DSA San Diego’s June 2026 Primary Voter Guide

Posted on
Download print version

DSA San Diego offers the following guide for select local, regional and statewide races in California’s June 2026 primary. Recommendations are not comprehensive, as a substantial share of contests are effectively uncontested; in California’s top-two primary system, most offices will see a Democrat and Republican advance to the general election. While moderate incumbents enjoy advantages everywhere, in California they benefit from a primary system that all but guarantees a windfall of conservative votes to the right-leaning contender in districts where the Democratic Party is sufficiently hegemonic to claim both spots. It’s a situation that stifles insurgency. 

Rather than focus your attention on votes for politically centrist incumbents or functionally uncontested candidates, we opt to reflect on those races where your vote will either boost a candidate or measure aligned with our chapter’s values or, in rare cases, rebuke an office-holder’s complacency. Notably DSA is an anti-war organization that recognizes the American working class’ dismay over our warring regime. We reject supporting anyone who suggests they are representing our interests with their complicity.

Consistent with DSA’s national strategy, DSA San Diego reserves chapter endorsements for races where the chapter elects to put substantial energy into field organizing, meaning neighborhood canvasses, phone and textbanking — strategized, led and carried out by our members. Recommendations are written and decided on collectively by members of our Electoral Working Group. To get involved in our field campaigning, check out our calendar of activities at dsasandiego.org/events – we’re canvassing for San Diego’s Measure A for this primary election, with lots more coming as we head to the general.

To learn more about California races beyond DSA San Diego’s boundaries as well as statewide executive offices, please visit the CA DSA 2026 Primary Voter Guide. 

Federal Recommendations

California’s 48th Congressional District: Corinna Contreras

This district was redrawn as a result of Prop 50 to favor Democrats. The new borders of CA-48 include Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Palm Springs and parts of Riverside. Typically a Republican seat, it is now one of the most likely to flip for democrats in the midterms. The incumbent, Darell Issa, is retiring and numerous Democrats are vying for the primary. 

Amongst the crowded field, Corinna Contreras is a refreshing and heartening choice for democratic socialists. She is running with a progressive platform including demands for medicare for all, abolishing ICE, halting funding for the genocide in Gaza, and strengthening worker and tenant rights. She has been on the Vista City Council since 2018 and has a track record of staying true to progressive values. She’s spoken out against surveillance technology and local cooperation with ICE, rejecting a proposal to install license plate readers in Vista and passing a resolution to protect residents against ICE. She is much further to the left than the other Democrats running, and unlike some other candidates, she actually lives within the district. 

Other front-runner candidates include Marni Von Wilpert and Ammar Campa-Najjar. Marni is a San Diego city council member with strong labor support, but who voted to continue using Flock automated license plate readers and has accepted donations from DMFI, a pro-Israel PAC. Ammar has run and lost several campaigns, including two tries at the former CA-48. He has name recognition, and also a reputation of waffling on issues, such as banning assault rifles, and pitching himself as a centrist. Corinna has not taken any PAC money and is running a grassroots campaign. If she is able to pull off an upset to get on the November ballot, it will be an exciting win for the democratic socialist movement showing that our platform appeals more to battleground voters than the typical, centrist dem. We recommend Corinna Contreras for Congressional District 48.

California’s 50th Congressional District: Sparky Mitra

District 50 was one of California’s Congressional districts redrawn as a result of Prop 50 passing in 2025. It now covers the coastline, starting with Coronado in the south stretching north to Torrey Pines, where the district then turns inwards and covers Carmel Valley up to San Marcos. Scott Peters is the running incumbent, he’s been in office since winning the 2014 election. He’s one of the richest members of Congress, and has consistently squashed progressive reforms for drug pricing and voting with AIPAC. A true centrist at heart.

Enter: Aishwarya “Sparky” Mitra. Sparky got involved in politics in college, where she mobilized students for a variety of progressive campaigns from District 50’s very own UC San Diego. Sparky even helped organize the famous Columbia encampment while on campus as a grad student. Sparky is using this experience to engage District 50’s multiple college campuses full of potential voters, with affordability at the top of her campaign. Universal healthcare, protecting democracy, and international solidarity are also pillars of her campaign. Sparky is the only progressive challenging Peters for this seat, and we would love to see her put up a fight to get her name on the November ballot. We recommend Aishwarya “Sparky” Mitra for Congressional District 50.

California’s 52nd Congressional District: Frances Yasmeen Motiwalla

District 52 was yet another district shifted by the recent Prop 50. Still the most southwestern district in the state, what used to end at Otay Ranch now stretches further east, all the way to Jacumba. This will theoretically make it tougher to win as a progressive, but the added geography is a relatively small population, and this district had been firmly blue (20-30 points) for quite some time. It is currently represented by Juan Vargas, who has periodically supported progressive legislation and was considered left of center until this past March. Vargas was one of four Democrats to vote against stopping Trump’s illegal war in Iran, a backbreaking vote in a resolution that ended 219-212. He then supported a second War Powers resolution in April, which was opposed by only one Democrat; the right move but too little, too late.

At the same time, Frances Yasmeen Motiwalla, a longtime community organizer, announced that she would be launching a campaign to unseat Vargas. Frances has been prominently involved in Activist SD, Peace Action, and Grassroots Global Justice. Her platform centers around urgent climate protection action, divesting from militarism spending (including ICE), and taxing billionaires to fund universal healthcare and education.

We recognize that this is a protest campaign. Due to its last-minute nature, Frances was unable to qualify for the ballot with enough valid signatures, a determination she is challenging. In classic Frances fashion, she is unbothered and continues to fight via a write-in campaign. While the odds are long, we commend Frances for her continued fight and will support this protest campaign against Vargas. We recommend writing in Frances Yasmeen Motiwalla for Congressional District 52.

Statewide Recommendation

Board of Equalization, District 4: Cody Petterson

Cody Petterson is currently Chief Deputy of the Board of Equalization, and is well-known in San Diego political circles. He’s the past president and current District C trustee on San Diego Unified School District’s (SDUSD) board, the second largest in the state of California. During his tenure at SDUSD the district adopted a robust set of policies for protecting students and their families from unauthorized ICE incursions, which DSA San Diego has used as a benchmark demand of surrounding school districts through its Education Not Deportations campaign. SDUSD has also adopted the most ambitious education workforce housing agenda in the country; on track to award contracts for the production of 1,500 units of affordable housing for its teachers and other staff. And SDUSD recently passed a resolution denouncing the Iran War and calling on members of Congress to end hostilities, quite possibly the first school board in the nation to do so.

While a skim of Cody’s campaign website reveals endorsements from officials not often associated with democratic socialists, this is more a reflection of Cody’s dedication and drive than any compromise of his core political values. Cody has steadfastly been an ardent advocate for progressive revenue that would benefit California’s working class, specifically split-roll initiatives like the attempted revision to our property tax code under 2020’s Proposition 15. Notably, he is the only candidate for this seat who endorses a new split-roll initiative and an emphasis on progressive revenue that ensures working families benefit from California’s extensive wealth. To advance toward a California where workers can afford to persist and build in solidarity through generations, we need dedicated public servants like Cody mapping the way forward. We recommend Cody Petterson for California Board of Equalization, District 4.

Local Recommendations

San Diego City Measure A: Non-Primary Homes Tax

Not only is DSA San Diego recommending a YES on Measure A, we have fully endorsed this measure and will be knocking on doors in the coming weeks to ensure its passage. This measure successfully accomplishes two major goals of ours: taxing the rich and supporting housing as a human right. There are over 5,100 homes in San Diego that sit empty for at least six months of the year. Corporations and wealthy individuals view homeownership as a method of acquiring and hoarding assets, rather than livable spaces for their fellow humans even as we endure an obvious housing crisis. 

This measure goes after those bad actors. It is an annual $8,000 tax (up to $10,000 in 2027 and pegged to inflation from there) on those 5,100+ homes in San Diego. A number of outcomes for these homes will benefit the working class in our city:

    • Homeowners decide that they will stomach the tax: More revenue for San Diego amidst a budget deficit crisis.

    • Homeowners decide to rent out their house: More availability in the rental market, easing the burden on many working class San Diegans.

    • Homeowners decide to sell their house: More availability in the buying market, allowing opportunity for homeownership for San Diegans who might not have had that chance otherwise.

We recommend voting “Yes” on Measure A in San Diego.

San Diego City Council, District 8: Rafael Perez

San Diego City Council District 8 includes Barrio Logan, Sherman Heights, Southcrest, and South San Diego (San Ysidro, Otay, Nestor, Palm City, etc.).

This race is a contest between a longtime community advocate, Rafael Perez, and three political insiders: Gerardo Ramirez; the Chief of Staff to Vivian Moreno, who currently represents this district (District 8); Venus Molina, the Chief of Staff to Dr. Jen Campbell, who represents District 2 on the City Council; and Antonio Martinez, a San Ysidro School Board member who, up until recently, worked for Congressman Juan Vargas.

Ramirez is endorsed by the San Diego Police Officers Association and the Lincoln Club Business League. Although he is a Democrat, he is not an option for socialists.

Venus Molina is the Chief of Staff to one of the more conservative members of the City Council, and she is the chosen candidate of San Diego’s centrist Mayor Todd Gloria. We can expect her to be a reliable vote for his failed policies and cannot recommend a vote for her.

Antonio Martinez, who is running for the third time in eight years for this seat, has the support of the teachers union and classified staff union at the San Ysidro School District, where he serves on the Board. However, his record of working for Congressman Juan Vargas rules him out as a candidate that socialists should support.

Rafael Perez, meanwhile, has a record of community activism and independence that is sorely needed on the City Council. He has recently questioned the Mayor’s recent proposal to increase spending on police while dramatically cutting arts spending. He refused to be considered for endorsement by the San Diego Police Officers Association. He helped lead the fight to overturn the cruising ban in National City that criminalized lowrider culture. He currently serves on the Board of the San Diego Regional Airport Authority, as well as on the Board of the Sherman Heights Community Center. He is a union member and has been endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers Guild and the Working Families Party. We recommend Rafael Perez for SD City Council District 8.

San Diego Unified School District, District C: Hayden Gore

Hayden Gore is running unopposed for sub-district C, which covers areas in central and coastal San Diego. While DSA does not generally offer recommendations for uncontested races, we opted to make mention of Hayden due to his close alignment with DSA’s principles as a union leader and organizer. First and foremost an educator, Hayden played an important role in organizing the High Tech High Education Collective, which represents more than 700 educators and support staff across High Tech High. The union was certified in 2021 and won its first contract two years later; Hayden became the union’s first president. 

While democratic socialists generally take a critical line on charter schools and their role in public school disinvestment, we see the unionization of these schools as an important counter to the neoliberal tactic of dividing workers to better facilitate their exploitation. We applaud Hayden’s leadership and expect his movement experience will benefit San Diego’s students and families. We recommend Hayden Gore for SD Unified School District, District C.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 5: Sasha Miller

The Board of Supervisors oversee the county government, including allocating funds to spending priorities through the county budget, administering programs like CalFresh and MediCal, and managing public health crises. District 5 covers the northernmost parts of North County, including Oceanside to Escondido, Fallbrook, Valley Center, and further east. Historically a Republican seat, Democrats are eager to flip it in order to solidify control of the county budget. Incumbent Jim Desmond is not running, leaving the race open to 2 Republicans, a centrist Democrat (Kyle Krahel), and independent Sasha Miller. 

Sasha Miller is running as an independent in protest of the broken two-party system with an anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, and pro-worker policy platform that closely aligns to the DSA platform. As a county supervisor, she would advocate for a universal healthcare system, fully funding public education, ending corporate ownership of housing, and transitioning to public ownership of utilities. Sasha is a union member who stands in solidarity with workers by supporting strikes and boycotting companies that union bust. She regularly organizes with the free Palestine movement and brings attention to the genocide through protests and banner drops – justice for Palestine is one of her top campaign priorities. It is a rare and exciting opportunity to vote for a candidate who so fearlessly advocates for socialist values. We recommend Sasha Miller for San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 5.

County Board of Education / Community College Districts

In solidarity with AFT Local Guild 1931, the chapter recommends voting for each of its endorsed members for county and community college district offices.

    • County Board of Education, District 3: Alicia Munoz

    • County Board of Education, District 5: Rick Shea

    • San Diego Community College District, District A: Maria Senour

    • San Diego Community College District, District C: Craig Milgrim

    • Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, District 5: Mary Gwin