The race to succeed term-limited State Sen. Ben Allen in California's 24th Senate District remains a crowded and fluid affair, with more than a dozen candidates touting fundraising hauls, high-profile endorsements, favorable polling and deep community ties in an effort to separate themselves from a packed field.
With no incumbent on the June 2 primary ballot and no public consensus on a frontrunner, the contest has become a wide-open scramble among mostly Democratic hopefuls vying to represent a sprawling, affluent stretch of western Los Angeles County.
Allen, a Santa Monica Democrat first elected in 2014, is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. His departure has touched off an intense succession battle that has drawn candidates from Beverly Hills to the South Bay.
At least 13 candidates have entered the race. All but one are Democrats, reflecting the district's solidly blue voter registration. The lone Republican, Pacific Palisades real estate agent Kristina Irwin, is widely considered a long shot in a district that nonpartisan analysts rate as safely Democratic. The large Democratic field all but guarantees a Democrat-on-Democrat runoff in November.
Beverly Hills entrepreneur and former journalist Brian Goldsmith has emerged as the race's top fundraiser, amassing more than $1 million. His endorsement list includes former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and businessman Rick Caruso.
Venice attorney and Los Angeles city planning commissioner Mike Newhouse ranks second in fundraising with more than $419,000 raised through the end of 2025. Newhouse calls himself a “commonsense” democrat and secured backing from law enforcement groups, including the Peace Officers Research Association of California, as well as Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur and Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Josh Lowenthal.
Newhouse's campaign recently released internal polling conducted by FM3 Research showing him leading the Democratic field at 13% after voters received positive information about all viable candidates. West Hollywood City Councilmember John Erickson followed at 10%, with Dr. Sion Roy and Goldsmith each at 6% and West Hollywood neighborhood advocate Ellen Evans at 5%. About a third of voters remained undecided, and the poll found that more than 90% of voters had either never heard of or had no opinion of any candidate.
The survey of 617 likely primary voters, conducted in November, also found that 61% of respondents preferred a candidate focused on addressing California's issues over one emphasizing opposition to former President Donald Trump, and that a 52% majority favored a "commonsense moderate Democrat" over a "strong progressive Democrat."
Roy, a cardiologist and Santa Monica College Board trustee, launched his campaign early and has focused on healthcare and wildfire recovery. He recently picked up an endorsement from Attorney General Rob Bonta and has support from former Assemblymember Richard Bloom and local Democratic clubs.
Former Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Eric Alegria, who also serves on the Palos Verdes school board, represents the district's South Bay contingent. He has secured endorsements from former state Treasurer John Chiang and former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
Erickson, the West Hollywood councilmember, is expected to draw on his citywide profile and record of LGBTQ+ advocacy, campaigning as a progressive urbanist with a focus on pro-housing policies.
Evans, a civil rights activist who co-founded a local neighborhood association, and Venice Neighborhood Council member Nico Ruderman are both running on grassroots credentials. Ruderman has focused his campaign on homelessness and public safety.
Other candidates include Brittany McKinley, a Los Angeles Human Relations commissioner and social justice advocate; Maryam Zar, CEO Pacific Palisades-Malibu Chamber of Commerce; Santa Monica resident Zoe Muntaner; attorney Steven Hsia and business professional Amaris S. Dordar.
Senate District 24 spans a diverse swath of western Los Angeles County, stretching from Malibu and Pacific Palisades along the coast through Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, and inland through Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Westwood, Hollywood, Venice, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village.
The district's population skews upscale and well-educated, with a mix of urban and suburban voters. It has been held by Democrats for decades, and voter registration heavily favors the party. Housing affordability, wildfire prevention and education funding have emerged as central issues, particularly in the wake of recent wildfire disasters and the district's persistently high cost of living.
The candidate filing deadline is March 11 because the incumbent is not running. The June 2 primary will be a top-two nonpartisan contest open to all voters, with the two highest vote-getters advancing to the Nov. 3 general election regardless of party affiliation.