Damon Connolly
Candidate for State Senate District 2
Damon Connolly sits in the California State Assembly. He is a Democrat. He represents the 12th District. That covers Marin and southern Sonoma counties. He has held the seat since December 2022. He was born June 19, 1963. He lives in San Rafael. Connolly holds a B.A. in Economics. He also holds a J.D. Both are from UC Berkeley. He worked at the state Justice Department. He was a Deputy Attorney General there. He later became a Supervising Deputy AG. He then joined a firm, Girard Gibbs LLP, as partner. He served on the San Rafael City Council too. That ran from 2007 to 2014. He was vice mayor there. He also served on the Marin County Board of Supervisors. That ran from 2015 to 2022. Then he won his Assembly seat. In 2026, he runs for state Senate District 2. That is an open seat. It covers seven counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Trinity. The current senator hit a term limit. Born June 19, 1963. Home: San Rafael, California. Occupation: State Assemblymember, District 12; attorney by training. Current office: Assemblymember since December 2022. Prior office: county supervisor, 2015-2022; city council member, 2007-2014. He was not the prior State Senate incumbent.
On the issues
- Economy & Jobs
Supports expanded technical assistance and relief programs for small businesses and emphasizes making the North Coast more affordable to attract employers.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports expanding affordable housing near transit and downtowns while protecting tenant rights, and backs the state's Homekey housing-first approach to homelessness paired with services.
Source → - Public Safety & Policing
Authored legislation restricting sale of military-grade body armor to convicted criminals as a protection for police and first responders.
Source → - Criminal Justice & Courts
Supported legislation to more aggressively prosecute organized retail theft by aggregating charges against repeat/professional thieves.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Describes health care as a human right and supports expanding Medicaid/Medi-Cal access, drug price controls, billing price transparency, and rural health workforce and mental health support.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Supports abortion rights, describing himself as the first candidate in his Assembly district to champion an 'abortion sanctuary' and supporting Proposition 1 enshrining reproductive rights in the state constitution; received a 100% Planned Parenthood scorecard.
Source → - Education & Schools
Authored legislation requiring schools in high or very-high fire hazard zones to have wildfire evacuation plans.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Supports large state investment in wildfire prevention and drought mitigation, co-authored the 2024 climate bond (Proposition 4) directing $1.5 billion to wildfire and forest resilience, authored San Rafael's Climate Action Plan, and helped found Marin Clean Energy and Sonoma Clean Power community-choice energy programs.
Source → - Water & Natural Resources
Supports pursuing regional, state, and federal resources for water conservation, recycling, and water reclamation, and emphasizes protecting water and coastline resources.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.