Fifteen candidates are running in the top-two primary for California’s 30th Congressional District on March 5, 2024. Four candidates lead in noteworthy endorsements, fundraising, and local media attention: Mike Feuer (D), Laura Friedman (D), Nick Melvoin (D), and Anthony Portantino, Jr. (D).
Incumbent Adam Schiff (D) is running for U.S. Senate rather than seeking re-election, leaving the district open. Each of the four highlighted candidates says they have the experience needed to follow in Schiff’s footsteps. While they are in broad agreement on several issues, each has a specific focus for their campaigns.
Feuer says his experience working in state and local government and connections to legislators will help him “step in right now and exemplify every day that kind of leadership.” Feuer says he is running because “our fragile democracy itself is on the line,” saying he had sued President Donald Trump’s (R) administration on immigration policy and had authored California’s same-day voter registration law.
Friedman, a state legislator and former film executive, says she has “achieved results on every progressive issue in California politics.” Friedman says she is focused on the next generation: “the polluters keep polluting, the rights of women and our LGBTQIA+ community members are being eroded and the growing economic inequality and a shrinking middle class make me wonder if my daughter will ever be able to purchase a home.”
Melvoin, a Los Angeles Unified School District board member and former teacher, says he represents “a new generation of leadership to bring a solutions-oriented approach to our politics: not who is right, but what is right.” Melvoin says he is focused on “the urgent challenges that are hurting our communities…rising prices and sky-high rents and home costs. Schools are not getting the investments they need to deliver quality education for students. Our infrastructure is not built to meet the needs of the 21st century, which is holding back our economy.”
Portantino, a state legislator and former city councilor, says he has “the temperament, experience and leadership skills to represent our district in Washington.” Portantino says he will fight “radical politicians who deny climate change, who want to take away marriage equality, and want to remove a woman’s right to choose.”
Also running in the primary are Francesco Arreaga (D), Joshua Bocanegra (No party preference), Stephen Dunwoody (D), Sal Genovese (D), J. Emilio Martinez (R), Courtney Najera (D), Ben Savage (D), and Sepi Shyne (D).
The top two finishers in the primary will advance to the general election. As of January 30, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball each rated the general election Safe/Solid Democratic. In the 2022 top-two primary, Democratic candidates received a combined 76.9% of the vote to Republicans’ 21.2%.