Climate Action California endorses in Contra Costa Assembly, State Senate races
Wilson in AD15, Elward in SD3 and Kalb in SD7
By Chris Thomas, Climate Action California
Climate Action California – the only statewide group basing endorsements for the March primary solely on a candidate’s positions on climate – has announced its endorsements. With more than 7,500 supporters around the state, Climate Action California is endorsing a total of 15 candidates for the California State Assembly, and 13 for the State Senate. Climate Action California’s rigorously vetted endorsements assure voters that these candidates are climate champions committed to continuing and expanding California’s clean energy policies and global climate leadership as we work to address the climate crisis.
Monica Wilson for Assembly District 15
In 2012, Monica Wilson was the first African American woman elected to the Antioch City Council, and she is currently serving her fourth term. As a councilwoman, she successfully enacted an ordinance banning oil and gas drilling within Antioch’s city limits. She and the council also voted to end a lease for a natural gas line that runs through Antioch.
Her priorities are:
- Delivering environmental justice, ensuring access to clean water and air for all communities, especially those disproportionately affected by pollution
- Meeting California carbon neutrality goals of 100% by 2045
- Reducing CO2 emissions from the transportation sector
- Ensuring a just transition from fossil fuels so that the workforce is retrained and the tax base is made whole as a result of the zero carbon transition
Monica was born in Washington, D.C., where her parents marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She grew up in San Rafael, where she was one of the few African American children at her school. For the past two decades, she has served the people of Contra Costa County as a community organizer, nonprofit manager, and leader in the fight for safe neighborhoods and healthy families.
Climate Action California believes that Monica has demonstrated her support for working people and a commitment to playing a role in the fight against climate change.
The climate can’t wait! California must elect climate champions.
Despite Democratic supermajorities in both the assembly and senate, the California legislature has struggled to pass many important climate bills. In 2023 alone, important climate bills addressing pension fund divestment from fossil fuels (SB 252) and bidirectional charging for electric vehicles (SB 233) failed to move out of the legislature. The climate cannot wait while the legislature holds tightly to the status quo. California needs more climate champions in the Assembly and the Senate to take on the climate crisis with the urgency that it deserves.
Assembly District 15 includes all of Antioch and other portions of Contra Costa County. Read more about Wilson on the CAC website.
Jackie Elward for State Senate District 3
Climate Action California believes Jackie Elward can be counted on to fight the fossil fuel industry in Sacramento—and reach a 100% renewable future as soon as possible. Elward supports California’s 2045 net zero goals and encourages their acceleration, prohibiting natural gas in new building construction, incentives to remove gas infrastructure during retrofits, and ensuring people in impacted sectors have every opportunity for gainful employment in a similar field for a just transition. She also sees protection from climate impacts such as wildfire, extreme heat, drought, and increased flooding in the district as one of her top priorities.
Elward has served the North Bay community as an educator and labor organizer as well as Rohnert Park City Council member (since 2020) and Mayor. She is also a board member for Sonoma Clean Power (Sonoma County’s ground-breaking Community Choice Aggregator for clean energy), the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and the Regional Climate Protection Authority (alternate), Sonoma County Continuum of Care (provider of homeless services), and North Bay Jobs with Justice.
A first-generation immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Elward has first-hand experience of the disease and devastation wrought by bad environmental policies.
All of Climate Action California’s endorsees – including Jackie Elward – have declared addressing climate change to be among their highest priorities and are committed to bringing about key legislation our state needs in the crucial years ahead.
Senate District 3 includes portions of far Eastern Contra Costa County. Read more about Elward on the CAC website.
Dan Kalb for State Senate District 7
Dan Kalb has spent his entire career as an advocate on climate, environment, and social justice issues and as a public servant, leading efforts to protect our environment and combat climate change. He is now running for an open seat in the state Senate, as Senator Nancy Skinner terms out after 12 years in Sacramento. Skinner, a climate warrior since long before joining the legislature, leaves a legacy of far-sighted climate policies passed into law. California needs an equally committed climate champion in that seat, and Climate Action California is confident that Dan Kalb is the right person for the job.
Kalb has served on the Oakland City Council since 2013, where he’s led the council on climate and environmental issues. His accomplishments include:
- Requiring divestment of fossil fuel portfolios from city funds
- Requiring new buildings to be all-electric
- Banning gas-powered leaf blowers
- Guiding adoption of Oakland’s equitable climate action plan through the Council
- Authoring ordinances banning storage and transport of coal through Oakland
Before joining the Oakland City Council, Kalb worked as the California Policy Director for the Union of Concerned Scientists for nine years, leading their efforts to pass early climate legislation in Sacramento. Based on Kalb’s long track record leading decarbonization efforts at the local and state level, Climate Action California is confident Kalb will be one of our strongest voices taking on climate change in the California State Senate.
Janet Cox, Climate Action California CEO, who lives in Dan’s district and has known him for many years, says, “Dan is exactly the kind of committed, focused climate leader we need in Sacramento. I know we’ll be able to count on Dan to take on the tough issues and work with colleagues to pass essential climate measures.” She adds, “Now it’s up to us to get to work to make sure Dan and his fellow endorsees win in March and November. This is how we can keep California moving at the speed and scale necessary to reduce our emissions and bring on the low-carbon economy we need.”
Senate District 7 includes portions of Western Contra Costa County. Read more about Kalb on CAC website.
Climate Action California (formerly the 350 Silicon Valley legislation/policy team) is a statewide, volunteer-led, 501(c)(4) social welfare organization (EIN 88-4217994). Our members understand the importance of California and our legislative initiatives to the rest of the nation – and the world. Visit our website for the full list. For further information, contact the Climate Action California Elections team at elections@climateactionca.org.
the attachments to this post:
CAC endorsement photos
