California's 79th State Assembly district

California's 79th State Assembly district
Current assemblymember	Akilah Weber D–La Mesa
Population (2010)  • Voting age  • Citizen voting age	466,416 [1] 351,301 [1] 283,225 [1]
Demographics	33.47% White 10.97% Black 33.83% Latino 18.96% Asian 0.58% Native American 0.82% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.26% other 1.10 [1] % remainder of multiracial
Registered voters	281,241 [2]
Registration	44.75%  Democratic 22.03%  Republican 26.96%  No party preference

California's 79th State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Akilah Weber of La Mesa, who was elected on April 6, 2021 following the resignation of Democrat Shirley Weber, who assumed the position of California Secretary of State. ^[3]

District profile

The district encompasses southeastern San Diego and its closest eastern suburbs. The ethnically and socioeconomically diverse district is a mix of urban and suburban areas, with density roughly proportional to the distance from Downtown San Diego.

San Diego County – 15.1% Bonita Chula Vista – 36.4% La Mesa Lemon Grove National City – 27.1% San Diego – 19.9%

Election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results
2021	Recall	No 64.5 – 35.5%
2020	President	Biden 65.6 – 32.3%
2018	Governor	Newsom 63.6 – 36.4%
	Senator	Feinstein 55.4 – 44.6%
2016	President	Clinton 64.2 – 30.0%
	Senator	Harris 57.0 – 43.0%
2014	Governor	Brown 59.4 – 40.6%
2012	President	Obama 61.2 – 36.9%
	Senator	Feinstein 63.2 – 36.8%

List of members representing the district

Member	Party	Dates	Electoral history	Counties represented
District created January 5, 1885
Truman Reeves (San Bernardino)	Republican	January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887	Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected in 1894. [ data missing ]	San Bernardino
Hiram M. Barton (San Bernardino)	Democratic	January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889	Elected in 1896. [ data missing ]
Elmer W. Holmes (Riverside)	Republican	January 7, 1889 – January 5, 1891	Elected in 1888. [ data missing ]
John C. Lynch (San Bernardino)	Republican	January 5, 1891 – January 2, 1893	Elected in 1890. Redistricted to the 78th district.
William H. Carlson (San Diego)	Independent	January 2, 1893 – January 7, 1895	Elected in 1892. Retired to run for Mayor of San Diego.	San Diego
Wilfred R. Guy (San Diego)	Republican	January 7, 1895 – January 2, 1899	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. [ data missing ]
Lewis R. Works (San Diego)	Republican	January 2, 1899 – January 1, 1901	Elected in 1898. [ data missing ]
Frank W. Barnes (San Diego)	Republican	January 1, 1901 – January 7, 1907	Elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. [ data missing ]
W. F. Ludington (San Diego)	Republican	January 7, 1907 – January 4, 1909	Elected in 1906. [ data missing ]
E. C. Hinkle (San Diego)	Republican	January 4, 1909 – January 4, 1915	Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. [ data missing ]
Grant Conard (San Diego)	Republican	January 4, 1915 – January 8, 1917	Elected in 1914. [ data missing ]
Hugh J. Baldwin (National City)	Republican	January 8, 1917 – January 6, 1919	Elected in 1916. [ data missing ]
Fred E. Lindley (San Diego)	Republican	January 6, 1919 – January 3, 1921	Elected in 1918. [ data missing ]
James O. Bishop (San Diego)	Republican	January 3, 1921 – January 8, 1923	Elected in 1920. [ data missing ]
P. A. Whitacre (San Diego)	Republican	January 8, 1923 – January 5, 1925	Elected in 1922. [ data missing ]
Byron J. Walters (San Diego)	Republican	January 5, 1925 – January 7, 1929	Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. [ data missing ]
William E. Harper (San Diego)	Republican	January 7, 1929 – January 5, 1931	Elected in 1928. [ data missing ]
Edwin L. Head (San Diego)	Republican	January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933	Elected in 1930. Lost re-election.
Bruce R. Stannard (San Diego)	Republican	January 2, 1933 – January 7, 1935	Elected in 1932. [ data missing ]
Paul A. Richie (San Diego)	Democratic	January 7, 1935 – January 4, 1943	Elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Lost re-election.
Kathryn Niehouse (San Diego)	Republican	January 4, 1943 – January 3, 1955	Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. [ data missing ]
Wanda Sankary (San Diego)	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 7, 1957	Elected in 1954. Lost re-election.
George G. Crawford (San Diego)	Republican	January 7, 1957 – February 15, 1960	Elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Resigned.
Vacant		February 15, 1960 – November 30, 1960
George J. Lapthorne (San Diego)	Democratic	November 30, 1960 – January 2, 1961	Elected to finish Crawford's term. Not a candidate for the next election.
James R. Mills (Coronado)	Democratic	January 2, 1961 – January 2, 1967	Elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Redistricted to the 40th district.
Frederick James Bear (Chula Vista)	Democratic	January 2, 1967 – January 6, 1969	Elected in 1966. Lost re-election.
Tom Hom (San Diego)	Republican	January 6, 1969 – January 4, 1971	Elected in 1968. Lost re-election.
Peter R. Chacon (San Diego)	Democratic	January 4, 1971 – November 30, 1992	Elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired.
Stephen Peace (San Diego)	Democratic	December 7, 1992 – January 10, 1994	Redistricted from the 80th district and re-elected in 1992. Resigned to become a State Senator.
Vacant		January 10, 1994 – April 14, 1994
Denise M. Ducheny (San Diego)	Democratic	April 14, 1994 – November 30, 2000	Elected to finish Peace's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998.
Juan Vargas (San Diego)	Democratic	December 4, 2000 – November 30, 2006	Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Retired to run for California's 51st congressional district.
Mary Salas (Chula Vista)	Democratic	December 4, 2006 – November 30, 2010	Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Retired to run for State Senate.
Ben Hueso (San Diego)	Democratic	December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2012	Elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 80th district.
Shirley Weber (San Diego)	Democratic	December 3, 2012 – January 28, 2021	Elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Resigned to become Secretary of State of California.
Vacant		January 28, 2021 – April 19, 2021
Akilah Weber (La Mesa)	Democratic	April 19, 2021 –	Elected to finish her mother's term. Re-elected in 2022. Retiring at end of term to run for State Senate.

Election results

• 1992
• 1994
• 1996
• 1998
• 2000
• 2002
• 2004
• 2006
• 2008
• 2010
• 2012
• 2014
• 2016
• 2018
• 2020
• 2021 (special)

2021 (special)

California's 79th State Assembly district special election, 2021
Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Shirley Weber

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Akilah Weber	33,197	51.97
	Republican	Marco Contreras	21,359	33.44
	Democratic	Leticia Munguia	5,263	8.24
	Democratic	Shane Suzanne Parmely	3,241	5.07
	Democratic	Aeiramique Glass-Blake	818	1.28
Total votes			64,189	100.0
	Democratic hold

2020

California State Assembly election, 2020

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	74,121	65.7
	Republican	John Moore	19,619	17.4
	Republican	Carmelita "C.L." Larrabaster	19,080	16.9
Total votes			112,820	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	147,994	65.4
	Republican	John Moore	78,367	34.6
Total votes			226,361	100

2018

California State Assembly election, 2018

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	51,395	63.7
	Republican	John Moore	29,324	36.3
Total votes			80,719	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	103,533	66.8
	Republican	John Moore	51,548	33.2
Total votes			155,081	100.0
	Democratic hold

2016

California State Assembly election, 2016

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	64,395	67.7
	Republican	John Moore	30,711	32.3
Total votes			95,106	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	114,080	65.2
	Republican	John Moore	60,827	34.8
Total votes			174,907	100.0
	Democratic hold

2014

California State Assembly election, 2014

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	35,886	99.7
	American Independent	George R. Williams (write-in)	115	0.3
Total votes			36,001	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Shirley Weber (incumbent)	49,264	61.9
	American Independent	George R. Williams	30,266	38.1
Total votes			79,530	100.0
	Democratic hold

2012

California State Assembly election, 2012

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Weber	20,293	30.5
	Republican	Mary England	19,313	29.1
	Republican	Matt Mendoza	8,857	13.3
	Democratic	Rudy Ramirez	7,533	11.3
	Democratic	Patricia Ann Washington	5,404	8.1
	Democratic	Sid Voorakkara	5,060	7.6
Total votes			66,460	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Shirley Weber	94,170	61.7
	Republican	Mary England	58,424	38.3
Total votes			152,594	100.0
	Democratic hold

2010

2010 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ben Hueso	46,349	62.8
	Republican	Derrick Roach	27,545	37.2
Total votes			73,894	100.0
	Democratic hold

2008

2008 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mary Salas (incumbent)	74,051	69.48
	Republican	Derrick Roach	32,526	30.52
Total votes			106,577	100.00
Turnout				66.31
	Democratic hold

2006

2006 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mary Salas	39,437	62.77
	Republican	Jean Roesch	23,395	37.23
Total votes			62,832	100.00
Turnout				43.83
	Democratic hold

2004

2004 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Juan Vargas (incumbent)	78,565	85.23
	Libertarian	Eli Wallace Conroe	13,584	14.74
	Independent	Petra E. Barajas (write-in)	27	0.03
Total votes			92,176	100.00
	Democratic hold

2002

2002 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Juan Vargas (incumbent)	37,387	65.82
	Republican	Mark W. Fast	17,152	30.20
	Libertarian	Joshua Castro	2,264	3.99
Invalid or blank votes			3,388	5.63
Total votes			60,191	100.00
	Democratic hold

2000

2000 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Juan Vargas	55,689	77.38
	Republican	Jon Parungao	13,708	19.05
	Libertarian	Richard J. Cardulla	2,572	3.57
Invalid or blank votes			4,783	6.23
Total votes			76,752	100.00
	Democratic hold

1998

1998 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Denise Ducheny (incumbent)	39,636	76.43
	Republican	Carl Hurum Kinz	12,226	23.57
Invalid or blank votes			8,502	14.08
Total votes			60,364	100.00
	Democratic hold

1996

1996 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Denise Moreno Ducheny (inc.)	48,509	71.50
	Republican	Bob Divine	19,338	28.50
Invalid or blank votes			5,380	7.32
Total votes			73,227	100.00
	Democratic hold

1994

1994 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Denise Moreno Ducheny (inc.)	34,081	67.46
	Republican	John Vogel	14,601	28.9
	Peace and Freedom	Lasal Faten	1,835	3.63
Invalid or blank votes			7,730	13.27
Total votes			58,247	100.00
	Democratic hold

1992

1992 California State Assembly election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Steve Peace (incumbent)	46,739	65.23
	Republican	Raul Silva-Martinez	19,855	27.71
	Peace and Freedom	James R. Train	2,956	4.13
	Peace and Freedom	Edwardo A. Prud-Home	2,103	2.93
Invalid or blank votes			6,591	8.42
Total votes			78,244	100.00
	Democratic hold

See also

• California State Assembly
• California State Assembly districts
• Districts in California

References

1. "Citizens Redistricting Commission Final Report, 2011" (PDF).
2. "Report of Registration as of July 3, 2020" (PDF).
3. "Gov. Newsom announces special election to fill seat of former Assemblywoman Shirley Weber - Los Angeles Times".

External links

• District map from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission