# California's 21st senatorial district

California's 21st senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Monique Limón of Santa Barbara.

## District profile

The district encompasses northern Los Angeles County and parts of the High Desert. It includes most of the Antelope, Victor, and Santa Clarita Valleys.

## Election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2020 | President | Biden 52.0 – 45.8% |
| 2018 | Governor | Cox 50.9 – 49.1% |
| 2018 | Senator | de Leon 51.6 – 48.4% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 48.6 – 45.7% |
| 2016 | Senator | Harris 56.8 – 43.2% |
| 2014 | Governor | Kashkari 58.6 – 41.4% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 49.9 – 47.5% |
| 2012 | Senator | Emken 51.1 – 48.9% |

## List of senators representing the district
### 1852–1862

| Senators | Party | Years served | Electoral history | Counties represented |
| M. M. Wombough (Colusa) | Democratic | January 5, 1852 – January 3, 1855 | Elected in 1851. Re-elected in 1853. [data missing] | Colusa, Yolo |
| [data missing] | [data missing] | January 3, 1855 – January 5, 1857 | [data missing] | [data missing] |
| John C. Burch (Weaverville) | Democratic | January 5, 1857 – January 3, 1859 | Elected in 1856. Retired to run for U.S. House of Representatives. | Humboldt, Trinity |
| James T. Ryan (Eureka) | Democratic | January 3, 1859 – January 7, 1861 | Elected in 1858. [data missing] | Humboldt, Trinity |
| Joseph Kutz (North San Juan) | Republican | January 7, 1861 – January 6, 1862 | Elected in 1860. | Nevada |

### 1862–1875

| Dates | Seat A | Seat A | Seat A | Seat B | Seat B | Seat B | Seat C | Seat C | Seat C | Counties represented |
| Dates | Member | Party | Electoral history | Member | Party | Electoral history | Member | Party | Electoral history | Counties represented |
| January 6, 1862 – December 7, 1863 | Edmund W. Roberts (Grass Valley) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing] | Joseph Kutz (North San Juan) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. [data missing] | John C. Birdseye (Nevada City) | Union | Elected in 1862. [data missing] | Nevada |
| December 7, 1863 – December 4, 1865 | Edmund W. Roberts (Grass Valley) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing] | Joseph Kutz (North San Juan) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. [data missing] | Third seat was eliminated for the term. | Third seat was eliminated for the term. | Third seat was eliminated for the term. | | | Nevada |
| December 4, 1865 – December 2, 1867 | Edmund W. Roberts (Grass Valley) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing] | Joseph Kutz (North San Juan) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. [data missing] | David Belden (Nevada City) | Union | Elected in 1865. [data missing] | Nevada |
| December 2, 1867 – December 6, 1869 | Edmund W. Roberts (Grass Valley) | Union | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing] | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | | | Nevada |
| December 6, 1869 – December 4, 1871 | Edmund W. Roberts (Grass Valley) | Republican | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Re-elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing] | Miles P. O'Connor (Nevada City) | Democratic | Elected in 1868. [data missing] | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Nevada |
| December 4, 1871 – December 1, 1873 | Charles Kent (Nevada City) | Democratic | Elected in 1871. Re-elected in 1873. [data missing] | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | Second seat was eliminated for the term. | | | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Nevada |
| December 1, 1873 – December 6, 1875 | Charles Kent (Nevada City) | Democratic | Elected in 1871. Re-elected in 1873. [data missing] | Miles P. O'Connor (Nevada City) | Democratic | Elected in 1873. [data missing] | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Third seat was eliminated. | Nevada |

### 1875–present

| Senators | Party | Years served | Electoral history | Counties represented |
| Benjamin F. Tuttle (Petaluma) | Democratic | December 6, 1875 – December 3, 1877 | Elected in 1875. Retired to run for State Assembly. | Sonoma |
| [data missing] | [data missing] | December 3, 1877 – January 5, 1880 | [data missing] | Sonoma |
| W. W. Moreland (Healdsburg) | Democratic | January 5, 1880 – January 3, 1881 | Elected in 1879. [data missing] | Sonoma |
| [data missing] | [data missing] | January 3, 1881 – January 8, 1883 | [data missing] | Sonoma |
| George A. Johnson (Santa Rosa) | Democratic | January 8, 1883 – January 3, 1887 | Elected in 1882. Retired to run for Attorney General of California. | Sonoma |
| J. J. Sullivan (San Francisco) | Democratic | January 3, 1887 – January 7, 1889 | Elected in 1886. [data missing] | San Francisco |
| W. O. Banks (San Francisco) | Republican | January 7, 1889 – January 2, 1893 | Elected in 1888. [data missing] | San Francisco |
| William J. Biggy (San Francisco) | Democratic | January 2, 1893 – January 4, 1897 | Elected in 1892. [data missing] | San Francisco |
| Edward I. Wolfe (San Francisco) | Republican | January 4, 1897 – January 6, 1913 | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1908. Redistricted to the 19th district and lost re-election. | San Francisco |
| Frederick C. Gerdes (San Francisco) | Republican | January 6, 1913 – January 8, 1917 | Elected in 1912. Lost re-election. | San Francisco |
| James C. Nealon (San Francisco) | Democratic | January 8, 1917 – March 1, 1920 | Elected in 1916. Died. | San Francisco |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 1, 1920 – January 3, 1921 | | San Francisco |
| Charles W. Godsil (San Francisco) | Republican | January 3, 1921 – January 5, 1925 | Elected in 1920. [data missing] | San Francisco |
| Roy Fellom (San Francisco) | Republican | January 5, 1925 – January 5, 1931 | Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1928. Resigned to assume seat in the 14th district. | San Francisco |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 5, 1931 – March 10, 1931 | | San Francisco |
| Timothy E. Treacy (San Francisco) | Nonpartisan | March 10, 1931 – January 2, 1933 | Elected to finish Fellom's term. [data missing] | San Francisco |
| Harry L. Parkman (San Carlos) | Republican | January 2, 1933 – January 7, 1957 | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1952. Announced retirement, then ran for re-election. Retired after committee endorsed successor. | San Mateo |
| Richard J. Dolwig (Redwood City) | Republican | January 7, 1957 – January 2, 1967 | Elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1964. Redistricted to the 12th district. | San Mateo |
| John L. Harmer (Glendale) | Republican | January 2, 1967 – October 4, 1974 | Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1972. Resigned when appointed as Lieutenant Governor. | Los Angeles |
| Vacant | Vacant | October 4, 1974 – December 20, 1974 | | Los Angeles |
| Newton Russell (La Cañada Flintridge) | Republican | December 20, 1974 – November 30, 1996 | Elected to finish Harmer's term. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1992. Retired. | Los Angeles |
| Adam Schiff (Burbank) | Democratic | December 2, 1996 – November 30, 2000 | Elected in 1996. Retired to become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. | Los Angeles |
| Jack Scott (Altadena) | Democratic | December 4, 2000 – November 30, 2008 | Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2004. Retired due to term limits. | Los Angeles |
| Carol Liu (La Cañada Flintridge) | Democratic | December 1, 2008 – November 30, 2012 | Elected in 2008. Redistricted to the 25th district. | Los Angeles |
| Steve Knight (Lancaster) | Republican | December 3, 2012 – January 3, 2015 | Elected in 2012. Resigned to become a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 3, 2015 – March 19, 2015 | | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| Sharon Runner (Lancaster) | Republican | March 19, 2015 – July 14, 2016 | Elected to finish Knight's term. Died. | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| Vacant | Vacant | July 14, 2016 – December 5, 2016 | | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| Scott Wilk (Santa Clarita) | Republican | December 5, 2016 – present | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2020. Retired due to term limits. | Los Angeles, San Bernardino |
| Monique Limón (Santa Barbara) | Democratic | December 2, 2024 – present | Redistricted from the 19th district and re-elected in 2024. | Santa Barbara, Ventura |

## Contents

* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2015 (special)
* 2016
* 2020

### 2020

California State Senate election, 2020 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Scott Wilk (incumbent) | 96,701 | 53.1 |
| | Democratic | Kipp Mueller | 34,232 | 18.8 |
| | Democratic | Dana LaMon | 21,911 | 12.0 |
| | Democratic | Warren Heaton | 18,554 | 10.2 |
| | Democratic | Steve Hill | 10,863 | 6.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 182,261 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Scott Wilk (incumbent) | 199,342 | 50.8 |
| | Democratic | Kipp Mueller | 193,202 | 49.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 392,544 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

California State Senate election, 2016 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Scott Wilk | 69,403 | 46.7 |
| | Democratic | Johnathon Levar Ervin | 50,078 | 33.7 |
| | Democratic | Steve Hill | 17,735 | 11.9 |
| | Republican | Star Moffatt | 11,439 | 7.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 148,655 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Scott Wilk | 160,043 | 52.8 |
| | Democratic | Johnathon Levar Ervin | 142,886 | 47.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 302,929 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2015 (special)

California's 21st State Senate district special election, 2015 Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Steve Knight :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sharon Runner | 26,360 | 94.1 |
| | Democratic | Steve Hill (write-in) | 996 | 3.6 |
| | Democratic | Joshua Conaway (write-in) | 252 | 0.9 |
| | Republican | Jerry J. Laws (write-in) | 120 | 0.4 |
| | No party preference | Joshua Cody Chandler (write-in) | 108 | 0.4 |
| | Democratic | Richard E. Macias (write-in) | 91 | 0.3 |
| | No party preference | Jason Zink (write-in) | 90 | 0.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,017 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2012

California State Senate election, 2012 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Knight | 61,245 | 69.0 |
| | Democratic | Star Moffatt | 27,545 | 31.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 88,790 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Steve Knight | 153,412 | 57.6 |
| | Democratic | Star Moffatt | 112,780 | 42.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 266,192 | 100.0 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2008

California State Senate election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Carol Liu | 204,737 | 66.88 |
| | Republican | Teddy Choi | 77,525 | 25.33 |
| | Libertarian | Steve Myers | 23,842 | 7.79 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 306,104 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 69.81 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

California State Senate election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jack Scott (incumbent) | 217,515 | 78.05 |
| | Libertarian | Bob New | 61,160 | 21.95 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 278,675 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2000

California State Senate election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jack Scott | 158,145 | 58.92 |
| | Republican | Paul Zee | 100,901 | 37.59 |
| | Libertarian | Bob New | 9,339 | 3.48 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 23,047 | 7.91 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 291,432 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1996

California State Senate election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Schiff | 125,649 | 51.78 |
| | Republican | Paula L. Boland | 107,039 | 44.11 |
| | Libertarian | Bob New | 9,981 | 4.11 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 19,207 | 7.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 261,876 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 1992

California State Senate election, 1992 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Newton R. Russell (incumbent) | 133,385 | 50.04 |
| | Democratic | Rachel J. Dewey | 116,486 | 43.70 |
| | Libertarian | James R. "Bob" New | 10,658 | 4.00 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Jan B. Tucker | 6,031 | 2.26 |
| | No party | Lewis Weiss (write-in) | 3 | 0.00 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 25,122 | 8.61 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 266,563 | 100.00 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |