State Assembly, District 26

Why does this race matter? 

This Assembly seat opened up when incumbent Democrat Evan Low launched a run for Congress. The district includes Cupertino, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and is home to the headquarters of tech giants like Apple, NVIDIA and LinkedIn.

What does a state Assembly member do?

State Assembly members represent communities at the California state Legislature in Sacramento. The 80 members of the state Assembly write and vote on state bills, serve on policy committees and vote on the annual state budget. The winner of this race will serve a two-year term.

Candidates

Patrick Ahrens
Patrick AhrensTrustee, Foothill-DeAnza Community College DistrictDemocrat
Tara Sreekrishnan
Tara SreekrishnanVice President, Santa Clara County Board of EducationDemocrat

Key Supporters

This list represents notable organizations and individuals who have taken a position on the ballot measure or candidate, or who are funding campaigns in support or opposition. This list is not exhaustive, and may be updated.

For Ahrens

  • Anna Eshoo, U.S. representative
  • Evan Low, state Assembly member
  • California Democratic Party
  • Equality California
  • Planned Parenthood Advocates for Mar Monte

For Sreekrishnan

  • Dave Cortese, state senator
  • Isabel Jubes Flamerich, president, Sunnyvale School District Board of Education
  • California Democratic Legislative Women’s Caucus
  • California Environmental Voters
  • Sierra Club California
 

Positions on Key Issues
Candidate summaries are based on interviews with the candidates, questionnaires, statements made at debates and public events, and past news coverage.

What is your plan to reduce homelessness in California?

Ahrens says his work will be informed by his experience with homelessness earlier in his life. “This area got more and more expensive, and I found myself having to live in my Ford Escort hatchback edition while getting an education,” he remembers. As a member of the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, he backed a proposal to spend $200 million on affordable housing for students and faculty, a plan he wants to scale statewide.
Sreekrishnan touts her work in the office of state Sen. Dave Cortese on a guaranteed income program for homeless youth in Santa Clara County. “I would address the root causes [of homelessness] which are getting folks into housing, getting them jobs, and making sure students have access to high-quality education, even from their very early years.”

How will your experience governing local education inform the work you plan to do in Sacramento?

Ahrens says he will work to “address the inequities that exist in our state budget in terms of education. In our district alone, you see Cupertino Unified School District get thousands of dollars less per pupil than some of the other school districts.” Ahrens says the Legislature needs to deliver robust funding for community colleges and make it easier for districts to offer a bachelor’s degree, like DeAnza College will soon offer in Automotive Technology Management.
Sreekrishnan highlights her experience balancing budgets on the county board of education, despite not having the ability to ask voters to approve taxes or bonds. “So that means we have to live within our means while also providing high quality programs for thousands of students.” Sreekishnan touts the School Wellness Centers launched in Santa Clara County, which provide students a place to relax and connect with wellness staff — an idea she says she’ll pursue statewide.

Do you support Proposition 36, the November ballot measure that would enact new felonies for theft and drug crimes by rolling back pieces of the voter-approved Proposition 47?

Ahrens says he is neutral on Proposition 36 and will not vote “yes” or “no” on the measure. “Whatever it is that we're doing now is not working and I think public opinion is very clear that it's not working,” Ahrens says. “There's also a lot of misinformation, frankly, out there on the state of public safety and what is a solution … I think people feel less safe, even though violent crime is going down.”
Sreekrishnan opposes Proposition 36, arguing that bills recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom offer a more effective strategy for reducing retail theft. “For me, Prop 36 doesn’t go far enough on property and violent crime, and its price tag for taxpayers — hundreds of millions of dollars — is far too high.”

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