California's 28th senatorial district

California's 28th senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Lola Smallwood-Cuevas of Los Angeles.

California's 28th State Senate district
Map of the district
Current senator
 Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
DLos Angeles
Population (2010)
 • Voting age
 • Citizen voting age
930,072[1]
677,516[1]
529,628[1]
Demographics
Registered voters491,228[2]
Registration37.14% Democratic
35.65% Republican
20.88% No party preference

District profile

The district contains Downtown Los Angeles and most of South Los Angeles, including Park La Brea, Pico-Union, Mid City, West Adams, Baldwin Hills, Hyde Park, Nevin, Leimert Park, Jefferson Park, Crenshaw, Vermont Square, Adams-Normandie, Florence, Exposition Park, and University Park. It also includes suburbs of Culver City, Ladera Heights, and a small part of the Westside Los Angeles neighborhoods, including Palms, Mar Vista, and Playa Vista.

Election results from statewide races

YearOfficeResults
2020PresidentBiden 50.9 – 47.3%
2018GovernorCox 52.5 – 47.5%
Senatorde Leon 50.8 – 49.2%
2016PresidentTrump 48.5 – 46.7%
SenatorHarris 55.1 – 44.9%
2014GovernorKashkari 52.9 – 47.1%
2012PresidentRomney 52.6 – 45.5%
SenatorEmken 52.0 – 48.0%

List of senators who represented the district

SenatorsPartyYears servedElectoral historyCounties represented
District established January 6, 1862

George Oulton
(Fort Jones)
RepublicanJanuary 6, 1862 –
December 7, 1863
Elected in 1861.
[data missing]
Siskiyou
Union

L. M. Foulke
(Gazelle)
UnionDecember 7, 1863 –
December 4, 1865
Elected in 1863.
[data missing]

E. Wadsworth
(Yreka)
UnionDecember 4, 1865 –
December 6, 1869
Elected in 1865.
[data missing]

William Irwin
(Yreka)
DemocraticDecember 6, 1869 –
December 9, 1875
Elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1871.
Re-elected in 1873.
Resigned to run for Governor of California.
VacantDecember 9, 1875 –
March 1, 1875

Wiley J. Tinnin
(Weaverville)
DemocraticMarch 1, 1875 –
December 3, 1877
Elected to finish Irwin's term.
[data missing]
Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity

Daniel Ream
(Yreka)
DemocraticDecember 3, 1877 –
January 5, 1880
Elected in 1877.
[data missing]

A. B. Carlock
(Fort Jones)
RepublicanJanuary 5, 1880 –
January 8, 1883
Elected in 1879.
[data missing]

Clay W. Taylor
(Shasta)
DemocraticJanuary 8, 1883 –
January 3, 1887
Elected in 1882.
[data missing]

John Spellacy
(San Francisco)
DemocraticJanuary 3, 1887 –
January 5, 1891
Elected in 1886.
[data missing]
San Francisco

Thomas C. Maher
(San Francisco)
RepublicanJanuary 5, 1891 –
January 7, 1895
Elected in 1890.
Redistricted to the 19th district.

John L. Beard
(Centerville)
RepublicanJanuary 7, 1895 –
January 2, 1899
Elected in 1894.
[data missing]
Alameda

E. K. Taylor
(Alameda)
RepublicanJanuary 2, 1899 –
January 5, 1903
Elected in 1898.
[data missing]

Charles M. Shortridge
(San Jose)
IndependentJanuary 5, 1903 –
January 7, 1907
Redistricted from the 30th district and re-elected in 1902.
Lost re-election.
Santa Clara

Marshall Black
(Santa Clara)
RepublicanJanuary 7, 1907 –
January 2, 1913
Elected in 1906.
Recalled from office.

Herbert C. Jones
(Santa Clara)
RepublicanJanuary 2, 1913 –
January 5, 1931
Elected to finish Black's term.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1926.
Redistricted to the 18th district.

Joe Riley
(Bishop)
RepublicanJanuary 5, 1931 –
January 7, 1935
Elected in 1930.
Lost re-election.
Inyo, Mono

Karl P. Keough
(Bridgeport)
DemocraticJanuary 7, 1935 –
September 27, 1937
Elected in 1934.
Died.
VacantSeptember 27, 1937 –
January 2, 1939

Charles Brown
(Shoshone)
DemocraticJanuary 2, 1939 –
January 7, 1963
Elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1958.
Lost re-election.

William Symons Jr.
(Bishop)
RepublicanJanuary 7, 1963 –
January 2, 1967
Elected in 1962.
[data missing]
Alpine, Inyo, Mono

Alfred H. Song
(Monterey Park)
DemocraticJanuary 2, 1967 –
November 30, 1974
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 26th district.
Los Angeles

Ralph C. Dills
(Paramount)
DemocraticDecember 2, 1974 –
November 30, 1982
Redistricted from the 32nd district and re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1978.
Redistricted to the 30th district.

Diane Watson
(Los Angeles)
DemocraticDecember 6, 1982 –
November 30, 1994
Redistricted from the 30th district and re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1990.
Redistricted to the 26th district.

Ralph C. Dills
(Paramount)
DemocraticDecember 5, 1994 –
November 30, 1998
Elected in 1994.
Termed out.

Debra Bowen
(Redondo Beach)
DemocraticDecember 7, 1998 –
November 30, 2006
Elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2002.
Retired to run for Secretary of State.

Jenny Oropeza
(Long Beach)
DemocraticDecember 4, 2006 –
October 20, 2010
Elected in 2006.
Died and posthumously won re-election.
VacantOctober 20, 2010 –
February 18, 2011

Ted Lieu
(Torrance)
DemocraticFebruary 18, 2011 –
November 30, 2014
Elected to finish Oropeza's term.
Retired to run for U.S. House of Representatives.

Jeff Stone
(La Quinta)
RepublicanDecember 1, 2014 –
November 1, 2019
Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2018.
Resigned to accept appointment to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Riverside
VacantNovember 1, 2019 –
May 18, 2020

Melissa Melendez
(Lake Elsinore)
RepublicanMay 18, 2020 –
December 5, 2022
Elected to finish Stone's term.
Redistricted to the 32nd district and
retired to run for U.S. House of Representatives.

Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
(Los Angeles)
DemocraticDecember 5, 2022 –
present
Elected in 2022.Los Angeles

Election results

2020 (special)

2020 Special Election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanMelissa Melendez87,34239.9
DemocraticElizabeth Romero53,18524.3
DemocraticJoy Silver45,11720.6
RepublicanJohn Schwab26,49212.1
DemocraticAnna Nevenic6,6763.1
Total votes218,812 100.0
General election
RepublicanMelissa Melendez 105,525 55.4
DemocraticElizabeth Romero85,31144.6
Total votes191,251 100.0

2018

2018 California State Senate election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJeff Stone (incumbent)89,42656.0
DemocraticJoy Silver55,31234.7
DemocraticAnna Nevenic14,8269.3
Total votes159,564 100.0
General election
RepublicanJeff Stone (incumbent) 151,020 51.6
DemocraticJoy Silver141,79248.4
Total votes292,812 100.0
Republican hold

2014

2014 California State Senate election
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJeff Stone20,80721.9
RepublicanBonnie Garcia18,88419.9
RepublicanGlenn A. Miller18,43519.4
DemocraticPhillip Drucker17,63518.6
DemocraticAnna Nevenic14,44415.2
RepublicanWilliam "Bill" Carns4,8345.1
Total votes95,039 100.0
General election
RepublicanJeff Stone 81,698 53.0
RepublicanBonnie Garcia72,35347.0
Total votes154,051 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

2011 (special)

2011 Special election
to fill the Vacant seat, left after the death of Jenny Oropeza
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticTed Lieu 31,723 56.72%
RepublicanBob Valentine14,14125.28%
RepublicanMartha Flores Gibson3,8856.95%
NoneMark Lipman1,9123.42%
DemocraticKevin Thomas McGurk1,4162.53%
RepublicanJames P. Thompson1,3012.33%
RepublicanJeffrey E. Fortini1,2462.23%
NoneMichael Chamness3090.55%
Total votes55,933 100.0%
Democratic hold

2010

California State Senate election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJenny Oropeza (incumbent) 142,578 58.2
RepublicanJohn S. Stammreich87,89635.8
LibertarianDavid Ruskin14,8796.0
Total votes245,353 100.0
Democratic hold

2006

California State Senate election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJenny Oropeza 129,151 61.73
RepublicanCherryl Liddle72,57034.69
LibertarianPeter De Baets7,4853.58
Total votes209,206 100.00
Democratic hold

2002

California State Senate election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDebra Bowen (incumbent) 114,145 61.76
RepublicanJo Ann Hill64,62734.97
LibertarianPeter D. De Baets6,0413.27
Invalid or blank votes12,5806.37
Total votes197,393 100.00
Democratic hold

1998

California State Senate election, 1998
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDebra Bowen 115,672 64.42
RepublicanAsha Knott57,56032.05
LibertarianNeal Doner6,3403.53
Invalid or blank votes17,3208.80
Total votes196,892 100.00
Democratic hold

1994

California State Senate election, 1994
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticRalph C. Dills (incumbent) 95,753 50.48
RepublicanDavid Barrett Cohen81,19342.80
Peace and FreedomCindy V. Henderson6,6983.53
LibertarianNeal Arvid Donner6,0383.18
Invalid or blank votes19,4299.29
Total votes209,111 100.00
Democratic hold

See also

References