Assemblywoman Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, formally announced on Saturday that she plans to run for the state Senate.
Limón, a former Santa Barbara Unified School District trustee and a rising political star in Sacramento, had informed donors in recent days of her planned run to replace state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, who is barred by term limits from seeking re-election next year.
“I am excited to announce that I am running for the 19th state Senate District,” Limón said in a late-night email. “I love representing the people of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in the Assembly.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished together and honored to have worked with my colleagues in the Assembly to ensure the Central Coast continues to thrive while tackling some of the greatest challenges.”
She said that if she is victorious she would be “honored to represent even more people in each county — more to the north, and more to the south and east. As a state senator, I would still be working in partnership with the Assembly.”
Limón, who is in her second two-year term in the Assembly, currently chairs the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee and is vice chairwoman of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus.
She said her experience in the Legislature “positions me to advance that work in the state Senate unlike any other candidate from our region.”
Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo recently announced her own plans to run for the Senate in 2020. With Limón’s announcement, it’s unclear now whether she will pursue that course, run for the Assembly seat or remain in her job at City Hall.
After previously announcing that he was seeking re-election to the Santa Barbara City Council, first-term Councilman Jason Dominguez told Noozhawk on Saturday that he will run for the Assembly in 2020, but still plans to seek re-election to the City Council this year.
“As a teacher, nonprofit leader and city councilmember, I see the challenges that working families face every day,” he said. “… I know that California is capable of great things — my family’s story is evidence of what is possible. I want to help tackle the problems we face, and I look forward to the challenges ahead.
“There is a great deal of work to do — from preventing catastrophic climate change and reinvigorating our schools to revolutionizing our affordable housing and mental health infrastructure. I am eager to take on these challenges and make California the model for progressive leadership and change.”
Jonathan Abboud, an Isla Vista community organizer and Santa Barbara City College trustee, also has been telling people privately that he plans to enter the Assembly race.
In her statement, Limón said she appreciates the patience supporters showed in waiting for her decision.
“I have been thinking about this for a long time, and there are reasons to run again for the Assembly, and so many important reasons to run for the Senate,” she said. “From my perspective, I will be able to serve my constituents most effectively if I am elected to the Senate.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
