California State Senate District 20 Election in State Senate District 20, California

2026 Primary Election

• Roberto David Lacarra — Professor/School Counselor in Los Angeles, California

  Roberto LaCarra has served as a lead faculty member for the Administration of Justice program and Co-Department Chair of the Business Department at Gavilan College. He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army from 1984 to 1989. Following his military service, he had a 25-year career in law enforcement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff and Probation Departments. He has also taught at other community colleges and 4-year universities, including courses in Chicanx-Latinx Studies, Statistics, and Criminal Justice at the University of Southern California. He recently earned a Juris Doctorate and is starting a criminal defense law firm.

• Caroline Menjivar — Incumbent Member of the California State Senate, representing District 20 in Panorama City, California

  Caroline Menjivar is a first-generation American of Salvadorean immigrant parents, born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. She is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served from 2009 to 2016. After her military service, she worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and a domestic violence therapist. Menjivar earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from California State University, Northridge, and a Master of Social Welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She was a David Bohnett Fellow in the Los Angeles Mayor's Gender Equity Office. She was elected to the State Senate in November 2022 and assumed office on December 5, 2022, becoming the first LGBTQ legislator to represent the San Fernando Valley.

• Tony Rodriguez — U.S. Army Veteran / Operations Director in Tujunga, California

  Tony Rodriguez is a U.S. Army veteran with over 25 years of service. Born in New York, New York, his career experience includes working as an operations director. He has been affiliated with the Neighborhood Council, the Local Chamber of Commerce, and American Legion Post 377. In 2024, he ran for the California State Assembly to represent District 44. He is a father, grandfather, and husband.