# California's 78th State Assembly district

California's 78th State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Chris Ward of San Diego.

## District profile

The district takes in a stretch of San Diego County's coast from Solana Beach to the Mexican border, including part of San Diego Bay and coastal San Diego. It comprises a variety of communities, including downtown San Diego, beachfront neighborhoods, UC San Diego, and a military base.

## Election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2021 | Recall | No 70.2 – 29.8% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 71.8 – 25.6% |
| 2018 | Governor | Newsom 69.4 – 30.6% |
| 2018 | Senator | Feinstein 56.4 – 43.6% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 67.5 – 25.9% |
| 2016 | Senator | Harris 68.0 – 32.0% |
| 2014 | Governor | Brown 62.7 – 37.3% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 63.1 – 34.1% |
| 2012 | Senator | Feinstein 65.2 – 34.8% |

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Dates | Electoral history | Counties represented |
| District established January 5, 1885 |||||
| E. E. Edwards (Los Angeles) | Republican | January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887 | Elected in 1884. [data missing] | Los Angeles |
| William H. Spurgeon (Santa Ana) | Democratic | January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889 | Elected in 1886. [data missing] | Los Angeles |
| E. E. Edwards (Los Angeles) | Republican | January 7, 1889 – January 5, 1891 | Elected in 1888. [data missing] | Los Angeles |
| A. Guy Smith (Anaheim) | Republican | January 5, 1891 – January 2, 1893 | Elected in 1890. [data missing] | Los Angeles, Orange |
| John C. Lynch (San Bernardino) | Republican | January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897 | Redistricted from the 79th district and re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. [data missing] | San Bernadrino |
| T. H. Goff (San Bernardino) | Republican | January 4, 1897 – January 2, 1899 | Elected in 1896. Lost re-election. | San Bernadrino |
| Frank P. Meserve (Redlands) | Independent | January 2, 1899 – January 1, 1901 | Elected in 1898. Retired to run for State Senate. | San Bernadrino |
| C. G. H. Bennink (Ontario) | Republican | January 1, 1901 – January 5, 1903 | Elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. [data missing] | San Bernadrino |
| Frank D. Lewis (Riverside) | Republican | January 5, 1903 – January 2, 1905 | Elected in 1902. [data missing] | Riverside |
| Miguel Estudillo (Riverside) | Republican | January 2, 1905 – January 4, 1909 | Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Retired to run for California State Senate. | Riverside |
| Emerson B. Collier (Corona) | Republican | January 4, 1909 – January 2, 1911 | Elected in 1908. [data missing] | Riverside |
| George R. Freeman (Corona) | Republican | January 2, 1911 – January 6, 1913 | Elected in 1910. [data missing] | Riverside |
| H. W. Moorhouse (Herber) | Republican | January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915 | Elected in 1912. [data missing] | Imperial |
| Robert E. Wills (Brawley) | Democratic | January 4, 1915 – January 6, 1919 | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. [data missing] | Imperial |
| Robert E. Wills (Brawley) | Republican | January 4, 1915 – January 6, 1919 | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. [data missing] | Imperial |
| J. Stanley Brown (El Centro) | Republican | January 6, 1919 – January 3, 1921 | Elected in 1918. [data missing] | Imperial |
| W. F. Beal (Brawley) | Republican | January 3, 1921 – January 8, 1923 | Elected in 1920. [data missing] | Imperial |
| George H. Davis (El Centro) | Republican | January 8, 1923 – January 5, 1925 | Elected in 1922. [data missing] | Imperial |
| Albert C. Finney (El Centro) | Republican | January 5, 1925 – January 3, 1927 | Elected in 1924. [data missing] | Imperial |
| Myron D. Witter (El Centro) | Republican | January 3, 1927 – February 19, 1931 | Elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Redistricted to the 77th district. | Imperial |
| George B. Bowers (San Diego) | Republican | January 5, 1931 – January 7, 1935 | Elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. [data missing] | San Diego |
| Ralph W. Wallace (San Diego) | Republican | January 7, 1935 – January 4, 1937 | Elected in 1934. Lost re-election. | San Diego |
| Jeanette E. Daley (San Diego) | Democratic | January 4, 1937 – January 4, 1943 | Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Lost re-election. | San Diego |
| Fred H. Kraft (San Diego) | Republican | January 4, 1943 – January 6, 1947 | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Retired to become a State Senator. | San Diego |
| Frank Luckel (San Diego) | Republican | January 6, 1947 – January 7, 1963 | Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Retired. | San Diego |
| E. Richard Barnes (El Cajon) | Republican | January 7, 1963 – January 8, 1973 | Elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Lost re-election. | San Diego |
| Lawrence Kapiloff (San Diego) | Democratic | January 8, 1973 – September 3, 1982 | Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Resigned to become a superior court judge. | San Diego |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 3, 1982 – December 6, 1982 | | San Diego |
| Lucy Killea (San Diego) | Democratic | December 6, 1982 – December 21, 1989 | Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Resigned to become a State Senator. | San Diego |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 21, 1989 – June 7, 1990 | | San Diego |
| Jeff Marston (San Diego) | Republican | June 7, 1990 – November 30, 1990 | Elected to finish Killea's term. Lost re-election. | San Diego |
| Mike Gotch (San Diego) | Democratic | December 3, 1990 – November 30, 1992 | Elected in 1990. Redistricted to the 76th district. | San Diego |
| Dede Alpert (San Diego) | Democratic | December 7, 1992 – November 30, 1996 | Redistricted from the 75th district and re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired to become a State Senator. | San Diego |
| Howard Wayne (San Diego) | Democratic | December 2, 1996 – November 30, 2002 | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired to run for San Diego City Attorney. | San Diego |
| Shirley Horton (Chula Vista) | Republican | December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2008 | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Term-limited and retired. | San Diego |
| Marty Block (San Diego) | Democratic | December 1, 2008 – November 30, 2012 | Elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Retired to become a State Senator. | San Diego |
| Toni G. Atkins (San Diego) | Democratic | December 3, 2012 – November 30, 2016 | Redistricted from the 76th district and re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Term-limited and retired. | San Diego |
| Todd Gloria (San Diego) | Democratic | December 5, 2016 – November 30, 2020 | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Retired to run for mayor of San Diego. | San Diego |
| Chris Ward (San Diego) | Democratic | December 7, 2020 – present | Elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | San Diego |

## Contents

* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020

### 2020

California State Assembly election, 2020 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Chris Ward | 69,125 | 55.6% |
| | Democratic | Sarah Davis | 34,410 | 27.7% |
| | Democratic | Micah Perlin | 20,741 | 16.7% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 124,276 | 100.0% |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Chris Ward | 123,755 | 56.2% |
| | Democratic | Sarah Davis | 96,486 | 43.8% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 220,241 | 100.0% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

California State Assembly election, 2018 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Todd Gloria (incumbent) | 79,738 | 71.2 |
| | Republican | Maggie J. Campbell | 32,250 | 28.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 111,988 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Todd Gloria (incumbent) | 140,598 | 71.1 |
| | Republican | Maggie J. Campbell | 57,217 | 28.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 197,815 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

California State Assembly election, 2016 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Todd Gloria | 91,602 | 71.8 |
| | Republican | Kevin D. Melton | 36,013 | 28.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 127,615 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Todd Gloria | 145,850 | 69.1 |
| | Republican | Kevin D. Melton | 65,134 | 30.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 178,242 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

California State Assembly election, 2014 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Toni Atkins (incumbent) | 45,922 | 60.2 |
| | Republican | Barbara Decker | 21,545 | 28.2 |
| | Republican | Kevin D. Melton | 8,855 | 11.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 76,322 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Toni Atkins (incumbent) | 72,224 | 61.6 |
| | Republican | Barbara Decker | 45,088 | 38.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 117,312 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

California State Assembly election, 2012 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Toni Atkins (incumbent) | 54,175 | 59.8 |
| | Republican | Ralph Denney | 25,291 | 27.9 |
| | Republican | Robert E. Williams | 11,121 | 12.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 90,587 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Toni Atkins (incumbent) | 116,987 | 62.4 |
| | Republican | Ralph Denney | 70,526 | 37.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 187,513 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

2010 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Marty Block (incumbent) | 72,036 | 59.3 |
| | Republican | Rick L. Powell | 49,455 | 40.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 121,491 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

2008 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Marty Block | 93,938 | 55.49 |
| | Republican | John McCann | 75,350 | 44.51 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 169,288 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 72.07 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2006

2006 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Shirley Horton (incumbent) | 51,983 | 50.89 |
| | Democratic | Maxine Sherard | 46,846 | 45.86 |
| | Libertarian | Geof Gibson | 3,324 | 3.25 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 102,153 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 48.03 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2004

2004 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Shirley Horton (incumbent) | 76,886 | 49.05 |
| | Democratic | Patty Davis | 74,888 | 47.78 |
| | Libertarian | Josh Hale | 4,969 | 3.17 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 156,743 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2002

2002 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Shirley Horton | 45,844 | 49.36 |
| | Democratic | Vincent Hall | 44,215 | 47.60 |
| | Libertarian | Mark Menanno | 2,823 | 3.04 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 5,429 | 5.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 98,311 | 100.00 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2000

2000 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Howard Wayne (incumbent) | 79,764 | 56.06 |
| | Republican | John Steel | 54,700 | 38.44 |
| | Libertarian | Dennis Triglia | 5,978 | 4.20 |
| | Natural Law | Raymond C. Wingfield | 1,840 | 1.29 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 15,357 | 9.74 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 157,639 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1998

1998 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Howard Wayne (incumbent) | 65,566 | 56.61 |
| | Republican | Jean Roesch | 44,484 | 38.40 |
| | Libertarian | John Murphy | 3,551 | 3.07 |
| | Natural Law | Stuart Knoles | 2,228 | 1.92 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 14,010 | 10.79 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 129,839 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1996

1996 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Howard Wayne | 69,587 | 48.68 |
| | Republican | Tricia Hunter | 65,440 | 45.78 |
| | American Independent | Nathan E. Johnson | 7,475 | 5.23 |
| | No party | Elizabeth Lenardi (write-in) | 453 | 0.32 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 9,624 | 6.43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 152,579 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1994

1994 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dierdre "Dede" Alpert | 63,557 | 52.54 |
| | Republican | Bruce Henderson | 53,980 | 44.62 |
| | Peace and Freedom | James Fife | 3,437 | 2.84 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 8,099 | 6.27 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 129,073 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1992

1992 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Deirdre "Dede" Alpert (inc.) | 81,819 | 53.39 |
| | Republican | Jeff Marston | 63,293 | 41.30 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Sally Sherry O'Brien | 7,792 | 5.08 |
| | No party | Dan van Tieghem (write-in) | 353 | 0.23 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 22,145 | 12.63 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 175,402 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |