Reform California announced growing success in recruiting and supporting Latino candidates in some of the most competitive legislative races across the state, highlighting a strong bench of candidates running in both open and contested districts.
“Some of the most competitive districts we have in California are majority Latino districts — and having a quality candidate who just happens to be Latino is definitely a plus,” said Carl DeMaio, Reform California Chairman and State Assemblymember.
DeMaio emphasized that Reform California prioritizes candidate quality and policy alignment over identity politics, while recognizing the growing number of Latino candidates stepping forward.
“While we don’t select people based on identity politics, we are proud that an amazing group of Latino candidates have stepped forward to run for office,” DeMaio added.
Building a Strong Latino Candidate Pipeline
Reform California is actively working to support Latino candidates through partnerships and voter outreach efforts, including collaboration with California Latino Voter Alliance.
Through joint voter guide campaigns and grassroots engagement targeting Latino voters in California, the effort aims to elevate conservative Latino candidates.
Latino Incumbents in Key Target Districts
Reform California highlighted several Latino incumbents currently holding competitive seats:
- Assembly District 36: Jeff Gonzalez
- Assembly District 58: Leticia Castillo
These districts are considered critical to maintaining and expanding representation in areas with significant Latino populations.
Latino Challengers Seeking to Flip Seats
In addition to incumbents, a growing number of Latino candidates are mounting challenges in districts currently held by Democrats:
- Senate District 16: Guillermo Gonzalez
- Assembly District 35: Saul Ayon
- Assembly District 50: Victoria Mageno
- Assembly District 53: Rafaela Romero
- Assembly District 60: Ed Delgado
- Assembly District 66: Jessica Maldonado
- Assembly District 67: Paulo Morales
- Assembly District 76: Carrie Villanueva Espinoza
Reform California says these races represent some of the most competitive opportunities in the 2026 election cycle.
Focus on Competitive Districts
According to Reform California, many of these districts are majority Latino and highly contested, making candidate recruitment and voter outreach especially important.
The organization emphasized that its approach is centered on supporting candidates who can effectively communicate solutions on cost of living, public safety, and government accountability — issues that resonate strongly with voters across diverse communities.
As the 2026 election cycle progresses, Reform California says it will continue expanding its candidate support and voter engagement efforts statewide.
