Top-two primary
All candidates run in one primary regardless of party and the two with the most votes advance, so two candidates of the same party can meet in November. The forecast then marks the seat as safe for that party.
California › California State Assembly · November 3, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026
California Assembly District 38
D vs DTop twoSame-party general election. Two Democrats advanced to November: the seat stays Democratic.
Steve Bennett has no major-party opponent.
Steve Bennett has no major-party opponent.
How this race is decided
The candidates
DemocraticIncumbent
Steve Bennett
- Experience
- State legislature
Democratic
Michael MacDonald
The district
Lean D+27: how much more Democratic or Republican than the nation it votes for president.
Presidential vote
Precinct results re-aggregated to the current district lines.
Who lives here
- Population
- 485,142
- People per km²
- 101
- Adults with a B.A.+
- 28%
- White, no degree
- 21%of adults
- White 31%
- Hispanic 59%
- Black 2%
- Asian 5%
- Other / multiracial 4%
American Community Survey 2020–2024, aggregated from census tracts.
Past results
Results in the same-numbered district; earlier elections may have used different lines.
2024
184,221 votes · D+26.9✓ Steve Bennett (D)63.4%
Deborah Baber (R)36.6%
2024 President Vote in this district
185,474 two-party votes · D+24.6 · D+26.1 vs. the nation✓ Kamala Harris (D)62.3%
Donald Trump (R)37.7%
2022
130,253 votes · D+22.4✓ Steve Bennett (D)61.2%
Cole Brocato (R)38.8%
2020 Earlier district lines
196,078 votes · Uncontested by the other party✓ Suzette Martinez Valladares (R)76.1%
Lucie Lapointe Volotzky (R)23.9%
2020 President Vote in this district
207,204 two-party votes · D+33.0 · D+28.5 vs. the nation✓ Joe Biden (D)66.5%
Donald Trump (R)33.5%
2016 President Vote in this district
163,154 two-party votes · D+33.1 · D+30.8 vs. the nation✓ Hillary Clinton (D)66.5%
Donald Trump (R)33.5%