Member of the State Assembly, 66th District in State Assembly District 66, California

2026 Primary Election

• Paul Seo — Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes, Deputy Attorney General in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

  Paul Seo is a U.S. Army veteran, husband, father, and the Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes. Raised by immigrant parents from South Korea, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as a U.S. Army officer in the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea, leaving active duty with the rank of Captain. He earned his law degree from Loyola Law School. Seo has served as a Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County for seven years and now works as a Deputy Attorney General for California. In 2020, he was elected as a Member of the Central Committee for the Los Angeles County Democratic Party for the 66th Assembly District.

• Noah Tapp — Candidate in Unknown, California

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

• Scott Houston — President, West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors in El Segundo, California

  Scott Houston has been an elected member of the West Basin Municipal Water District's Board of Directors since 2014 and currently serves as its President. He grew up in Assembly District 66 and has lived in El Segundo for 24 years. His professional background includes management experience in public relations, communications, and manufacturing, with a focus on the technology and manufacturing sectors. Houston holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Michigan Technological University and also studied broadcast journalism at UCLA. His community service includes appointments to the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and the board of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed). He was the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the West Basin board and was involved in the fight for marriage equality.

• Shannon Ross — LA County Beach Commissioner, Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council Member in Harbor City, California

  Shannon Ross was born in Harbor City and raised in the South Bay. As a young adult, she worked two jobs to support her children and attend school. Following a family tradition, she became a casual longshoreman at the Port of Los Angeles. For over a decade, she has served on the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council. She also serves on the LA County Beach Commission, where she works to protect the coast and support local businesses and jobs. Additionally, she has been involved in her community as a youth soccer coach, a Girl Scout troop leader, and President of a local Park Advisory Board.

• Sara Deen — Elected School Board Member, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District in Rolling Hills Estates, California

  Sara Deen is an elected School Board Member for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, a local small business owner, and a family dentist. Born in Northern California to immigrant parents, she and her family moved to the South Bay-Los Angeles area in 2014. She has a private dental practice in Torrance and also teaches at UCLA's Advanced Dentistry program. In 2019, she was recognized as the "Woman of the Year" for Assembly District 66 by Assemblymember Muratsuchi for her work in promoting pluralism and building compassionate communities. She was elected to the PVPUSD Governing Board in 2022. Her grandfather served in the Pakistani state legislature in the 1970s.

• George Barks — Business Owner in Redondo Beach, California

  George Barks was born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California. He served in the U.S. Army from 1964 to 1970. His career experience includes being a small business owner. Barks previously served on the Hermosa Beach City Council for twelve years, from 1974 to 1986, and was mayor in 1975, 1980, and 1985. He has been affiliated with organizations such as The United States Mexico Sister Cities Association and the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Association. He currently resides in Redondo Beach.

• Steve Williams — Business Owner / Real Estate Broker in Torrance, California

  Steve Williams was born and raised in Harbor City in the South Bay. He graduated from Nathaniel Narbonne High School with Honors and later earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. His career began in the internet industry during the dot-com era, working with companies like Realtor.com, Stamps.com, and Yahoo!. He later transitioned to real estate, working for firms such as Cushman & Wakefield. Currently, he operates his own real estate firm that assists buyers and tenants and provides land use consulting services.

• Jessica Z. Maldonado — Registered Nurse and Faith Leader in Redondo Beach, California

  Jessica Z. Maldonado is a registered nurse, faith leader, and a resident of the South Bay. An immigrant from Lima, Peru, she moved to Redondo Beach, California, with her family. She has worked as a registered nurse in hospital leadership, overseeing emergency and peri-operative care departments. Her work as a faith leader has taken her to various countries to serve in remote villages, conflict zones, and communities affected by poverty. She states she is not a career politician but is running to serve her community.

• Shannon Ruiz-Ross — Beach Commissioner in Long Beach, CA

  Shannon Ruiz-Ross is a Beach Commissioner and a Democratic candidate for the California State Assembly, representing District 66 in the 2026 election. Raised in the South Bay area, she has served on local community boards, including her neighborhood council and the Park Advisory Board. Drawing on her past experiences as a single working mother facing housing insecurity, her campaign focuses on advocating for working-class families, expanding affordable housing and healthcare, and protecting the coastline.