Rick Zbur

Further information: 1996 United States House of Representatives elections and 1996 United States House of Representatives elections in California

In 1996, Zbur ran for the United States House of Representatives in California's 38th congressional district against Republican incumbent Steve Horn, a two-term moderate. He became the first openly gay non-incumbent congressional primary candidate to win an election when he won the Democratic primary election on March 26, 1996. He then went on to lose the general election to Horn. ^[2]

During his congressional campaign, Zbur's key legislative priorities included environmental protection, Social Security, and Medicare.

2022 Los Angeles City Attorney election announcement

In April 2020, Zbur announced that he would be running in the 2022 Los Angeles City Attorney election. ^[10] He later decided not to compete in the election, instead running for the State Assembly. ^[11]

California State Assembly (2022–present)

Election

In 2021, Zbur announced a run for the California State in Assembly District 51, a newly re-drawn district which includes Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood Village, and Santa Monica. He won the primary and then the general election in 2022. ^[12]

Zbur is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus. ^[13]

Tenure

In 2025, Zbur led opposition in the California State Assembly against SB 79, bipartisan legislation to increase housing supply in California amid a housing shortage. The legislation, which passed, permitted dense housing near major public transit stations. Zbur gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. ^[14]

Rick Chavez Zbur
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the California State Assembly from the 51st district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 5, 2022

1996 California's 38th congressional district election ^{[15] [16]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Zbur	21,190	51.39
	Democratic	Peter Mathews	20,041	48.61
Total votes			41,231	100.00
General election
	Republican	Steve Horn (incumbent)	88,136	52.57
	Democratic	Rick Zbur	71,627	42.73
	Green	William Yeager	4,610	2.75
	Libertarian	Paul Gautreau	3,272	1.95
Total votes			167,645	100.00
	Republican hold

California State Assembly

2022 California State Assembly 51st district election ^{[17] [18]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Zbur	53,522	61.6
	Democratic	Louis Abramson	33,300	38.4
Total votes			86,822	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Rick Zbur	76,110	54.9
	Democratic	Louis Abramson	62,647	45.1
Total votes			138,757	100.0
	Democratic hold

2024 California State Assembly 51st district election ^{[19] [20]}

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rick Zbur (incumbent)	76,838	78.3
	Republican	Stephen Hohil	10,710	10.9
	Republican	Shiva Bagheri	10,610	10.8
Total votes			98,158	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Rick Zbur (incumbent)	154,114	75.0
	Republican	Stephan Hohil	51,365	25.0
Total votes			205,479	100.0
	Democratic hold

References

1. California's 38th Congressional District. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
2. "Statement of the Vote, March 26, 1996: United States Representative in Congress by District" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
3. "Rick Zbur takes helm of Equality California". The Desert Sun . Retrieved 2020-03-01.
4. "Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur Joins CA Legislative Jewish Caucus; California State Assembly Democratic Caucus" (Press release). February 1, 2023.
5. "Richard (Rick) S. Zbur". www.lw.com. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
6. Shuit, Douglas P. (1996-10-25). "Democrats Use All Their Weapons to Try to Unseat Horn". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
7. "Equality California's Rick Zbur honored as an environmentalist". Los Angeles Blade: LGBT News, Rights, Politics, Entertainment. 2018-11-28. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
8. "Rick Zbur to Take Helm as EQCA Executive Director". Outword Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
9. "Rick Zbur". California League of Conservation Voters. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
10. Laird, Cynthia. (2020-04-07). "EQCA's Zbur to run for LA city attorney". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2020-03-01.
11. "Statewide Direct Primary Election - June 7, 2022". Los Angeles County . July 1, 2022. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
12. "Biography | Official Website - Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur Representing California's 51st Assembly District". a51.asmdc.org. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
13. "Legislative Progressive Caucus". assembly.ca.gov. California State Assembly. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
14. "SB 79 Passes Assembly, Still Needs Senate "Concurrence" Before the Governor's Desk". cal.streetsblog.org. 2025-09-12.
15. "March 26, 1996, Primary Election - United States Representative in Congress" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
16. "November 5, 1996, General Election - United States Representative in Congress" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
17. "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
18. "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
19. "March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.
20. "November 5, 2024, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved October 11, 2025.

External links

• Equality California profile