"When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. — You have to do something." — John Lewis

Primary Voter Guide

Written by

Jade Smith

in

Indivisible Ojai Valley

Download rough notes version of guide

Written by Valerie Levett

🏛️ Statewide Offices

Governor

  • Tom Steyer — ✅ ENDORSED BY CA INDIVISIBLES
    • Democratic Socialists, Bernie Sanders, Bill McKibben, and Rebecca Solnit have all endorsed him.
    • PG&E hates him, and Newsom “whiffed his opportunity to take them apart” after 90 felonies were filed against the company.
  • Xavier Becerra
    • Has taken Chevron donations and has zero environmental endorsements.

Lieutenant Governor

  • Michael Tubbs — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Grew up poor in Stockton to a single mom; graduated from Stanford.
    • Returned to Stockton and became mayor at 26 (the youngest mayor of any major city in American history), making the city more fiscally healthy.
    • Led the 1st city in CA to experiment with a Guaranteed Basic Income program with no-strings-attached payments, which reduced the local unemployment rate.
    • Became Special Adviser to Newsom for Economic Mobility and founded End Poverty in CA.
  • Josh Fryday
    • Heads Newsom’s Volunteer Office, which has become the largest service corps in the nation.
    • Former mayor of Novato and former naval officer.
    • Tons of endorsements, including Buttigieg, Barbara Boxer, Newsom, and the Sacramento Bee.
  • Fiona Ma
    • Extensive government experience, including serving as current State Treasurer.
    • Tons of endorsements from education, health care, labor unions, environmental groups, LGBTQ+, Asian, Women’s, and Housing advocates.

Secretary of State

  • Shirley Weber — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Current Secretary of State and has done a good job so far.

Controller

  • Malia Cohen — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Current Controller.

Treasurer

  • Anna Caballero — ✅ ENDORSED(Though both candidates are good)
    • Has a good, detailed plan—specifically addressing the problem of federal attacks on immigrants in CA, as well as the abuse of power by ICE.
  • Eleni Kounalakis
    • Current Lt. Governor.
    • Has tons of endorsements, including Newsom, Hillary Clinton, Schiff, Padilla, Buttigieg, and Bonta (clearly has the backing of the Democratic establishment).
    • However, she “has a weak plan and doesn’t do a great job of selling herself.”

Attorney General

  • Rob Bonta — ✅ ENDORSED

Insurance Commissioner

Why this matters: This office is crucially important. CA homeowners are discovering their insurance policies are getting canceled, and hundreds of thousands of others are stuck with a pricey option of last resort. The Commissioner has extraordinary power in influencing forestry policies as part of dealing with the wildfire threat that’s sending insurance prices soaring.

Indivisible sent a questionnaire to the candidates asking how they would help drive down risk from climate-fueled disasters (answers were reviewed with Dr. Chad Hanson of the John Muir Project). Allen, Bradford, and Wolff all promote home hardening and defensible space pruning—the wisest route rather than logging. This job also requires a legal background, numbers expertise, and someone NOT close to the insurance industry.

  • Ben Allen — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Termed-out legislator with the ability to work in Sacramento with the legislature.
    • Strong knowledge of how the insurance industry works and is regulated.
    • Funding comes from lots of PACs, unions, teachers, and nurses (though also Fanduel and gaming organizations).
  • Patrick Wolff — (Also a Good Choice)
    • Worked as a financial analyst examining insurance markets and companies.
    • Has pledged not to take money from insurance companies. Proposes insurer performance reports and clearer info for homeowners on mitigation steps.
    • Funding comes mostly from individuals, though he has accepted thousands from insurance brokers (who mostly align with consumers instead of the broader industry).
  • Steven Bradford
    • Eliminated because he does not know as much about the insurance world and its regulation as Allen.
    • Funding comes from construction/gaming PACs, and a top contributor is RJ Reynolds Tobacco.

Board of Equalization Member, District 2

What does it do? Oversees 3 main taxes: property, alcohol, and insurance, and aims to keep property taxes equal across the state.

  • Sally Lieber — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Most experienced candidate (already served 1 term).
    • Spearheading a legislative smackdown on PG&E (the company has refused to pay the taxes they owe on the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant).
    • Huge number of endorsements.

🏛️ Federal & State Legislature

26th Congressional District Representative (CA-26)

  • Chris Espinosa — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Raised in Santa Paula in a working-class family; top funders are individuals.
    • Served in senior leadership roles in the U.S. House of Representatives and national advocacy organizations; co-founder of the environmental justice organization Green Latinos.
    • Supports universal childcare, stronger tenant protections, Medicare for All, an end to corporate price gouging, and the abolition of ICE.
  • Jacqui Irwin
    • Tons of endorsements from the Democratic establishment: Brownley, Padilla, Schiff, Newsom, Monique Limón, and corporations.
    • BUT: She has an “F” rating from Courage Score. In 11 years, she’s only scored above 50 (out of 100) three times. She has supported very few progressive bills.
    • Failed to vote on bills for consumer protections, support for survivors of violence, workers’ rights, economic justice, and public safety. In 2025, she DID NOT vote for bills to unmask ICE agents. Recipient of significant contributions from real estate and law enforcement donors.

State Assembly, District 38

  • Steve Bennett — ✅ ENDORSED

🏛️ Ventura County Local Offices & Judiciary

Judge of the Superior Court, Office #15

How to judge judges? Indivisible looks at whether they are coming from the prosecutor or defense world, and who is endorsing them.

  • Mike Malak — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Endorsed for being a defense attorney and for securing Democratic endorsements.
  • Amy Van Sickle
    • The GOP endorses her.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

  • Richard Barrera — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Has a HUGE recommendation from the current superintendent, Tony Thurmond.
    • Extensive list of endorsements, including loads of elected and public officials, school administrators, Democratic clubs, and unions (including the CA Teachers Assoc.).

County Superintendent of Schools

  • Karen Sher — ✅ ENDORSED
    • Governing board member of Oxnard Union High School.
    • Endorsed by teachers and the Democratic party.
  • Cesar Morales
    • Just admitted to spiking portions of his pay by more than $15,000 in taxpayer funds without lawful authorization.
    • Multiple alleged shenanigans, including conflicts of interest involving his engagement to Misty Key, his VCOE Deputy Superintendent of Fiscal Services. Top education endorsers are actively withdrawing their support.
  • Maggie Marschner
    • Endorsed by right-wing extremists.

County Assessor

  • Keith Taylor — ✅ ENDORSED

Auditor-Controller

  • Michelle Yamaguchi — ✅ ENDORSED

Treasurer-Tax Collector

  • Marilou Tan — ✅ ENDORSED

County Clerk & Recorder

  • Michelle Ascencion — ✅ ENDORSED
  • Paul Harold Johnson — ⚠️ ELECTION DENIER!!!

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