STATE: Member of the Assembly, 38th District

Note: this post will be periodically updated! (10/07/2026)

TOP * Steve Bennett (D) * Michael McDonald (D)

VOTER GUIDE – QUICK LINKS:

Member of the State Assembly – 38th District – Vote for (1)

We will update the site with the video link of the debate when it becomes available.

TOP * Steve Bennett (D) * Michael McDonald (D)

ENDORSED Steve Bennet (D) – Member of the Assembly, 38th District

  • Party: Democrat
  • Age: 75
  • Residence: Ventura
  • Education: B.A. in economics from Brown University, M.A. in education from Butler University
  • Employment & experience:
    • Member, California State Assembly (2020-present)
    • Member, Ventura County Board of Supervisors (2000-2020)
    • Ventura City Councilmember (1993-1997)
    • Economics & American history teacher at Calabasas & Nordhoff High Schools (1970s & 80s)
  • Priorities:
    • Preserve agricultural land and open spaces from urban sprawl, advance climate change mitigation.
    • Support legislative measures focused on community wildfire safety.
    • Secure funding for local public classrooms and support student-centric resources.
    • Improve transparency and data reporting for groundwater sustainability and  enhance emergency planning for water suppliers.
    • Bring balanced budgeting practices and streamline government processes.
  • Contributions  (All PACs that support this candidate may not be identifiable.)
    • Contributions (as of 6/30/2026): $534,262
    • Top Contributors:
      • Association of California School Administrators PAC $11,800
      • California Correctional Peace Officers Association PAC $11,800
      • California State Association of Electrical Workers $11,800
      • California State Council of Laborers PAC $11,800
      • California State Pipe Trades Council PAC $11,800
      • California Teachers Association $11,800
      • Elizabeth Diane Simons (inherited money from her father, prolific donor to Democrats) $11,800
      • Sempra Energy and Its Affiliates San Diego Gas & Electric and So Cali Gas $11,800
      • Service Employees International Union Local 721 $11,800
      • Link to more detailed contribution info: https://www.transparencyusa.org/ca/committee/stephen-bennet-for-assembly-2026-1477509-ctl
  • Notable Endorsements:
    • Senator Alex Padilla
    • Congressmember Julia Brownley
    • Congressmember Salud Carbajal
    • Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón
    • Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin
    • Ventura County Supervisor Vianey Lopez
    • Democratic organizations – California Democratic Party, Greater Oxnard Organization of Democrats, Democratic Club of Camarillo, United Democrats of the Ojai Valley, Ventura County Young Democrats
    • Organizations – Sierra Club, Equality California, CAUSE, California Environmental Voters, Planned Parenthood
    • Unions – teachers, AFL-CIO, firefighters, nurses, SEIU, carpenters, farmworkers
  • Links:
CADEM
GOOD club
California Young DemocratsVentura County Young Democrats
Cause action fund
equality CA
UFW
GUN SENSE CANDIDATE
SALUD CARBAJALJulia Brownley
JACQUI IRWIN
Ojai Mayor Andy Gilman
CA Teachers association
NATIONAL UNION OF HEALTH WORKERS
Central Coast Labor Council
Ventura Co. Professional Firefighters

(Calmatters) “Steve Bennett, 75, is a former high school economics and American history teacher. He also is a former Ventura City Council member and Ventura County supervisor. Since his election to the Assembly in 2020, he’s been an advocate for reigning in environmentally harmful water use. He’s a graduate of Brown University, where he was a linebacker and team captain. He has a master’s in education from Butler University. For the past 14 years, Bennett and his wife, Leslie, have shared their home with an immigrant family from Mexico.”

TOP * Steve Bennett (D) * Michael McDonald (D)

Michael MacDonald (D) – City Clerk

  • Age: unknown
  • Residence: Ventura
  • Education: B.A. in political science from CSU Channel Islands
  • Employment & experience:                                
    • Ventura City Clerk (2022-present)
    • Senior Advisor to Regional Government Services (RGS), working with California cities and agencies on transparency, governance, and organizational reform
    • Office Manager to Senator Fran Pavley
    • District Representative to Senators Hannah-Beth Jackson and Scott Wiener
    • Assistant City Clerk for the Cities of Berkeley and Port Hueneme
    • Chair of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission
    • Board Member of the California Municipal Clerks Association
    • Co-founder and Board Member of Diversity Collective Ventura County
  • Priorities:
    • Lower housing costs, cut construction red tape, and stabilize insurance rates.
    • Boost small businesses, expand workforce training, and secure state infrastructure investment.
    • Support first responders, address mental health and homelessness, and fight retail and online crime.
    • Invest in wildfire prevention, climate resilience, sustainable water infrastructure, modernizing our electric grid, and workforce training.
    • Defend the civil rights and due process of immigrant communities.
    • Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and improve accountability.
  • Contributions  (All PACs that support this candidate may not be identifiable.)
  • Notable Endorsements:
    • Bill McReynolds, Ventura Councilmember
    • Liz Campos, Ventura Councilmember
    • Amber Thompson, CA Assembly Delegate D38
    • KC Rodriguez, Community Advocate
    • Shawn Terris, Veterans for Truth, Inc.
    • Celia Sandhya Daniels, Ventura County Workforce Development Board
    • Steve Somann, Diversity Collective Ventura County
    • Joseph Summers, President, Stonewall Democratic Club
    • Organizations – Honor PAC, California National Organization for Women, Ventura Chamber of Commerce PAC, Stonewall Democrats of Ventura County, Women’s Democratic Club of Ventura County, Mexican American Bar Association, Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs Association
  • Links:

Prior to joining the City of Ventura, Michael served as an Assistant City Clerk for the City of Berkeley, the City of Port Hueneme, and served as a ROVER in Alameda County for the 2018 general election. Additionally, he previously served as the Chair of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission. As Chair of the Ethics Commission, Michael was able to apply his knowledge as a City Clerk to the enforcement side of the California Political Reform Act, as well as local ordinances, to achieve greater compliance.  

Michael has been an academy trainer for Technical Training for Clerks (TTC) since 2022 and briefly served as the Region 12 (Channel Counties) director in 2023. Michael has been presenter at the CCAC Annual Conference and received his CMC and CPMC in 2021 after completing the TTC program.  

Prior to serving in municipal government, Michael spent three years as a District Representative under two California State Senators serving as lead representative for K-12 education, transportation, housing, and homelessness issue areas by working closely with the Senator, constituents, district organizations, local governments, and state agencies.

Michael is a CSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He lives in Ventura with his husband.

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Ventura Police Officers’
Association
COMMUNITY LEADERS and CAMPAIGN FRIENDS
– Jim Friedman, Former Mayor, City of Ventura
– Mary Ann Krause, Former Mayor, City of Santa Paula
– Lorrie Brown, Former Councilmember, City of Ventura 
– Joe Schroeder, Former Mayor, City of Ventura 
– Amber Thompson, California Assembly Delegate, District 38
– KC Rodriguez, Community Advocate
– Shawn Terris, Past Board Member, Veterans United for Truth, Inc.
– Celia Sandhya Daniels, Ventura County Workforce Development Board
– Steve Somann, Diversity Collective Ventura County
– Joseph Summers, President, Stonewall Democratic Club
– Celeste Weingardt, Former Chair, National Women’s Political Caucus
– Marie Lakin, Community & Arts Advocate
– Deborah Myer-Morris, Retired Attorney; Disability Policy Advocate
– Aisha Thompson, Elected City Clerk, City of Inglewood
– Tanner Shelton, City Planner & Ventura Parks & Recreation Commissioner
– Nikki Newsome, City Clerk, City of South Pasadena
– Betsy Chess, Ventura County Community Leader
– Lisa Burton, Community & Environmental Activist
– Dr. Lisa Klein
– Karin Quimby,
– Jo Ann Block,
– Steve & Kelly Tyburski
– Michael McKeon,
– Nowlin Haltom,
– Brian Zeidan
– Brian Bartlett,
– Arthur Valenzuela,
– Dylan Wilde
– Brad Hudson,
– Cecelia Moreira,
– Michelle Rosenblum
– Sally Hibbits,
– AJ Homes,
– Patricia & Steve Logan
– Jacqueline & Ed Lindsay,
– Cerise Stadther,
– Megan Behne
– Courtney & Adam Tobin, 
– Meghan Cohen, 
– Elizabeth Aparicio
– Ricardo Reyes,
– Judee Hauer,
– Chuck Berry
– Brian MacDonald, 
– Tim Romero,
– Barbara Coupe
– Patty Overley,
– Liz Holliday,
– Bill Haydon,
– Johnny Chung,
– Autumn Wood 
– Dr. Steven Berrett,
– Gene Rubin,
– Dr. Alyx MacTernan Rivera & CC Rivera 
– Ruth Contreras