24 in 2024: Here Are Top Target Seats in California’s March Primary

After two decades of losing seats, California Republicans need to show they can turn the corner – and Carl DeMaio’s Reform California campaign thinks that can happen in the 2024 election.

At the outset of the 2024 election cycle, DeMaio and Reform California announced they would wage a statewide campaign to recruit and support quality candidates to run in what he says are the top target seats in California.

In August of 2023, DeMaio released an initial target list included 9 congressional seats and 16 state legislative seats statewide. With ballots now in the hands of voters for the March 2024 Primary, DeMaio has released an updated list – along with endorsements of candidates in each target seat..

“There’s no doubt that California has been a tough state for center-right candidates to compete in, but as we showed with our wins of Congressional seats in 2020 and 2022,  we have opportunities to turn the tide and make gains to end the Democrats’ extremist policies and one-party stranglehold on California,” said DeMaio.

“We absolutely must compete aggressively for these 24 seats — and try to pick up as many local seats as possible in 2024,” DeMaio said.

Reform California’s 3-Point Campaign Strategy to Win Target Seats

DeMaio and his Reform California organization are building on their successful programs in 2020 and 2022 in pursuing a 3-pronged effort to win the 2024 elections:

1. Defining the narrative with a bold “Reform Agenda” for candidates to run on that unites the conservative base and wins over independent and some Democrats.
2. Recruiting, training and supporting reform-minded candidates – while distributing the highly-effective Reform California “Plain English” Voter Guide to toss-up voters in each target seat
3. Demanding election integrity through monitoring and litigation efforts to ensure fair and fraud-free elections

DeMaio said winning most or all of these 24 target seats in 2024 would represent a “milestone” in shifting political dynamics in California.

“Winning the congressional seats would help ensure that Democrats continue in the House Minority,” said DeMaio. “For the State Senate and State Assembly, winning our target seats will allow us to be relevant again in Sacramento and stop extreme Democrat policies,” explained DeMaio.

Reform California’s List of Top 24 Target Seats in 2024

US CONGRESS – 9 Top Targets

1. CA3 (Placer, El Dorado, Sierras) — Kevin Kiley (Defend)
2. CD9 (Stockton) – Kevin Lincoln (Pick Up)
3. CA13 (Modesto) – John Duarte (Defend)
4. CA22 (Bakersfield, Delano, Corcoran) — David Valadao (Defend)
5. CA27 (Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley) — Mike Garcia (Defend)
6. CA41 (Corona, Yucaipa, Coachella Valley) — Ken Calvert (Defend)
7. CA45 (Cerritos, Buena Park, Fullerton, Garden Grove) — Michele Steel (Defend)
8. CA47 (Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach) — Scott Baugh (Pick Up)
9. CA49 (South Orange County/North San Diego) – Matt Gunderson (Pick Up)

On the Watch List:

CD21 (Central Valley) – Michael Maher (Pick Up)
CD25 (Coachella Valley) – Miguel Chapa (Pick Up)
CD40 (Orange County) – Young Kim (Defend)

STATE SENATE – 3 Top Targets

1. SD19 (Inland Empire) - Rosilicie Ochoa-Bogh (Defend)‍
2. SD23 (Los Angeles) – Suzette Martinez-Valladares (Defend)‍
3. SD37 (Orange County) – Anthony Kuo (Pick Up)

On the Watch List:

SD5 TBD (Alameda/Central Valley) – Jim Shoemaker (Pick Up)
SD31 TBD (Riverside) – Cynthia Navarro (Pick Up)

STATE ASSEMBLY – 12 Top Targets

1. AD7 (Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova) — Josh Hoover (Defend)
2. AD22 (Central Valley) — Juan Alanis (Defend)
3. AD27 (Central Valley) — Joanna Garcia Rose (Pick Up)
4. AD36 (Riverside) — Jeff Gonzalez (Pick Up)
5. AD40 (Santa Clarita, San Fernando Valley) — Patrick Lee Gipson (Pick Up)
6. AD47 (Coachella Valley) — Greg Wallis (Defend)
7. AD58 (Riverside) — Leticia Castillo (Pick Up)
8. AD67 (Orange County) — Elizabeth Culver (Pick Up)
9. AD70 (Garden Grove, Fountain Valley) — Tri Ta (Defend)
10. AD73 (Orange County) — TBD Candidate (Pick Up)
11. AD74 (South OC/Oceanside) — Laurie Davies (Defend)
12. AD76 (San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Bernardo) — Kristie Bruce-Lane (Pick Up)

On the Watch List:

AD35 TBD (Antelope Valley) – TBD – No Endorsement Yet (Pick Up)
AD39 TBD (Los Angeles) – Paul Andre Marsh (Pick Up)
AD42 TBD (LA/Ventura) – Ted Norblum (Pick Up)
AD53 (LA/San Bernardino) – Nick Wilson (Pick Up)
AD56 TBD (Los Angeles) – Jessica Martinez (Pick Up)
AD60 TBD (Riverside) – Hector Diaz Nava (Pick Up)
AD72 (Orange County) – Diane Dixon

BONUS TARGET SEAT: US SENATE

While it is a very, very long shot to win the US Senate seat in California, DeMaio says making sure a Republican gets into the runoff is key to helping energizing center-right voters in the November election – and it may tie down resources of Senate Democrats if the race tightens.  That’s why Reform California has endorsed Steve Garvey for US Senate – the center-right candidate with the only chance to make the runoff.

Help Reform California Fight for Seats in 2024

DeMaio is leading the Reform California campaign statewide to boost endorsed candidates in these target seats through ads, volunteer programs, student canvassing, ballot harvesting, and wider distribution of the Reform California “Plain English” Voter Guide.

“The only thing limiting us right now is lack of resources — so we’re urging all concerned Californians to join us in fighting for these 24 target seats by contributing whatever they can today to the campaign,” DeMaio concluded.