Elk Grove Democratic voters receive state party proposition recommendation list, endorsement of Assemblymember Nguyen

In the last several days, Elk Grove registered Democratic voters received a mailer from the California Democratic Party with recommendations for the 10 propositions on this November's statewide ballot.

Along with the proposition recommendations, the state party endorsed the reelection of District 10 Democratic State Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, who is seeking a second term. Unlike the pitched battle she had to win her first term in 2022 against fellow Democrat and Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra, Nguyen is challenged by Republican Vinaya Singh.

Nguyen and Singh were the only two candidates in the March primary, and they will rematch in the November general election. Nguyen won 67 percent of the vote and is expected to perform similarly in the general election.

The party recommends yes on eight of the 10 statewide propositions, one no, and no recommendation on one. Among the eight yes recommendations include increasing the minimum wage and enshrining marriage equality in the state constitution.

The one with a vote no recommendation is 36. That proposition, which reverses the criminal justice reforms of 2014's Proposition 47, has been a source of contention within the California Democratic party.

Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes the measure, and no member of the Democratic caucus in the State Senate or State Assembly supports it. There are a handful of prominent Democratic elected officials push a yes vote on the proposition.

Among them are San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. In addition to these three, several backbench Democratic elected officials and many Republicans support the measure.

Among the backbenchers are Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her three Democratic city council members, Rod Brewer, Sergio Robles, and Darren Suen. Singh-Allen has led her three councilmen against the state party recommendations and support the rollback of criminal justice reforms pushed by conservatives.

As noted, Singh-Allen and her three councilmen are backbenchers, but Suen is plotting to challenge Nguyen in the June 2026 primary for the 10th District Assembly position. Given that Nguyen, who typically aligns with law enforcement, did not lend her name to the yes on 36, and Suen is for the criminal justice rollback, he will not have the Democratic party's support in his challenge, and more importantly, the money that goes along with the state party.

While the California Democratic Party is against 36, recent polling shows yes polling ahead of no votes.