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 Senate · November 3, 2026 · Updated Oct 16, 2026
California State Senate District 26
D vs DTop twoSame-party general election. Two Democrats advanced to November: the seat stays Democratic.
Sara Hernandez has no major-party opponent.
Sara Hernandez has no major-party opponent.
How this race is decided
Staggered Senate
Senators serve four-year terms; half the seats (the even-numbered districts in 2026) are on the ballot each election.
The candidates
Democratic
Sara Hernandez
Democratic
Sarah Rascón
The district
Lean D+59: 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
- 937,607
- People per km²
- 4,542
- Adults with a B.A.+
- 35%
- White, no degree
- 7%of adults
- White 18%
- Hispanic 58%
- Black 4%
- Asian 17%
- 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 President Vote in this district
294,387 two-party votes · D+56.7 · D+58.2 vs. the nation✓ Kamala Harris (D)78.3%
Donald Trump (R)21.7%
2022
187,749 votes · D+65.9✓ Maria Elena Durazo (D)82.9%
Claudia Agraz (R)17.1%
2020 President Vote in this district
345,093 two-party votes · D+66.4 · D+61.9 vs. the nation✓ Joe Biden (D)83.2%
Donald Trump (R)16.8%
2018 Earlier district lines
386,583 votes · Uncontested by the other party✓ Ben Allen (D)77.2%
Baron Bruno (I)22.8%
2016 President Vote in this district
266,261 two-party votes · D+77.3 · D+75.0 vs. the nation✓ Hillary Clinton (D)88.6%
Donald Trump (R)11.4%
2014 Earlier district lines
203,682 votes · Uncontested by the other party✓ Ben Allen (D)60.3%
Sandra Fluke (D)39.7%