Darshana PatelIncumbent
Candidate for Assembly District 76
Darshana Patel is a Democrat. She holds the Assembly seat for District 76. It covers parts of San Diego County, including Escondido, San Marcos, and San Diego. She won the seat in the November 2024 vote. She beat Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane. She took office on December 2, 2024. Before the Assembly, Patel sat on the Poway school board from 2016 to 2024. She served a term there as board president. She has worked as a research scientist in biotech. She has also worked as an executive at a civic nonprofit. She earned a degree from Occidental College in 1996. She earned a Ph.D. from UC Irvine in 2002. She did more grad study at UC Berkeley in 2009. Patel calls herself a working mother of three kids in public schools. She is running for a full term in the November 3, 2026 vote. Home: the Poway and Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego County, California. Occupation: state Assembly member for District 76. Her past work is in biotech research and nonprofit work. Prior office: she has held the seat since December 2, 2024. She sat on the Poway school board from 2016 to 2024, as board president.
On the issues
- Taxes & Cost of Living
Supports policies aimed at reducing the cost of living for working families, citing housing, healthcare, and transportation costs as key affordability burdens.
Source → - Housing & Homelessness
Supports expanding affordable and middle-income housing as a strategy to reduce homelessness.
Source → - Health & Health Care
Supports expanding access to healthcare, including mental and behavioral health services.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Supports protecting reproductive rights and has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports increasing funding for K-12 schools and public colleges, and has emphasized fully funding public education from transitional kindergarten through community college (TK-14).
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Supports diversifying renewable energy sources and investing in sustainable infrastructure; endorsed by the Sierra Club.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.