Neva Parker
Candidate for Assembly District 5
Neva Parker is the Democratic candidate for California State Assembly District 5. The election is November 3, 2026. She is challenging Republican incumbent Joe Patterson. This is a rematch of their 2024 race, which Patterson won with about 62% of the vote. Parker was born and raised in Hercules, California. She has lived in Roseville for over two decades. She holds a bachelor's degree in history from UC Davis. She holds a master's degree in leadership from Saint Mary's College of California. Parker worked in nonpartisan legislative staff roles in the California Legislature starting in 1998. That included serving as Senate Journal Clerk from 2014 to 2019. She and her husband have also owned and run small businesses. Those include Max Muscle and Maximum Nutrition franchise stores. She has served in local volunteer and advisory roles. She sits on the Roseville Grants Advisory Commission, and was once its vice chair. She has volunteered with the Placer Food Bank's Feeding the Foothills program. She has also volunteered with the Assistance League of Greater Placer. Parker calls herself a 'corporate-free candidate.' She does not take corporate campaign donations. Home: Roseville, California. Occupation: Former Senate Journal Clerk, a nonpartisan role in the California State Legislature. She is also a small business owner. Prior office: None held. She lost this same race to incumbent Joe Patterson in 2024, 38% to 62%.
On the issues
- Taxes & Cost of Living
Supports increased regulatory accountability and transparency over utility rate increases (e.g., PG&E rate hikes) as a way to address cost-of-living pressures, rather than proposing specific tax policy changes.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Focuses on senior housing loss and homelessness prevention, calling for expanded services and support, particularly for seniors and in rural areas.
Source → - Criminal Justice & Courts
Favors treating substance use disorder as a public health issue rather than a purely criminal one, supporting collaborative responses involving healthcare, law enforcement, and community organizations, and improved regulation of treatment centers.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Supports expanding access to quality healthcare and addressing the opioid/fentanyl epidemic through prevention, treatment, and recovery support.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Supports protecting abortion access, describing abortion and abortion medication as essential healthcare including for miscarriage management; no stated position found on LGBTQ rights specifically.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports safe school environments free of violence and bullying and opposes efforts that would restrict children's access to education, framing education as foundational to democracy.
Source → - Family & Social Services
Supports expanding services and support access for seniors and caregivers as a priority.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Identifies climate change, poor forest management, and utility negligence as root causes of the wildfire and insurance crisis; supports incentives for rural firefighters and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Emphasizes bipartisanship and moving past partisan gridlock in favor of collaborative governance, drawing on her nonpartisan legislative career; does not stake out specific positions on voting access, redistricting, campaign finance, or ethics rules.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.