California State Senator, 26th District in State Senate District 26, California

2026 Primary Election

• Juan Camacho — President of Equality California Institute in Los Angeles, California

  Juan Camacho is an immigrant and civil rights leader. He was born in México and came to California as a toddler with his working-class parents, growing up in the San Gabriel Valley. His family gained legal residency and citizenship through the 1980s amnesty program. He earned a degree from UC Davis with the help of Cal Grants and part-time jobs. His career in public service includes working for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez. He also led government and community affairs at Fox Studios, where he worked to increase the state's film and TV tax credit. Currently, he serves as President of the Equality California Institute, which focuses on LGBTQ+ civil rights, youth leadership, and safety in schools. He lives in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles with his husband.

• Sang Masog — Candidate in Los Angeles, California

  Information regarding this canidate's education, experience, and career history is not publicly available.

• Sarah Rascón — Former Director of County and Regional Affairs for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in El Sereno, California

  Sarah Rascón is a native Angeleno from El Sereno, where she was raised by her immigrant grandmother. She is a first-generation college graduate, having earned her degree from UC Merced. Her career in public service includes working for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, serving as a field representative for former Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, and working as the Deputy Executive Officer of Environmental Equity for the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. Most recently, she served as the Director of County and Regional Affairs for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Her upbringing and experiences with social services have heavily influenced her decision to run for office.

• Paul Bowers — Candidate in Los Angeles, California

  Information regarding this canidate's education, experience, and career history is not publicly available.

• Sara Hernandez — Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees Member in Los Angeles, California

  Sara Hernandez has been a resident of California's 26th Senate District for over 20 years. She began her career as a middle school teacher in the LAUSD and founded the non-profit Helping Young People Excel (HYPE). After earning a law degree, she worked in Los Angeles City Hall on community revitalization efforts. In 2022, she was elected to the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees. She is the first Latina to serve on the board in over ten years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Duke University, a Master in Education from Loyola Marymount University, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.

• Maebe Pudlo — Treasurer and At-Large Representative for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles, California

  Maebe Pudlo, also known by her drag name Maebe A. Girl, was elected to the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in 2019, becoming the first drag queen elected to public office in the United States. She is trans non-binary. Professionally, she works as the Operations Manager for SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition. She has previously run for the U.S. House of Representatives. She announced her campaign for the 26th district of the California State Senate in June 2025.

• Wendy Carrillo — Former California State Assemblymember in Los Angeles, California

  Wendy Carrillo is a former California State Assemblymember who represented the 52nd Assembly District from 2017 to 2024. Born in El Salvador, she immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in Boyle Heights and City Terrace. Carrillo graduated from East Los Angeles College, California State University, Los Angeles, and earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California. Before her election, she was an award-winning broadcast journalist and later worked in communications for a Service Employee International Union (SEIU) local. In the Assembly, she chaired the Budget Subcommittee on State Administration and served on numerous committees, including Appropriations, Health, and Housing and Community Development.

• Claudia Agraz — Small Business Owner in Los Angeles, California

  Claudia Agraz is a native of Los Angeles and has been active in her community. She previously ran for the same State Senate seat in the general election on November 8, 2022, and was defeated.