The field for the North Coast’s State Senate seat, currently held by Mike McGuire, is thinning out.
According to the Press Democrat, Santa Rosa City Council member and former mayor Natalie Rogers announced this week that she is withdrawing from the 2026 race. Rogers, 44, cited a shortfall in campaign fundraising, stating she lacked the donations needed to sustain her candidacy. Campaign records show her raising just over $11,000 between January and June.
Her exit follows the earlier withdrawal of Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore, leaving Assemblymember Damon Connolly of San Rafael as the only major Democratic candidate currently in the running for the vast 2nd District seat.
Rogers, who made history as the first Black woman elected to the Santa Rosa council and as mayor, said she will now refocus on her current role and addressing issues like housing and health care in Santa Rosa. The filing period for the primary election opens in February.
