire as his Chief of Staff, a lobbyist for the California Charter Schools Association.

Given the uninspiring choices in this race, we have no recommendation.

San Diego Community College District A: Maria Senour

In solidarity with AFT Guild Local 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices. Thus, we recommend a vote for Maria Senour.

San Diego Community College District C: Craig Milgrim

In solidarity with AFT Guild Local 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices. Thus, we recommend a vote for Craig Milgrim.

San Diego Unified School District Trustee Area C: Hayden Gore

Hayden Gore is running unopposed for sub-district C, which covers areas in central and coastal San Diego. While DSA does not generally offer recommendations for uncontested races, we opted to make mention of Hayden due to his close alignment with DSA’s principles as a union leader and organizer. First and foremost an educator, Hayden played an important role in organizing the High Tech High Education Collective, which represents more than 700 educators and support staff across High Tech High. The union was certified in 2021 and won its first contract two years later; Hayden became the union’s first president. 

While democratic socialists generally take a critical line on charter schools and their role in public school disinvestment, we see the unionization of these schools as an important counter to the neoliberal tactic of dividing workers to better facilitate their exploitation. We applaud Hayden’s leadership and expect his movement experience will benefit San Diego’s students and families. 

We recommend Hayden Gore for SD Unified School District, District C.

San Diego Unified School District Measure M: Yes

In the San Diego Unified School District, voters are being asked to vote on Measure M, a $3.5B bond to repair deteriorating roofs, plumbing and restrooms, to provide safe drinking water, to remove asbestos, lead paint, and mold, and to update outdated career/vocational and STEM classrooms. We recommend a Yes vote on Measure M.

Oceanside

City Council District 1: Eric Joyce

Oceanside District 1 covers downtown north of Oceanside Blvd and the Eastside, Loma Alta, and Oceana neighborhoods. Incumbent Eric Joyce is on the ballot again for a second term. Joyce was previously an Oceanside Unified School Board member and a teacher. He has consistently been the most progressive vote on the city council and has a record of advocating for working class interests.

While Joyce has been unable to make much progress during his first term because of a developer-friendly council (see the D2 race), his efforts have not gone unnoticed. He co-led initiatives to pass renter protections and respond to immigration enforcement, although both unfortunately failed. During a recent city council vote to approve a grant for ALPR camera maintenance, Joyce was the only councilmember to vote no and speak out against mass surveillance. Joyce supports mixed-income public housing, more affordable housing, and wants to protect working class residents from displacement. These are important priorities given the increasing gentrification of his district. He is endorsed by the Working Families Party, SEIU-UHW, SD Building and Construction Trades, UFCW local 135, and San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera.

Mike Cline, a military veteran who is endorsed by Carl DeMaio, is making a last-ditch effort against Joyce. His approach to affordability references responsible government spending, and his other policy priorities are public safety and the beach.

Eric Joyce might not call himself a democratic socialist, but he’s the closest thing we have on the Oceanside city council. We recommend a vote for Eric Joyce for Oceanside City Council, District 1.

City Council District 2: Emily Gonzales

District 2 is northeast oceanside, covering the Libby Lake and Valley neighborhoods and bordering Camp Pendleton. Incumbent Rick Robinson is being challenged by four candidates, two of which are on the left.

While Rick Robinson claims to be an independent, he is endorsed by Carl DeMaio and has a conservative voting record. The former fire fighter and veteran has earned a reputation for controversial campaign contributions from developers and businesses. He recently violated state campaign finance laws, with his excuse being “I didn’t know.” Not the first time Robinson has played dumb. After listening to hours of testimony from Oceanside residents, he voted to support renter protections (a 3-2 vote), then backtracked during the subsequent deliberation saying “I didn’t realize what I had voted for,” causing the proposal to ultimately fail.

The Oceanside Democratic clubs found the perfect candidate to flip this seat in Emily Gonzales, a military spouse and nonprofit executive who joined the Oceanside Planning Commission one year ago. Gonzales has a progressive policy platform, although she is vague about policy details and some of her social media activity indicates she may be pro-police. She is clearly passionate about holding developers accountable, and has been organizing with community members around the College Street bridge closure (where developers have delayed construction). Gonzales is endorsed by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council and the Working Families Party, and has been very actively campaigning in the district.

Challenging Gonzales for the Democratic vote is Oscarin Ortega, an Oceanside native and founder of the nonprofit Lived Experiences. He has come out strong against ICE, developers, and the political establishment in Oceanside. He supports public housing over privately-led development, expanding free programs for youth, and restoring stewardship of the San Luis Rey River to the Payomkawichum and Kumeyaay Nations. Ortega is well-known in the community: both for good and bad. The Lived Experience office was shut down earlier this year because of a zoning issue, which seems to have disrupted his campaign activities.

Ortega’s entry into the race caused a lot of drama, with understandable concerns about splitting the vote. We believe Gonzales is the most viable challenge to Robinson and because of her strong labor backing, we recommend a vote for Emily Gonzales for Oceanside City Council, District 2.

Tri-City Healthcare District Zone 2: Kayla Lauriano

The Tri-City Healthcare District Board governs the Tri-City Medical Center, a public hospital in Oceanside. The Tri-City Healthcare District Zone 2 covers a northern slice of Oceanside bordering Camp Pendleton. The race has three candidates: Jerome M. Kern, a retired city council member; Kayla Lauriano, a registered nurse at MiraCosta College; and Marilyn Piek, a registered nurse at Genex Services.

The primary candidates are Jerome Kern and Kayla Lauriano. Jerome Kern is endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party and Reform California (Carl DeMaio’s organization), and he is a former Oceanside City Council Member. He comes primarily from a business and political background.

Kayla Lauriano is a 17-year nurse and community advocate. She has the endorsements of Working Families Party, Democratic Club of Vista, the Democratic Club of Oceanside and Carlsbad, and the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council. Kayla is campaigning to bring a working nurse’s perspective to the Tri-City Healthcare board, and be an advocate for patient centered care and supporting hospital workers. We recommend Kayla Lauriano.

MiraCosta Community College Trustee Area 6: Joey Aszterbaum

We are thrilled to announce that DSA San Diego has endorsed our comrade Joey Aszterbaum for Trustee Area 6 on the MiraCosta College Board of Trustees. Joey is a longtime member of DSA who was a 2016 Democratic Party Convention Delegate for Bernie Sanders and worked as a field organizer on Bernie’s 2020 campaign. He has served as a steward for his union both when he was in SEIU Local 721 and in UFCW Local 400. He is a credentialed public school teacher and musician. He has identified his top priorities as addressing the crisis of homelessness among students, fighting for public higher education as a right, and negotiating a Project Labor Agreement for all construction at MiraCosta. Because he was the only candidate to file for this seat, he has automatically won his election and will become DSA San Diego’s second Socialist in Office.

Measure R: Yes

Measure R, the “Fair Wages” ballot measure, is an essential update to Oceanside’s city charter to make it align with California state law. As required by the state, Measure R codifies fair prevailing wage requirements for City projects and allows the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) for public works projects. Currently, Oceanside’s charter is not in line with state law, which could lead to the city losing millions of dollars in infrastructure funds; this measure is therefore essential to preserve city infrastructure. Measure R is endorsed by the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council and the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council. We recommend a Yes vote on Measure R.

Measure S: Yes

Measure S is an additional half-cent sales tax for the next 10 years (on top of the recently passed Measure X sales tax), exempting basic needs such as groceries, feminine hygiene products, diapers, and prescription medications. The tax is estimated to raise $20M per year for the City, which could theoretically be used for any general purpose by the City Council and mayor. The City has signaled that it plans to use the funds for the RE:BEACH coastal restoration project, pier bridge renovation, roadway maintenance, and construction of a new fire and police station. It would have similar oversight as Measure X, with a local citizen oversight committee.

While sales taxes are inherently regressive, this half-cent sales tax would bring Oceanside in line with eight other cities in San Diego. Additionally, local labor groups have endorsed the measure, as the additional funds will be used to support union-maintained infrastructure projects. We therefore recommend a Yes vote on Measure S.

Vista

Mayor: Kenneth Zuniga

The city of Vista has an interesting race for mayor, originally expected to be uncontested. Former Council Member Joe Green, a former Republican now running as an Independent, who believes that politics has no place in local government, is backed by Reform California, Carl DeMaio’s MAGA conservative political group.

Democratic Socialist Kenneth Zuniga is a community organizer and DSA San Diego’s endorsed candidate. He worked with the TRUST SD coalition and other community organizations to keep Flock and Automated License Plate Readers out of Vista, making it the only city in San Diego County without them. As a member of the Vista Homelessness Commission, he is working to update the City’s strategic plan to address homelessness.

Zuniga is an active DSA-SD member who helped reinstate the North County Branch for DSA San Diego, and as the branch co-chair, he organized canvases for Prop 50, which helped with California's 2025 redistricting effort to fight fascism.

Zuniga's platform presents a left-wing vision of a better Vista for all. His platform centers on affordability for the working class by investing in truly affordable housing, expanding homelessness services, and rental assistance to keep people housed. His plans also include renter protections, expanded public transit, and investments in sidewalks and streetlights.

Endorsers of his campaign include: California Working Families Party, San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, SEIU Local 221, UAW Region 6, and many more. This level of support for a young democratic socialist challenger is highly unusual and speaks to the importance of this race.

The choice in this race is clear: a candidate backed by MAGA conservatives, dark money, and real estate interests, or a community organizer who has spent years fighting for working class people. We proudly endorse Kenneth Zuniga for Mayor of Vista.

City Council District 1: Corinna Contreras

Vista’s District 1, which covers from the center to the northwest corridors of the city, is currently represented by Corinna Contreras, who is seeking reelection after falling short in her primary bid for California’s 48 district. Contreras has a track record as a bankable supporter of DSA’s goals. She is against ALPRs, opposes local police cooperation with ICE, and campaigned for Congress on ending the genocide in Gaza, Medicare for All, and strengthening the rights of tenants and blue collar workers.

Running against Contreras are Frank Nunez, a local small business owner, and Yolanda Kenniston-Alvarez. Nunez, who serves on the Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors, is campaigning largely on public safety, listing equipping police and firefighters with adequate resources at the top of his campaign website issues. His current endorsements are from prominent local GOP members, including outgoing Vista Mayor John Franklin.

Kenniston-Alvarez, a resident of Vista for 40 years, touts her experience working with Head Start and community advocacy as a résumé that attests to her being a representative who will focus on fair treatment for all residents. Her campaign promises efforts to make Vista more safe, vibrant, and transparent, with improved education and local economics, but is light on details as to how she would get the City there.

As a proven voice and defender of DSA priorities for this district, we do not see any reason to stray from Contreras. Nunez appears poised to push GOP agendas if elected and Kenniston-Alvarez is too unknown, unproven, and nondescript in how she would operate on the council.

We recommend Corinna Contreras.

City Council District 4: No Recommendation

Dan O’Donnell is up for reelection in the city’s District 4, with his only opposition being challenger Josh Davis, a first-time candidate. O’Donnell, elected in 2022, boasts a massive list of Democratic endorsements (San Diego Democratic Party, San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council, and many local Democratic leaders) along with backing from the Vista Firefighters and Deputy Sheriff’s Association. O’Donnell’s tenure has leaned closer to a moderate Democratic voice for the city than a true progressive. Although O’Donnell was part of a unanimous council vote in 2025 against implementing ALPRs at the time, he’s expressed openness to further discussions on Flock cameras rather than outright rejecting them. Vista currently does not have ALPRs and the topic has been up for recent discussion as the Council as a whole weighs the pros and cons. His campaign page does not list many DSA priorities, such as banning ALPRs and limiting police cooperation with ICE, but is instead centered on his record of championing fiscal responsibility, public safety, and local infrastructure. Significantly, O’Donnell has endorsed Joe Green for Vista Mayor, who is running against our endorsed candidate, Kenneth Zuniga.

Davis, who lists his profession as a product manager at a public safety technology company, is campaigning as an everyday man who will not be influenced by political parties or special interest groups. But given the unknowns about him, we cannot recommend him for this election.

Although O’Donnell has some accomplishments that lean progressive, such as ushering in policies to cap rent on new apartment developments, his overall portfolio in office and support for Joe Green, and reluctance to be flat-out against ALPRs leave us not feeling comfortable enough to say he will be a strong DSA ally. We have no recommendation for this race.

Vista Unified School District Measure N: Yes

In the Vista Unified School District, voters are being asked to vote on Measure N, a $30M bond to repair leaky roofs, plumbing, and sewer systems, update inefficient air conditioning systems, build multipurpose classrooms, and repair aging schools. We recommend a Yes vote on Measure N.

Escondido

Mayor: Elias Velazquez

Escondido’s mayor race has Democrat Elias Velazquez challenging Republican incumbent Dane White. White is running for his second term, campaigning on his cruel approach to addressing homelessness. He passed a camping ban and has increased enforcement of encampments in Escondido, prioritizing policing and addiction treatment over housing. White criticized community members concerned about the Escondido Police Department’s contract with ICE for use of its firing range, saying they were overreacting and claiming they were not from the community. He even used that issue to fundraise for his mayoral campaign.

Velazquez works at homelessness nonprofit Brother Benno’s and has a policy platform with a lot of great progressive issues. He supports cancelling the city’s contract with ICE, creating more affordable housing and a compassionate approach to end homelessness through housing and rental assistance. His law enforcement approach to public safety has us concerned, but he is a substantial improvement from White. We recommend a vote for Elias Velazquez for mayor of Escondido.

City Council District 1: Vanessa Valenzuela

District 1 of Escondido City Council represents the north-central portion of Escondido. The two candidates in the race are Tanner Horsley, a Republican endorsed by the Lincoln Club, and Vanessa Valenzuela, a Democrat endorsed by the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council.

This will be Vanessa’s third attempt at this City Council seat; however, odds may be in her favor as the incumbent Consuelo Martinez, who did not run for reelection, won handily as a Democrat. Vanessa is running as an unabashed progressive with a platform solidly in line with DSA’s: cancelling contracts with ICE, community oversight over the police, enacting rent control, a vacancy tax and funding affordable housing, improving public transit and bike infrastructure, supporting good union jobs with Project Labor Agreements, and the list goes on. Third time’s the charm?

We recommend Vanessa Valenzuela.

City Council District 2: Anthony Dimartino

District 2 of Escondido City Council represents the northern and eastern edges of Escondido. The race pits incumbent Joe Garcia, a Republican, against Anthony DiMartino, a Democrat. Joe is a pastor and his campaign website focuses on “bipartisanship,” and a platform of fixing roads and funding cops. DiMartino currently works at a criminal justice reform nonprofit and was motivated to run after speaking at City Council against Escondido’s contract with ICE. Dimartino’s platform is generally left-of-center with a center bent, focusing primarily on good governance. We don’t expect Dimartino to be a socialist once in office, but he seems to be a step in the right direction for Escondido.

We recommend Anthony Dimartino.

El Cajon

Mayor: Alexander Kraft

In the county of San Diego, El Cajon is one of the last places you might imagine a growing socialist movement to form. It has the reputation as a conservative stronghold as with many parts of East County. Yet, here we are with Alexander Kraft at the forefront. Kraft is running for mayor as an independent and unabashed socialist against the 12-year incumbent, MAGA fanboy Bill Wells. Wells has sat in the seat largely unopposed until now. In its earnest effort to create change, this campaign uniquely has united the left in East County and San Diego as a whole. DSA, WFP, and PFP have come together in the last four months working hard to knock on thousands of doors in El Cajon. He has accrued an impressive number of endorsements including SEIU Local 221, AFT Local 1931, the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, Teamsters, and more.

Kraft is a labor organizer, former educator, and long-time activist local to El Cajon. His five-point program addresses housing affordability, guarantees union wages, stops ECPD collaboration with federal immigration enforcement, improves city infrastructure, and audits the police budget to reallocate funding to community needs. All of these strategies come together to address El Cajon's homeless population by making it easier to get off the street and keep off the street in the first place. Additionally, his most ambitious, yet exciting promise is to reinvigorate community spaces like Parkway Plaza by transforming it into a walkable neighborhood hub complete with affordable homes and mixed use community spaces for recreation, education, and entertainment.

There is only one candidate in this race willing to fight to improve the lives of the people in El Cajon,and to protect its vibrant and diverse immigrant communities with a vision of the city he’s working toward instead of against.

We wholeheartedly endorse Alexander Kraft for Mayor of El Cajon.

City Council District 1: No Recommendation

El Cajon’s District 1, which covers the western portion of the city and is centered around Fletcher Hills, is the only seat currently held by a Democrat, Gary Kendrick. Kendrick flipped parties earlier this year after serving nearly 25 years on the council as a Republican, but his tenure is coming to an end, as he withdrew from the race over the summer due to health concerns. Stepping into the race are three relatively unknown candidates: Patrick Grillot, Osama Bayati and former Coronado Police Chief Chief Chuck Kaye.

Grillot, a Democrat, currently works as a healthcare program manager and has served for the past five years on the city’s oversight committee for police and fire department spending. His campaign promises several priorities that align with DSA: term limits, taking big money out of politics, repealing policies that direct police to collaborate with ICE, and a focus on affordability. He has endorsements from the San Diego County Democratic Party, the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council l, San Diego Democrats for Equality and a host of other democratic organizations.

A Republican, Kaye is endorsed by the San Diego Republican Party, Carl DeMaio’s Reform California, and a long list of GOP elected officials and law enforcement leaders. His focus is on redeveloping Parkway Plaza, revitalizing the city’s downtown and city infrastructure, and public safety. His campaign materials, however, are light on specifics as to how he would achieve these goals, and his bevy of GOP endorsements don’t lend any faith to his policies aligning with anything close to progressive values.

Born in Baghdad, Bayati moved stateside when he was 9 and is currently finishing a degree in business and political science. His campaign is focused on enacting term limits, saying they are necessary to prevent the consolidation of power (Bayati specifically notes that Kendrick has served on the council longer than he has been alive), investing in programs to help develop youth in graduating and seeking careers, and establishing new resources to aid small businesses. Regarding ALPRs, Bayati’s campaign page says that he supports “modern policing” but would oppose expansion of Flock cameras, which are currently used in El Cajon, unless there were to be transparency and accountability.

Regarding ALPRs, Grillot’s available campaign materials do not make any reference. All things considered, these are three unproven candidates with no record of holding an elected office and representing the issues of their constituents. We’re confident in saying Kaye would likely not make for a DSA ally in any form. Although this city council is decidedly red and Grillot and Bayati are each campaigning on some stances that match DSA priorities, we do not feel as though we know enough about how either would perform as a reliable, progressive partner to recommend Grillot or Bayati in this election.

Grossmont Union High School District

The recent news cycle surrounding the Grossmont Union High School Board reads less like that of a mid-sized school board than it does a MAGA-infused fiefdom. Allegations include secretive messaging, racially-charged comments, LGBTQ discrimination, firings, lawsuits, school prayer, and limits on protestors.

This election cycle, constituents will have the chance to vote out two members of this embroiled board and replace another in what many see as an opportunity to bring some sense of reason back to a district of roughly 16,000 students.

We’ll list our recommendations on each of the three seats up for grabs below, but first is an abbreviated summary of why this board has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

In 2025, despite protests from students and parents, the board voted to remove 61 school employees, including all of its librarians. Months later, the San Diego Union Tribune first reported that school trustees allegedly used private text and email threads to discuss official board business, reportedly naming allies to elevate to leadership positions and plotting against those deemed to be disloyal. The fallout prompted public calls for members of the board to resign.

In late 2025, a former district special education teacher was awarded $700,000 in a civil suit where she alleged that she was harassed over her sexual identity, retaliated against by the board, and called part of an “LGBTQ coven” by trustee Jim Kelly, who is up for reelection this November in Seat 5.

This past June, budget controversy erupted again after the board voted to add nearly $4 million to the school’s athletic coffers, a move that angered many still reeling after the cuts to librarians and other staff. Adding more fuel to fire, Kelly was accused of making racially-charged remarks at a board meeting defending the budget.

After teachers spent three years developing a proposed ethnic studies curriculum, Board President Gary Woods was criticized when he proposed an alternative program developed by a libertarian think tank during a board meeting. The board also received pushback after a proposal that would have potentially loosened restrictions around school prayer and another measure to limit where protestors could stand during board meetings. The board eventually pulled back from both proposals.

Given this fantastically long list of controversies, we are recommending all three board candidates backed by the Grossmont Education Association, as we see each as a better representative than their respective incumbents or opposition. Details on each race are below.

Board of Trustees Area 3: Jenne Littrell

Littrell, who has worked as a mental health counselor, assistant principal, and associate superintendent at San Mateo County Office of Education, is running against incumbent Gary Woods. Littrell has the endorsement of several labor unions, including Grossmont Education Association. Unfortunately, one of those endorsements is the El Cajon Police Officers Association. She promises commitments to school safety, budgets focused on classroom development, and an open-door policy on decision making. As Woods has been complicit if not a driving force behind many of the board’s controversies, we recommend Jenne Littrell.

Board of Trustees Area 4: Steve Mull

Seat 4 is being vacated by Robert Shield, whose term ends this December and is not seeking reelection. Mull is the Grossmont Education Association’s pick for the seat. A former principal at Lakeside School District for 20 years, he has spoken out against the district’s library cuts and increases to the athletic budget. He’s also said that the board’s past actions of withholding support for LGBTQ staff and students is the wrong path for the district. Opposing Mull are Charissa McCullough, a registered Republican and Moms for Liberty activist who lists her occupations as mortgage loans and education, and Jimmy Moreno, an Independent. We trust the teacher’s union endorsement and positions Mull has taken as enough reason to recommend Steve Mull.

Board of Trustees Area 5: Pete Mergens

Mergens is running against incumbent Jim Kelly. If you were keeping score in the rundown on the school board’s transgressions, he’s the guy who allegedly called a former teacher a “witch” and part of an “LGBTQ coven” in addition to recently defending the multimillion dollar athletic budget increase as helping “fatherless” kids from poor Black and Hispanic backgrounds. We’d sooner recommend a write-in vote for your favorite vegetable over a candidate with this history of hateful rhetoric, but thankfully there is a challenger with real credentials here in Pete Mergens. Mergens' background as an educator and his publicly stated positions make him a strong potential leader for this embattled district board. A teacher at West Hills High School for 36 years, Mergens says he wants to bring back the school’s librarians in addition to ending a board’s governing style of domineering leadership. He told KPBS: “It doesn't matter whether it's an LGBTQ kid. It doesn't matter if that kid has a different skin color. It doesn't matter if that kid has a different religious background. It doesn't matter if that kid has anything different from you. We have the responsibility for all kids plain and simple.” We recommend Pete Mergens.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

Board of Trustees Area 5: Mary Gwin

In solidarity with AFT Guild Local 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices. Thus, we recommend a vote for Mary Gwin.

Measure G: Yes

In the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, voters are being asked to vote on Measure G, a $624M bond to improve and expand career training classrooms, remove asbestos and mold from buildings, and reduce wildfire threats. We recommend a Yes vote on Measure G.

Chula Vista

Mayor: No Recommendation

John McCann, the current incumbent, won the primary last June with 56.1% (30,921) of the votes and Francisco Tamayo, a Democrat, came in second with 39.5% (21,801) of the votes. McCann's record on homelessness is a mixed bag. He has pushed for sweeping bans of homeless encampments but also supports construction of permanent supportive housing projects. Likewise, he has refused to condemn ICE activity in the county which was the likely reason for his loss to Democrat Paloma Aguirre when he ran for County Supervisor. He cites his status as an officer in the US Navy Reserves claiming it prevents him from taking stands on city immigration policies but this claim has been questioned by military experts.

Tamayo is a school board trustee at the Chula Vista Elementary School District and not a perfect candidate either. There appear to be some controversies in his past including pressuring colleagues to award contracts to favored vendors, pressuring staff to support his election campaign, the SD County Dems nearly censuring him for ousting a fellow Democratic school board member, and rumors that he got his ex-wife a job in Chula Vista Elementary's payroll department (she is a former dentist). That sketchiness in his past could be surmounted if he were a candidate advocating for real transformational change, but he appears to be just a typical moderate. He advocates for increased police presence in neighborhoods and expansion of drone and "technology" programs (AKA mass surveillance).

McCann appears positioned to defend his seat and the Dem challenger is relatively weak. Since neither candidate aligns with our platform, we have no recommendation for this race.

City Council District 1: No Recommendation

Incumbent Democrat Carolina Chavez is facing Republican challenger Greg Martinez. Martinez has distinguished himself in this race as a Facebook troll, seemingly spending most of his campaign efforts sharing AI graphics and false stories of voter fraud. He is no choice for socialists (or for anybody left of center).

Chavez, meanwhile, is running for reelection after her unsuccessful run for County Supervisor in last year’s special election – where she distinguished herself as the most conservative Democrat running (Voice of San Diego even notes she sounded “more like a Republican than a Democrat” in that race). On the City Council, she has been a consistent vote for expanding the police department’s budget and continuing the use of Flock surveillance technology that encroaches on residents’ privacy and puts immigrant communities in jeopardy.

Chula Vista deserves better options. We have no recommendation in this race.

City Council District 2: No Recommendation

Incumbent Democrat Jose Preciado is facing Republican challenger Angelica Martinez. Martinez is campaigning on a “law and order” platform, is endorsed by the election-denying Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and by the odious Carl DeMaio, and seems to be part of a wave of Trumpian candidates in South County. Needless to say, nobody should consider voting for her.

On the other hand, Preciado has not done much (positive) to distinguish himself on the Council. Like the rest of the Chula Vista Council, he has been a reliable vote for continuing and expanding the use of Flock surveillance technology. He was also instrumental in the City’s decision to force the demolition of parklets in the Third Avenue Village area, which had provided outdoor dining opportunities downtown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have no recommendation in this race.

Imperial Beach

Mayor: Matthew Lebya-Gonzalez

Karl Bradley seems to be relatively unknown. He was a public school administrator for three decades. When he was with the Sweetwater Union High School District, he refused to participate in ongoing corruption and eventually testified before a grand jury on the matter. He claims to be running as a "progressive mayor" and supports construction of new affordable housing. But his platform is vague and lacks detail.

Mitch McKay was appointed mayor, after previously serving as a council member, when Paloma Aguirre became County Supervisor. The rationale was that the city could not afford to fund a special election to fill the seat but this rubbed some residents the wrong way. McKay formerly worked in the local aerospace industry.

Matthew Lebya-Gonzalez is a current IB city council member. He previously worked in the construction trades for 20 years, is a member of LIUNA Local 89, and works for the SD Building and Construction Trades Council. When he ran for council member he received the endorsements of LIUNA, SD Building and Trades Council, IB Dems, SD Dems, SEIU Local 221, Ironworkers Local 229 and SD and Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO. There has been some controversy surrounding his failure to report earnings from the labor council while in office. He ultimately did end up filing amendments to report those earnings.

The biggest issue facing IB currently is the ongoing sewage issue from the Tijuana River, which has affected tourism to the city. All candidates express a commitment to continue pressuring federal agencies for solutions. Due to his strong connection to labor and his experience in city government, we recommend Matthew Lebya-Gonzalez for Imperial Beach Mayor.

City Council District 1: Jose Lopez Eguino

District 1 of Imperial Beach is the north side of Palm Avenue running along the bike path that separates the city from the bay. D1 incumbent Carol Seabury will not be seeking reelection in 2026, and has endorsed MAGA Republican Steve Berry, owner of a local printing shop in IB who shares Seabury’s pro-business approach to policy making.

Challenging Berry is Jose Lopez Eguino, a trustee for Area 2 of the South Bay Union School District and the director for the San Diego office of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, a multi-issue community organization primarily focused on housing issues and tenants rights. Lopez Eguino is a loud and proud progressive socialist that has already changed the lives of many by championing tenant protection ordinances throughout the South Bay and seeks to continue this fight on the Imperial Beach city council. He is endorsed by labor organizations including the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, SEIU Local 221, District 1 County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, and San Diego City Councilman for D9 Sean Elo-Rivera. Lopez Eguino has demonstrated himself as the only candidate worth supporting in D1, therefore we recommend Jose Lopez Eguino for IB D1.

City Council District 3: No Recommendation

District 3 in Imperial Beach is largely the northern coastal area of the city. Mariko Nakawatase is the incumbent, but she’s never won an election. Mariko was appointed to this City Council seat in 2025 after former Councilmember Mitch McKay became IB mayor, filling the vacancy left when Paloma Aguirre was elected to the County Board of Supervisors. Nakawatase is a Republican, who has been on record as recently as last year praising the work that Donald Trump has done in office. Her opponent is … nowhere to be found. Democrat O’mar Diallo will be listed on the ballot, but he dropped out of the race in late September. His campaign wasn’t really inspiring to begin with, and now we absolutely have no recommendation in this race.