The race for the sprawling North Coast state Senate seat is heating up as three candidates vie to succeed veteran legislator Mike McGuire.
According to the Marin Independent Journal, Democratic Assemblymember Damon Connolly is highlighting his legislative record on wildfire protection and affordable housing while calling for state-level support for local planning.
Challenging him are Republicans Tief Gibbs, a small business owner who critiques state mandates and business regulations, and Aaron Smith, a Santa Rosa school board trustee focused on reducing the cost of living and cutting government “micromanagement.”
The candidates are sharply divided on housing and immigration, with the Republicans advocating for more single-family homes and stricter border enforcement, while Connolly emphasizes tenant protections and immigrant rights. Voters will narrow the field in the upcoming June primary, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election in November.
As the campaign intensifies, all three agree that the district’s small farms and rural economies face an increasingly difficult path forward.
