Cal NORML Election Guide to Cannabis Candidates
May/June 2026 Primary Election
Got input on candidates or races? Write here.
Artwork: Ruth Anne
Quick Links: EXECUTIVE / CONGRESS / STATE SENATE / STATE ASSEMBLY / LOCAL
Governor
Xavier Becerra – In 2016, as California’s Attorney General, Becerra told Politico he would be defending California’s new law legalizing marijuana against possible federal interference, and admitted he tried weed “at a younger time.” Asked if it was illegal then, he compared it to driving over the speed limit. “Cannabis is last century’s argument. We’re beyond that,” he said. He continued the CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting) program (as have all AGs) and in 2020, he joined 34 other AGs to urge Congress to provide banking services for licensed cannabis businesses. In 2013, as US Secretary of Health and Human Services, oversaw the agency’s recommendation that cannabis should be reclassified as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act, something that’s back in the news. Becerra has a longer record of public service in both state and federal government than all the other candidates. He compiled a consistently good voting record over 24 years as a Congressman from L.A.
Chad Bianco – Riverside sheriff Bianco is a crusty, old-style, right-wing Republican who takes a tough line on drug issues. A former narcotics officer, he is the only candidate on record as opposing legal marijuana, and he thinks legalization has exacerbated the problem of illegal grows. (Cannabis growers can’t be licensed in most of his district; a horrible homicide in Riverside left seven dead at an illicit farm in 2020.) Last year, commenting on news that that California’s Department of Cannabis Control lost a lawsuit alleging they failed to stop illegal operations, Bianco commented, “Another failed agency from a failed State agenda….Legal marijuana was doomed from the start. It was a scam to begin with but once passed it was going to actually take work to make it successful.” Reportedly Bianco said that all marijuana is laced with fentanyl at a campaign event. He seized voting records in Riverside in a MAGA-inspired goose-chase for voter fraud, before the courts stopped him.
Steve Hilton – Former Fox News host Hilton is the other Republican front-runner in the race and the one that Trump endorsed. Like Bianco, he is critical of California’s Democratic supermajority. Unlike Bianco, his views on cannabis legalization are unknown. Given the Trump administration’s bold rescheduling order, it’s not impossible that they are favorable. One of his CalDOGE investigations concluded the $370 million in cannabis taxes earmarked yearly for youth drug prevention is largely misspent, including funding Democratic-leaning organizations. The same organizations lobbied forcefully to raise the cannabis excise tax last year in order to keep their funding.
Matt Mahan – The moderate Democrat in the race, Mahan is the popular mayor of San Jose who has made strides against homelessness in the city. He was typically supportive of local dispensaries, except for one zoning vote. Mahan styles himself as a social liberal, but is mostly interested in economic issues. Local activists give him a thumbs up.
Katie Porter – Porter takes pride in being the only candidate who never accepts corporate donations. She is particularly interested in economic issues, but has consistently voted well on marijuana bills. She has co-sponsored the SAFE Banking Act and the MORE Act to legalize at the federal level, with equity and human rights components. She voted well on other bills, and declared support for legal marijuana in response to a questionnaire from Cal NORML in a past race.
Tom Steyer – A self-styled progressive, hedge fund billionaire Steyer has bombarded the air with over $100 million in commercials, spending multiple times more on his campaign than all other candidates combined. Steyer is an outspoken champion of environment and climate legislation, but has made no campaign pronouncements on cannabis (but now that rescheduling has happened perhaps a reporter will actually ask candidates about it.) In 2020, while running for President, Steyer was overheard supporting legalization, saying “I’m from California, are you kidding me?” He also vocally advocates “restorative justice.” At a debate on KRON TV in which Bianco and Hilton blamed homeless on drug addiction, Steyer advanced his plan to provide emergency shelter without requiring residents be “clean” (from drugs). Like all candidates, however, he endorses mandatory treatment for delinquent addicts.
Also running: The ballot is cluttered with another 56(!) candidates for governor. Among the more notable are:
– Former LA Mayor and Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa, a former labor leader and ACLU president who styles himself as a problem solver and has admitted to using marijuana. As mayor, Villaraigosa presided silently over the introduction of medical marijuana clubs into the city (no one had dared open one during the administration of his Republican predecessor).
– State Education Superintendent Tony Thurmond. A solid progressive, Thurmond posted a good voting record in the Assembly, where as chair of the Labor Committee he supported a Cal NORML-sponsored bill for employees’ right to use marijuana off the job .
Lieutenant Governor
Fiona Ma – As state treasurer, Ma has been a longtime supporter of cannabis and of lowering taxes on cannabis. She responded to Cal NORML/CCIA’s 2026 Candidate Survey, saying she would support addressing “cannabis deserts” with no licensed businesses, streamlining state/local permitting and regulations, and encouraging cannabis tourism in our state. She also supports intensifying enforcement against the illicit market, and measuring enforcement effectiveness in terms of market growth/stability/outcomes. And she’s for providing MediCal and worker’s comp coverage for medicinal cannabis, and funding state-sponsored research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis products.
Ma wrote, “We need to overturn Prop 64. It’s a complete failure,” something she was interviewed about in High Times. She testified before Congress in favor of banking for cannabis businesses. She also offered a response to rescheduling, saying, “I welcome the long-overdue decision to reclassify cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, a step that will provide meaningful relief by ending the unjust application of IRS Code Section 280E and beginning to dismantle barriers that have shut legitimate businesses out of the financial system. But let us be clear: reclassification alone is not enough.”
Attorney General
Rob Bonta sponsored bills to regulate medical cannabis, lower taxes on cannabis, and protect employment rights of cannabis users while in the Legislature. As AG he helped expedite the clearing of criminal records for past cannabis offenses.
CONGRESS
Here are some of the frontrunners in key new Congressional districts (all are up for election). Many are in crowded fields in these top-two primaries.
Don’t know your district? Look it up.
Find office holders’ NORML ratings.
Got input on candidates or races? Write here.
CD1
Mike McGuire (A rating at NORML) has a strong voting record and authored one of the three bills that regulated medical marijuana in California in 2015. He favors adult-use legalization, but opposed Prop. 64 until such time as regulation of medical cannabis could be solidified. He strongly supports local regulation and was a key opponent of outlawing local delivery bans.
James Gallagher (D- rating) has a bad voting record in the state legislature, slightly improved in 2024 with yes votes on ending double cannabis taxation at local level, and allowing small farmers to sell directly to consumers.
CD6
Martha Guerrero – West Sacramento Mayor has local activist support; she voted in favor of cannabis licensing
Thien Ho – Sacramento’s district attorney
Dr. Richard Pan – Along with other Democrats, Sen. Pan voted against a 2012 bill to reduce charges in marijuana cultivation cases, after strong police opposition. As chair of the Senate Health committee in 2018, he voted for a bill to redirect cannabis tax funds for youth programs despite the Dept. of Health Care Services writing an opposition letter saying it would require them to exercise preferential treatment. In 2022, he authored a bill to require costly, badly designed new label warnings on all cannabis products.
Kevin Kiley (D+ NORML rating) voted wrong on nearly every key vote in the Assembly, although he did vote for cannabis compassion programs, automatic resentencing, and a resolution to ask the DOJ to allow cannabis businesses.
CD14
Victor Aguilar, Jr. is a Brownie Mary Club Member and San Leandro councilmember
Sen. Aisha Wahab (C rating) – Rather weak voting record for a Democrat. Voted against cannabis cafes and farmers markets, but also against restrictive labeling for cannabis products in 2024.
This is one of many crowded fields.
CD20
Vince Fong (D-) posted a terrible voting record on marijuana & drug issues in the CA Assembly, just like his former boss, Kevin McCarthy.
CD22
Asm. Jasmeet Bains (B-) – Dr. Bains is the medical director of a network of Bakersfield addiction treatment centers. Has voted well, except on cannabis cafe bills, from which she has abstained. Shut down any discussion of relative harms of cannabis and tobacco smoke in committee, scolding us by saying, “Smoking is bad, people” and leaving in a huff.
Randy Villegas – A progressive who’s said to have a fundraising lead. Endorsed by Bernie Sanders, Dolores Huerta, Ro Khanna, Lateefah Simon, others.
David G. Valadao (D+) – As an Assemblymember, Valadao voted against every marijuana reform measure and opposed recreational legalization, but co-sponsored an industrial hemp bill. In Congress, he supported the SAFE banking act and medical marijuana research, but joined other Republicans in opposing the Democrats’ MORE legalization bill. One of just two Republican House members running for re-election who voted to impeach Donald Trump.
CD23
Jay Obernolte (D+) has had a poor voting record in the legislature and Congress. He did vote yes on a state bill (AB2020) to expand places where cannabis events can be held, and was absent for a vote on a resolution to the federal government to allow state-legal cannabis programs (AJR 27). Twice he voted against cannabis compassion programs for needy patients (SB 34).
CD26
Asm. Jacqui Irwin (C-) Mixed voting record. Sponsored failed bills to ban cannabis billboards and impose restrictive labeling requirements on cannabis products; voted against cannabis cafes; skipped votes on employment rights, medical access. To her credit, she did move AB 2555, a bill to extend cannabis compassion programs, through a key committee she chaired in 2024.
Fellow Democrat Chris Espinosa is challenging her.
CD38
Hilda Solis, a former Congresswoman, championed cannabis business licensing “that is rooted in equitable access, strong and effective enforcement, and community awareness and education” as an LA County Supervisor. She has also championed Prop. 47’s implemetation, saying she is is “deeply concerned about rising deaths within our correctional health system, driven in large part by overdoses….Every person in custody deserves timely, adequate, and humane health care, and we must continue working to achieve this goal.”
Monica Sánchez has the endorsement of Linda Sánchez, who is vacating the seat to run in the 41st. She’s either (or both?) Pico Rivera Councilmember / Montebello Mayor Pro Tem.
CD40
Ken Calvert (F) has voted badly on every cannabis bill in Congress.
Young Kim (D+) had a poor voting record in the state legislature except on more recent regulatory bills, and she opposed Prop. 64. In Congress, she voted against the MORE Act but supported the SAFE Banking Act.
CD41
Linda Sánchez (B+) Co-sponsored the SAFE Banking Act of 2021, voted well on other bills.
CD48
Incredibly crowded field; no incumbent.
Corinna Contreras (D) Vista City Councilmember
Jim Desmond (R) San Diego County Supervisor
STATE LEGISLATURE
Find office holders’ NORML ratings.
Got input on candidates or races? Write here.
Senate
State Senate District 4
Marie Alvarado-Gil (R) (B-) Mixed voting record in CA Legislature. Voted for cannabis cafes and against restrictive labeling on cannabis products. Was absent for employment rights vote and voted against farmer’s market bill. Sponsored a bill to forfeit property from illicit cannabis growers; took amends from Cal NORML to target grows of 1,000 plants or more. Switched from a Democrat to a Republican in mid-2024.
Also in the race: County Supervisor Jaron Brandon (D) and Alexandra Duarte (R) mother/farmer
State Senate District 10
Aisha Wahab’s East Bay district.
Scott Sakakihara (D) – Union City councilmember; served in Obama White House. Endorsed by State Senator Jesse Arreguín, Assemblymember Bill Quirk (Ret.), East Bay Young Democrats, unions.
David Cohen is a member of the San Jose City Council
Anne Kepner is a member of the West Valley-Mission Community College District Board of Trustees
Raymond Liu is a member of the Fremont City Council
State Senate District 12
Shannon Grove’s district.
Nathan Magsig (R) is a member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors
Louis Miramontes (R)
William Brown Jr. (L)
State Senate District 24
Ben Allen’s district (running for Insurance commissioner)
Eric Alegria is a member of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District school board
Dr. Sion Roy is a physician, professor, and education advocate who is Vice Chair of the Santa Monica College Board
Zennon Ulyate-Crow was shot in the face with a rubber bullet while peacefully protesting ICE. Gen Z.
State Senate District 26
Maria Elena Durazo’s District (withdrawn?; running for LA County supervisor)
Wendy Carrillo was a communications manager for SEIU ULTCW (United Long Term Care Workers) and a communications and social media deputy for the City of Los Angeles
Sara Hernandez is a member of the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees
others…
State Senate District 40
Brian Jones’s district
Mara Elliott (D) was the San Diego City Attorney
Kristie Bruce-Lane (R)
Ed Musgrove (R)
Assembly
State Assembly Member District 3
Gallagher’s district
3 Republicans running
State Assembly Member District 12 (Petaluma)
Damon Connolly’s district
Jackie Elward is a labor organizer and the first Black woman elected to the Rohnert Park City Council. Born in the Congo.
Endorsed by: Congressmember Mike Thompson, Former Congressmember Lynn Woolsey, State Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, Former State Senator Steven Bradford, State Treasurer Fiona Ma
State Assembly Member District 27 (Fresno)
Esmeralda Soria’s district
Brian Pacheco (D) – Fresno city councilmember
Japjeet Singh Uppal (D)
Mike Murphy (R)
State Assembly Member District 34 (Barstow)
Lackey’s district
Randall Putz (D) – Former school board member, city councilmember, and three-time Mayor of Big Bear Lake. Endorsed by California Democratic Party, California Teachers Association, California Young Democrats, Communication Workers of America, and San Bernardino County Professional Firefighters Local 935, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Senator Tom Umberg, Assemblymembers Josh Lowenthal, Juan Carrillo, John Harabedian, Nick Schultz, James Ramos, Robert Garcia, Corey Jackson, and Congresswoman Norma Torres.
3 Republicans
State Assembly Member District 35 (Bakersfield)
Jasmeet Bains’s district
Andrae Gonzales (D)
Ana Palacio (D)
Saul Ayon (R)
State Assembly Member District 42 (Thousand Oaks)
Jacqui Irwin’s district
Deborah Klein Lopez (D)
Ted Nordblum (R)
Rocky Rhodes (R)
State Assembly Member District 65 (Compton)
Gipson’s district
open field
State Assembly Member District 66 (Torrance)
Muratsuchi’s district
open field
State Assembly Member District 67 (Fullerton)
Quirk-Silva’s district
open field
State Assembly Member District 68
Avelino Valencia’s district
Jessie Lopez (D)
David Penaloza (D)
Shannon Wingfield (D)
Mayra Ruiz (R)
State Assembly Member District 72 (Huntington Beach)
Diane Dixon seat
Chris Kluwe (D) An ex-NFL football player for the Minnesota Vikings, Kluwe is a strong believer in medical cannabis.
Matthew Harper (R)
Gracey Van Der Mark (R)
Frank Wagoner (No party preference)
Local Measures
City of Los Angeles – Measure CB, Apply Marijuana Tax to Unlicensed Marijuana Businesses Measure
A “yes” vote supports applying the city’s tax on cannabis businesses to unlicensed cannabis businesses, amounting to:
10% on cannabis sales; 5% on medical cannabis sales; 2% on manufacturing, cultivation, or other commercialization; and 1% on testing, research, or transportation.
A “no” vote opposes applying the city’s tax on cannabis businesses to unlicensed cannabis businesses.
San Benito County (Unincorporated Area) – Measure D, Marijuana Business Tax Increase Measure
A “yes” vote supports changing the county’s cannabis cultivation tax in unincorporated areas from a per-square-foot rate to a per-acre rate, with the cultivation tax set within a range of $1,000 to $10,000 per acre.
A “no” vote opposes changing the county’s cannabis cultivation tax in unincorporated areas from a per-square-foot rate to a per-acre rate.
