Candidates officially in for state Senate, Assembly races

It’s official. The deadline to file for a state Senate or Assembly race in California passed, as the March 3 primary approaches. 

In the race for the 21st Senate District, which represents communities in the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor valleys, a total of five candidates filed paperwork ahead of the December deadline. 

Incumbent Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, is the only Republican in the race. He was first elected to the Senate in 2016 and was previously a member of the state Assembly for the 38th District from 2012 to 2016.

The Democratic candidates are: Warren Heaton, an immigration attorney and professor from Santa Clarita; Dana Lamon, a retired judge from Lancaster; Kipp Mueller, a workers rights attorney from Santa Clarita; and Steve Hill, a businessman. 

State Assembly

For the 38th District in the Assembly, which covers the Santa Clarita and Simi valleys, as well as portions of the San Fernando Valley, a total of five Democrats and two Republicans filed to run for incumbent Democrat Christy Smith’s seat. 

Smith, who is serving her first term, had entered the race early on for re-election, but announced in late October that she was swapping races as she launched her new campaign for the vacant 25th Congressional District seat, following former Rep. Katie Hill’s resignation Nov. 1. 

Suzette Martinez Valadares, who had initially campaigned for the 25th Congressional District, is a Republican candidate who has earned endorsements from Wilk and Santa Clarita City Council members Cameron Smyth, Bob Kellar and Bill Miranda.  

Lucie Volotzky, a small-business owner from Chatsworth, is the other Republican candidate. 

Democratic candidate Susan Christopher, a former Castaic Union School District board member, recently announced the launch of her campaign, which aims to follow the work that Smith has executed during her term, she said. Smith has endorsed her. 

Dina Cervantez, an education consultant and businesswoman from the San Fernando Valley; Annie Cho, a businesswoman from Los Angeles; Kelvin Driscoll, a college educator from Santa Clarita; and Brandii Grace, a STEM educator, are the other Democratic Party candidates.