With 15 out of California's 120 state legislators hailing from the LGBTQ community, the Statehouse has now reached 12% out representation. It is an increase from two years ago when the Golden State's Legislature became the first to have 10% of its membership be queer.
This year's milestone is due to the new class of lesbian, gay, and bisexual legislators following the November 5 election. They include a number of firsts, though there will still be no transgender member.
Gay state Senator Christopher Cabaldon (D-West Sacramento), a former mayor of his hometown, is the first Filipino American in the state Senate. Elected to the sprawling Senate District 13 that covers six different counties, Cabaldon is also the first out legislator to represent portions of the Bay Area's Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, and Napa counties.
"In two days, I will become the latest of ~100 Californians since 1849 to represent Yolo, Solano, Napa & Sonoma counties + the Sacramento/Contra Costa area of the Delta in the Senate. Their legacy is daunting, inspiring & emboldening," wrote Cabaldon in a post on his Bluesky account.
State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Alhambra) is now the first bisexual woman to serve in the upper chamber. She represents the 25th Senate District spanning Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Meanwhile, Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) is the first bisexual woman in the lower chamber and the first out Black Latina to serve in the Legislature.
Gay Assemblymember Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) is the first out Republican elected to a legislative seat. He represents Assembly District 75 in San Diego County.
Meanwhile, the Assembly has two new gay Latino Democratic members, as Assemblymembers Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles) now represents Assembly District 54 and José Luis Solache (D-Lynwood) represents Assembly District 62.
Solache began the day by sharing his official headshot to his Facebook campaign account.
"RISE and SHINE The day is finally here and I'm ready to serve," he wrote.
Gonzalez received a warm welcome message from his now former boss whom he succeeded, Miguel Santiago, who noted in a Thanksgiving post on X, "As I prepare to pass the torch, I am thrilled to welcome AD-54's next Assemblymember, Mark Gonzalez, who will be sworn in this Monday. As my former District Director, Mark has proven his dedication to our community and is ready to hit the ground running on day one. Team Santiago forever!"
Lesbian state Senator Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona) is the new representative for Senate District 3. Her younger sister Clarissa, who is queer and bisexual, lost her race to succeed Cervantes in the 58th Assembly District; at Monday's swearing in ceremony Republican Leticia Castillo took her oath of office for the seat spanning Riverside and San Bernardino counties. (As late as Sunday, Clarissa Cervantes was asking her voters to ensure their ballots hadn't been rejected in hopes of making up her current 641-vote deficit ahead of the December 5 deadline for county elections officials to certify their results.)
The freshmen legislators join returning gay state Senators Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), bisexual Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose), and gay Assemblymembers Corey A. Jackson, Ph.D., (D-Perris), Chris Ward (D-San Diego) and Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood). They all won reelection last month, while gay Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and lesbian Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) were not up this year.
"I look forward to my LGBTQ+ family growing in the Legislature because representation is more important than ever if we want a fighting chance in the battles ahead of us," stated Menjivar.
Added Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang, "These new members continue to ensure that our caucus reflects the full diversity and strength of our community. LGBTQ+ people belong in every room and deserve a seat at every table where decisions impacting our community and our lives are being made."
After he was sworn in, Laird requested the creation of a Select Committee on Older LGBTQ+ Needs. He also introduced legislation on consumer protection.
"We face numerous challenges in the years ahead, and I look forward to working with new and returning colleagues to fight for all Californians," noted Laird.
Wiener had a comical take on his swearing in, posting a photo of himself hovering over his newly-elected colleagues to his X account.
The Legislature convened today & I was sworn in to another term as Senator. I'm grateful to the voters & look forward to continuing our work for the community.
+BIG NEWS:
After 8 years of patiently biding my time, today I officially become the tallest member of the Legislature! pic.twitter.com/xFT0K00ogO
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) December 2, 2024
"I'm grateful to the voters & look forward to continuing our work for the community. +BIG NEWS: After 8 years of patiently biding my time, today I officially become the tallest member of the Legislature!" he wrote.
The LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, which had 12 members last session, saw the departures this week of termed out lesbian Democratic state senators Toni Atkins of San Diego and Susan Talamantes Eggman of Stockton. Also stepping down was Evan Low, a gay Democratic assemblymember from Cupertino, having mounted an unsuccessful bid this year for a U.S. House seat.
Ward is the new chair of the affinity group for out legislators. It remains to be seen if DeMaio will be its 15th member, as Ward had told the Bay Area Reporter last year that he was likely to have the caucus vote on if the firebrand conservative should be allowed in.
DeMaio has opposed various LGBTQ-related bills backed by the caucus over the years. The former San Diego city councilmember started his state legislative career with a broadside of Governor Gavin Newsom and his new colleagues as they attempt to protect Californians from the policies of President-elect Donald Trump's administration.
He introduced a bill dubbed the "Punish Unconstitutional Actions Act of 2025" that would reduce the pay for the governor and state legislators by 25% any time a law they voted for, or Newsom signed, was later ruled unconstitutional in federal court. It is highly unlikely to pass, and may not even get a hearing, due to Democrats maintaining their supermajority.
"Given how many times he has abused his power and been found by federal courts to have infringed on our constitutional rights, it is clear that Californians need protection from Gavin Newsom — not Donald Trump," stated DeMaio. "It is utterly hypocritical for Gavin Newsom to say he wants to protect the rights of Californians from attack — when this is the same guy who has a terrible record of abusing power and imposing laws and regulations that federal courts have repeatedly ruled to be unlawful and unconstitutional."
Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), reelected December 2 to the powerful leadership post in Sacramento, pledged not to stand down to Trump in his comments he made after the vote to keep the gavel in his hands. He pledged "if LGBTQ people come under attack, if hard-working immigrants are targeted, if women's reproductive freedom is threatened, we will fight back with everything we have."
He added, "The country looks to California for leadership, and we will continue to lead."
Jackson, in his comments nominating Rivas for the speakership, also referred to the expected coming policy fights, and lawsuits, with the Trump administration.
"I look forward to the leadership of a Speaker Rivas, as our country continues to be divided," said Jackson, who tangled with his more conservative GOP colleagues during his freshman term and is likely to do the same in his second term with DeMaio joining their ranks. "I believe our nation's citizens will be looking now to their state capitals for additional leadership, assistance and protection. That is why this nomination is so important."
EQCA's Hoang pledged "whatever attacks Donald Trump and his fellow extremists may initiate against our community — and our trans kids and LGBTQ+ students in particular — California will continue to lead the nation's fight for LGBTQ+ equality."
Ward noted that the LGBTQ community "knows all too well that having a seat at the table is vitally important in order to ensure our community's voices are heard. As attacks on rights ramp up, especially targeting LGBTQ+ youth and our TGI siblings, our growing LGBTQ caucus remains steadfast in our commitment to unity and to strengthen California's status as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ community members and their loved ones."
Political Notes, the notebook's online companion, returns Monday, December 9.
Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Threads @ https://www.threads.net/@matthewbajko and on Bluesky @ https://bsky.app/profile/politicalnotes.bsky.social.
Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or email [email protected]
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