# California's 21st State Assembly district

California's 21st State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Diane Papan of San Mateo.

## District profile

The district includes most of San Mateo County, California.

## Election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2022 | Governor | Newsom 74.8 – 25.2% |
| 2022 | Senator | Padilla 76.2 – 23.8% |
| 2021 | Recall | 50.1 - 49.9% |
| 2021 | Recall | Elder 58.8 - 6.3% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 55.3 – 42.3% |
| 2018 | Governor | Newsom 54.6 – 45.4% |
| 2018 | Senator | De Leon 54.3 – 45.7% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 54.6 – 35.9% |
| 2016 | Senator | Harris 51.0 – 49.0% |
| 2014 | Governor | Brown 53.6 – 46.4% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 55.6 – 42.0% |
| 2012 | Senator | Feinstein 57.2 – 42.8% |

## List of assembly members

Due to redistricting, the 21st district has been moved around different parts of the state. The current iteration resulted from the 2011 redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
| Assembly members | Party | Years served | Counties represented | Notes |
| C. B. Culver | Republican | January 5, 1885 – January 3, 1887 | Yolo | |
| Levi B. Adams | Democratic | January 3, 1887 – January 5, 1891 | Yolo | |
| Reese Clark | Republican | January 5, 1891 – January 5, 1893 | Yolo | |
| H. C. Chipman | Republican | January 5, 1893 – January 7, 1895 | Sacramento | |
| L. T. Hatfield | Republican | January 7, 1895 – January 4, 1897 | Sacramento | |
| Scott F. Ennis | Republican | January 4, 1897 – January 2, 1899 | Sacramento | |
| William D. Knights | Republican | January 2, 1899 – January 1, 1901 | Sacramento | |
| Louis F. Reeber | Democratic | January 1, 1901 – January 5, 1903 | Sacramento | |
| Stephen H. Olmsted | Republican | January 5, 1903 – January 7, 1907 | Marin | |
| Edward I. Butler | Republican | January 7, 1907 – January 2, 1911 | Marin | |
| George H. Harlan | Republican | January 2, 1911 – January 6, 1913 | Marin | |
| Walter A. McDonald | Republican | January 6, 1913 – January 4, 1915 | San Francisco | |
| Walter A. McDonald | Prohibition | January 4, 1915 – January 8, 1917 | San Francisco | |
| Frederick C. Hawes | Republican | January 8, 1917 – January 5, 1931 | San Francisco | |
| Frank Lee Crist | Republican | January 5, 1931 – January 2, 1933 | Santa Clara | |
| Joseph P. Gilmore | Republican | January 2, 1933 – January 4, 1937 | San Francisco | |
| Joseph Francis Sheehan | Democratic | January 4, 1937 – January 2, 1939 | San Francisco | |
| Joseph P. Gilmore | Republican | January 2, 1939 – January 6, 1941 | San Francisco | |
| John D. Welch | Democratic | January 6, 1941 – January 4, 1943 | San Francisco | |
| Albert C. Wollenberg | Republican | January 4, 1943 – September 19, 1947 | San Francisco | Resigned from State Assembly. |
| Arthur H. Connolly Jr. | Republican | November 24, 1947 – January 5, 1953 | San Francisco | Won special election to fill the vacant seat left by Wollenberg. He was sworn in on November 24, 1947. |
| Caspar Weinberger | Republican | January 5, 1953 – January 5, 1959 | San Francisco | |
| Milton Marks | Republican | January 5, 1959 – October 25, 1966 | San Francisco | |
| Gordon W. Duffy | Republican | January 2, 1967 – November 30, 1974 | Kings, Tulare | |
| Victor Calvo | Democratic | December 2, 1974 – November 30, 1980 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | |
| Byron Sher | Democratic | December 1, 1980 – March 28, 1996 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | Resigned from the Assembly to take Oath of office in the State Senate for the 11th district after winning a special election. |
| Ted Lempert | Democratic | December 2, 1996 – November 30, 2000 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | |
| Joe Simitian | Democratic | December 4, 2000 – November 30, 2004 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | |
| Ira Ruskin | Democratic | December 6, 2004 – November 30, 2010 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | |
| Rich Gordon | Democratic | December 6, 2010 – November 30, 2012 | San Mateo, Santa Clara | |
| Adam Gray | Democratic | December 3, 2012 – December 5, 2022 | Merced, Stanislaus | |
| Diane Papan | Democratic | December 5, 2022 – Present | San Mateo | |

## Contents

* 1992
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2000
* 2002
* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
* 2014
* 2016
* 2018
* 2020
* 2022

### 2022

2022 California Assembly election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Diane Papan | 40,434 | 41.3 |
| | Democratic | Giselle Hale | 19,400 | 19.8 |
| | Republican | Mark Gilham | 19,078 | 19.5 |
| | Democratic | James H. Coleman | 11,269 | 11.5 |
| | Democratic | Alison M. Madden | 3,359 | 3.4 |
| | Democratic | Maurice Goodman | 2,664 | 2.7 |
| | Green | Tania Solé | 1,620 | 1.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 97,824 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Diane Papan | 94,676 | 72.4 |
| | Democratic | Giselle Hale (withdrawn) | 36,014 | 27.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 130,690 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

California State Assembly election, 2020 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 54,987 | 99.0% |
| | Republican | Joel Gutierrez Campos (write in) | 300 | 0.5% |
| | Republican | Guadalupe Salazar (write in) | 256 | 0.5% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,543 | 100.0% |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 93,816 | 59.6% |
| | Republican | Joel Gutierrez Campos | 63,514 | 40.4% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 157,330 | 100.0% |

### 2018

California State Assembly election, 2018 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 43,023 | 99.9 |
| | Libertarian | Justin Ryan Quigley (write-in) | 49 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,072 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 74,320 | 71.3 |
| | Libertarian | Justin Ryan Quigley | 29,855 | 28.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 104,175 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

California State Assembly election, 2016 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 43,874 | 66.8 |
| | Republican | Greg Opinski | 21,754 | 33.1 |
| | Republican | Brien J. Rahilly (write-in) | 36 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 65,664 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 85,990 | 69.8 |
| | Republican | Greg Opinski | 37,230 | 30.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 123,220 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

California State Assembly election, 2014 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 26,015 | 95.3 |
| | Republican | Jack Mobley (write-in) | 1,286 | 4.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 27,301 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Adam Gray (incumbent) | 34,931 | 53.4 |
| | Republican | Jack Mobley | 30,499 | 46.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 65,430 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

California State Assembly election, 2012 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jack Mobley | 20,148 | 45.4 |
| | Democratic | Adam Gray | 14,391 | 32.4 |
| | Democratic | Lesa Rasmussen | 4,305 | 9.7 |
| | Democratic | Tommy Jones | 4,055 | 9.1 |
| | Democratic | Robert R. Sellers | 1,452 | 3.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 44,351 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Adam Gray | 63,349 | 58.2 |
| | Republican | Jack Mobley | 45,534 | 41.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 108,883 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

2010 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Rich Gordon | 89,927 | 60.1 |
| | Republican | Greg Conlon | 52,809 | 35.3 |
| | Libertarian | Ray M. Bell, Jr. | 6,295 | 4.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 149,031 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

2008 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ira Ruskin (incumbent) | 133,856 | 70.93 |
| | Republican | Annalisa Marie Temple | 54,849 | 29.07 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 188,705 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 75.26 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

2006 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ira Ruskin (incumbent) | 95,104 | 67.77 |
| | Republican | Virginia Kiraly | 45,314 | 32.23 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 140,418 | 100.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 64.06 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

2004 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ira Ruskin | 98,002 | 51.55 |
| | Republican | Steve Poizner | 92,118 | 48.45 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 190,120 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2002

2002 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joe Simitian (incumbent) | 71,110 | 60.53 |
| | Republican | James A. Russell | 42,164 | 35.89 |
| | Libertarian | Raymond M. Bell, Jr. | 4,210 | 3.58 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 6,201 | 5.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 123,685 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2000

2000 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Joe Simitian | 82,466 | 54.89 |
| | Republican | Deborah E. G. Wilder | 53,140 | 35.37 |
| | Green | Gloria Purcell | 14,641 | 9.74 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 6,295 | 4.02 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 156,542 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1998

1998 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ted Lempert (incumbent) | 89,221 | 70.08 |
| | Republican | Laverne F. Atherly | 35,053 | 27.53 |
| | Natural Law | Marilyn M. Bryant | 3,036 | 2.38 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 10,995 | 7.95 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 138,305 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1996

1996 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ted Lempert (incumbent) | 92,950 | 60.84 |
| | Republican | Theodore A. Laliotis | 52,855 | 34.59 |
| | Natural Law | Ron Whitehurst | 3,864 | 2.53 |
| | Libertarian | Christopher R. Inama | 3,115 | 2.04 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 12,320 | 7.46 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 165,104 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1994

1994 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Byron D. Sher (incumbent) | 79,188 | 62.64 |
| | Republican | Bill Mills | 47,219 | 37.35 |
| | No party | Ronald Paul Whitehurst (write-in) | 3 | 0.00 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 20,765 | 14.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 147,175 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1992

1992 California State Assembly election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Byron Sher (incumbent) | 105,327 | 63.18 |
| | Republican | Janice "Jan" LeFetra | 55,497 | 33.29 |
| | Libertarian | Lyn Sapowsky-Smith | 5,887 | 3.53 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 18,028 | 9.76 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 184,739 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |