LaShae Sharp-CollinsIncumbent
Candidate for Assembly District 79
LaShae Sharp-Collins is a Democrat. She holds the Assembly seat for District 79. It covers parts of San Diego, La Mesa, and nearby towns. She took office on December 2, 2024, after the November 2024 vote. She won about 54% of the vote against La Mesa council member Colin Parent. She was born and raised in San Diego. She went to Lincoln High School. She earned three degrees at San Diego State: a bachelor's in Africana Studies, a master's in education, and a doctorate in education leadership. Before her election, she worked as an outreach aide for the county school office. She spent about 14 years as an adjunct teacher in SDSU's Africana Studies unit. She served as district aide for then-Assembly member Shirley Weber, now a member of Congress and Secretary of State. She has served on the board of Planned Parenthood in the Pacific Southwest. She has also served on the boards of the San Diego NAACP and the San Diego Urban League. In the Assembly, she wrote AB 1279. That bill would stop past juvenile cases from counting as strikes under the state's Three Strikes law. She is running for a full term in the November 3, 2026 vote. Age: about 46 or 47, with a birth year of 1979 or 1980. Home: the San Diego and La Mesa area, District 79. Occupation: state Assembly member, the current officeholder. She once taught as an adjunct at San Diego State. Prior office: she has held the seat since December 2, 2024, first won in November 2024.
On the issues
- Housing & Homelessness
Supports using state-owned land to build affordable housing and pursuing measures to reduce rents and make homeownership more affordable, particularly for seniors, teachers, nurses, and government workers.
Source → - Criminal Justice & Courts
Supports juvenile justice reform, specifically excluding juvenile adjudications from counting as prior strikes under California's Three Strikes sentencing law.
Source → - Reproductive & Social Issues
Supports protecting abortion access and reproductive health care rights, and supports LGBT rights.
Source → - Education & Schools
Supports increased K-12 funding, expanded early childhood education, and vocational/workforce training, with a stated goal of ensuring consistent classroom quality regardless of zip code.
Source → - Environment, Energy & Climate
Prioritizes addressing indoor air quality and health risks from aging gas appliances, supporting retrofit or replacement of gas appliances in older homes (built 1950-1990), particularly for vulnerable populations.
Source → - Government, Elections & Democracy
Supports increased transparency and accountability in government spending, including scrutiny of how school districts use public funds.
Source →
Profiles are compiled from the candidate’s own statements and public records. We never tell you how to vote.