With the California March Primary Election is now over, Reform California has been so impressed by a number of hard-working and compelling candidates that we’ve compiled a “Top 24 in 2024” list for your consideration.
These candidates who won their primaries are already gearing up for the General Election in November — which will be the key to deciding whether reform-minded candidates make gains and are able to end the Democrats’ supermajority in Sacramento.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California and candidate for State Assembly District 75, says that California Republicans have a real path to restoring balance in the state in 2024 thanks to the exciting slate of candidates running this cycle.
“The 2024 slate of candidates is more energized and ready to fight and win than any of the last few cycles — and many of these candidates achieved great results in the Primary Election despite having almost no support from the Republican Party and very little funding,” DeMaio notes.
“If we provide just a modest amount of support to these candidates and they run disciplined and aggressive grassroots campaigns, I am very optimistic of their chances to flip many of these seats,” he continued.
DeMaio and Reform California compiled the following list of the 24 most exciting candidates in 2024 with what they believe have a real chance of making a difference:
- Steve Garvey – US Senate: While a Republican winning a US Senate seat in California in 2024 is a long-shot, Steve Garvey at the minimum provides excitement for voters near the top of the ticket to have a real choice against a far-Left Democrat. Garvey also brings star power as a former California baseball hero, which can go a long way to boosting Republican candidates in the state — as former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger could attest. Depending on turnout and how well Garvey mobilizes his campaign and message, he has a shot. stevegarvey.com
- Carl DeMaio – State Assembly AD75: While we’re biased, our Reform California leader is poised for a win in this seat. When he takes office, DeMaio plans to lead a campaign to shake up and fundamentally rebuild the California Republican Party to ensure it has the ability and motivation to wage campaigns, support the grassroots, and become a viable opposition party. In the Legislature, DeMaio plans to be a wrecking ball and hold Democrats to the fire for every bad bill they propose and good bill they ignore — and he aims to light that same fire under every Republican Assemblymember and create a “Reform California Caucus” who will fight alongside him. CarlDeMaio.com
- Scott Baugh – US Congress CD47: Scott Baugh is a former State Assemblyman and the former chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. He nearly flipped this Congressional seat from Katy Porter in 2022, and with her opting not to run for re-election in 2024 and leaving the seat open, Baugh has a real shot at taking the seat in November thanks to his advanced campaign infrastructure and name ID. baughforcongress.com
- Matt Gunderson — US Congress CD49: Gunderson is a businessman and community volunteer that is dedicated to cutting the cost of living and tackling the crime surge. Considered one of the top target seats in the country in 2024, Gunderson has a real chance of flipping the seat from the incumbent Democrat in November. mattgunderson.com
- Nathan Hochman – LA District Attorney: Nathan Hochman is a former Assistant Attorney General of the United States and Assistant US Attorney for the Criminal Division. As the Republican nominee for Attorney General of California in 2022, Hochman has high name ID and the “tough-on-crime” background to defeat the highly unpopular and “soft-on-crime” DA George Gascon. nathanhochman.com
- Kristie Bruce-Lane – State Assembly AD76: Kristie Bruce-Lane is a businesswoman and the Founder and President of The Thumbprint Project Foundation, which aids in the transitioning of homeless children who have been impacted by Childhood Domestic Violence. Bruce-Lane came close to defeating the incumbent Democrat for this seat in 2022, and with his retirement and leaving this seat open, she has a high chance of flipping the seat thanks to her name ID and campaign infrastructure. Bruce-Lane is set to Join Carl DeMaio’s “Reform California Caucus” of fighters to shake things up in the Assembly. www.kristiebrucelane.com
- Tenessa Audette – State Assembly AD1: Tenessa Audette is the mayor of the City of Redding. Audette is committed to fighting the supermajority in the Assembly and educating the public about what’s really going on in Sacramento. www.votetenessa.com
- Jeff Gonzalez – State Assembly AD36: Jeff Gonzalez is a combat Veteran and small business owner committed to fighting in the Assembly to cut red tape and support small businesses. www.gonzalez4assembly.com
- Suzette Martinez-Valladares — State Senate SD23: Suzette Valladares is a former State Assemblywoman who has shown she has what it takes to win, and she is committed to fighting to support law enforcement and lower the cost of living in the State Senate. suzettevalladares.com
- Cynthia Navarro — State Senate SD31: Navarro is a businesswoman and local school board member, and she is committed to fighting for parental rights and accountability in the State Senate.
- Joanna Garcia-Rose – State Assembly AD27: Joanna lost her business and watched her husband struggle to keep his during the early days of the COVID pandemic, and she rightly realized that many of the challenges hurting her family were the burdensome taxes and regulations from Sacramento politicians — something she is committed to fighting in the Assembly.
- Alexandra Macedo – State Assembly AD33: Macedo is a businesswoman with an agricultural and farming background that is committed to fighting to secure the border, lower the cost of living, and restore public safety.
- Patrick Lee Gipson – State Assembly AD40: Gipson is a Sheriff’s deputy and is committed to fighting to crack down on crime and restore public safety. The incumbent Democrat is very vulnerable and only won her previous election by 522 votes.
- Leticia Castillo – State Assembly AD58: Castillo is a dual Licensed Psychotherapist who saw what the mishandling of COVID-19 did to mental health and the youth in California, and she is committed to fighting for parental rights and school choice in the Assembly.
- Kevin Lincoln — US Congress CD9: Kevin Lincoln is a Marine Veteran, who served on President Bush’s Marine One detail, and the mayor of Stockton — where he took office after defeating the incumbent Democrat by 14 points. Lincoln is no stranger to winning a tough race, and he is committed to fighting to lower the cost of living and restore public safety in Congress.
- Ron Edwards — State Assembly AD60: Edwards is a Veteran and small business owner who is committed to fighting for parental rights, school choice, and public safety.
- Beth Culver — State Assembly AD67: Culver is a retired entrepreneur who is committed to supporting voter ID, securing the border, and building up our electric grid instead of importing power — and reducing rates in the process.
- Scotty Peotter — State Assembly AD73: Scotty is a former Newport Beach City Councilman who survived a recall attempt and has shown he can win tough campaigns — critical for this district which includes Democrat-leaning Irvine.
- Janet Nguyen — Orange County Supervisor D1: Republicans lost the majority on the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2022, and while they can’t retake the majority in 2024, they can retain the seats they have. Nguyen, a State Senator and former Assemblywoman and Supervisor, is running for this open and Republican-leaning seat — and her win will be key to helping to retake the majority in 2026.
- Bruce Lou — US Congress CD11: While Lou is running an admittedly hard to win race against Nancy Pelosi, what makes Lou exciting is that he is a member of Gen Z (those born from 1996/1997 to about 2010) that has stepped up to run for office. His grit is notable and we’re excited to see where he goes from here!
- Jim Shoemaker— State Senate SD5: Shoemaker is a business owner and community volunteer that is dedicated to restoring public safety, solving the homeless crisis, and reducing the cost of living. www.shoemaker4senate.com
- Nick Wilson — State Assembly AD53: Wilson is a former police officer dedicated to supporting law enforcement, cracking down on crime, and restoring public safety in the Assembly.
- Michael Maher — US Congress CD21: Maher is a Veteran, Businessman, and former FBI Special Agent running for Congress to cut the cost of living and restore public safety — something he says career politicians like the incumbent Democrat have failed to do.
- Paul Andre Marsh — State Assembly AD39: Marsh is an Army Veteran, planning commissioner, and works in the mortgage industry. He is committed to fighting to cut the cost of living and reducing burdensome regulations if elected.
It is worth noting no current holders of the office being sought are included on this list, but we think there are many incredible current office holders who are not only great, but should be priority candidates for your consideration for support.
A full Reform California Voter Guide with recommendations will be available in September at ElectionGuideCalifornia.org.
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