Damon
Connolly
California Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D) is running for State Senate District 2 in November 2026.
- sources
- 18
- positions
- 8
- endorsements
- 43
Background
Damon Connolly is a California Democrat who has served as the Assemblymember for District 12 since being sworn in on December 5, 2022. A Bay Area native who has lived in San Rafael for more than 25 years, he attended college and law school at the University of California, Berkeley. 13
Before his election to the Assembly, Connolly served as a Marin County Supervisor, a two-term San Rafael City Councilmember and Vice Mayor, and as a school board president. Earlier in his career he worked as a Supervising Deputy California Attorney General—prosecuting energy companies during the state's 2000–2001 energy crisis—and later opened a private law practice in San Rafael. 1
As of October 2026, Connolly is a candidate in the November 2026 general election for California State Senate District 2, seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Senator Mike McGuire, who is running for Congress. He is not the incumbent senator. The Marin County Democratic Party lists him among its endorsed candidates for that race. 482
At a glance
- Party
- Democratic
- Running for
- State Senate · District 2, California
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- California State Assemblymember, District 12
- Website
- damonconnolly.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Oct 11newsLocal voter guides confirm Connolly and Gibbs on November 3 general election ballot
Multiple local voter guides updated October 11 confirm Connolly and Gibbs as the two candidates on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for California State Senate District 2.
Marin County Voter Guide 2026: What's On The Ballot, Voting, & More · Oct 8, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Oct 5newsSF Chronicle voter guide lists Connolly vs. Gibbs for open SD-2 seat
The San Francisco Chronicle voter guide, published October 5 and updated October 8, described the general election matchup as Connolly versus Republican Tief Gibbs for the open seat vacated by termed-out incumbent Mike McGuire.
Voter Guide 2026: California and SF Bay Area election · Oct 5, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 30endorsementUNITE HERE Local 2 endorses Connolly for California State Senate District 2
UNITE HERE Local 2 listed Connolly among its November 2026 election endorsements for State Senate District 2.
November 2026 Election Endorsements – UNITE HERE 2 · Sep 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 29newsConnolly discusses cost of living, healthcare, and wildfire issues in Bohemian interview
In an interview reported by Bohemian, Connolly said he sometimes drives up to 4,000 miles a month across the seven-county district. He cited cost of living as the top concern he hears, alongside healthcare access, wildfire prevention, insurance, utility and energy prices, groceries, offshore oil drilling, and state responses to federal actions.
Damon Connolly's Senate Bid Spans Seven Counties | Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties · Sep 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Jun 2filingConnolly advances from SD-2 primary, finishing first; Gibbs second
Connolly and Republican Tief Gibbs advanced from the three-candidate primary for California State Senate District 2. Published accounts give differing vote shares for Connolly (The Ark reported 73.4%; IVN reported 71.6%), so the exact tally is unconfirmed, but he finished first.
Election 2026: Open governor's race, billionaire tax top California ... · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- California Nurses Association unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Alex Padilla officialU.S. Senator; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Jared Huffman officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Mike Thompson officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Laura Friedman officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Adam Gray officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Luz Rivas officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Lateefah Simon officialU.S. Representative; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Eleni Kounalakis officialCalifornia Lieutenant Governor; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Rob Bonta officialCalifornia Attorney General; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Fiona Ma officialCalifornia Treasurer; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Monique Limón officialSenate President Pro Tempore; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Mike McGuire officialFormer Senate President Pro Tempore; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Robert Rivas officialAssembly Speaker; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Chris Rogers officialAssemblymember; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Lori Frugoli officialMarin County District Attorney; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Jamie Scardina officialMarin County Sheriff; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- John Carroll officialMarin County Superintendent of Schools; listed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Democratic Party organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Senate Democratic Caucus organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Sierra Club organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Equality California organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Environmental Voters organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Jane Fonda Climate PAC organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Brady United to End Gun Violence organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Clean Water Action organizationListed on campaign endorsement page and Clean Water Action's 2026 California endorsements page cleanwater.org
- Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California YIMBY organizationListed on campaign endorsement page; also appears on California YIMBY endorsements page cayimby.org
- Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund organizationListed on campaign endorsement page and Planned Parenthood Northern California Action Fund 2026 endorsements page plannedparenthoodaction.org
- Consumer Attorneys of California organizationListed on campaign endorsement page; also appears on Consumer Attorneys of California 2026 political endorsements caoc.org
- Working Families Party organizationListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- UNITE HERE Local 2 unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- ILWU Northern California District Council unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Correctional Peace Officers Association unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Adam Schiff officialU.S. Senator; listed on campaign endorsement page and Marin County Democratic Party endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Teachers Association unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- California Professional Firefighters unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- SEIU California unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- National Union of Healthcare Workers unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Teamsters Joint Council 7 unionListed on campaign endorsement page damonconnolly.com
- Marin Independent Journal newspaperEditorial board recommended Connolly for the State Senate seat in editorial published August 31, 2026, updated September 17, 2026 marinij.com · Aug 31, 2026
- California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO unionListed on campaign endorsement page; California Labor Federation 2026 COPE recommendations adopted August 4, 2026 list Connolly for State Senate District 2 calaborfed.org · Aug 4, 2026
- The Press Democrat newspaperEditorial board recommended Connolly for State Senate in editorial published May 8, 2026 pressdemocrat.com · May 8, 2026
Sources 18
- [1] Endorsements - Damon Connolly(opens in a new tab) Oct 9, 2026
- [2] Marin County Voter Guide 2026: What's On The Ballot, Voting, & More(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
- [3] 2026 Endorsements - Planned Parenthood Action Fund(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [4] 2026 Political Endorsements - Consumer Attorneys of California(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [5] Endorsements - California YIMBY(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
- [6] Election 2026: Open governor's race, billionaire tax top California ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
- [7] Voter Guide 2026: California and SF Bay Area election(opens in a new tab) Oct 5, 2026
- [8] Accomplishments(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [9] Be a Clean Water Voter: 2026 California Endorsements(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [10] Damon Connolly on the Issues(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
- [11] Damon Connolly's Senate Bid Spans Seven Counties | Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
- [12] November 2026 Election Endorsements – UNITE HERE 2(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
- [13] Endorsement: IJ recommends Connolly in race for state Senate ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 31, 2026
- [14] Marin candidates joust in state Senate runoff(opens in a new tab) Aug 18, 2026
- [15] California Federation of Labor Unions(opens in a new tab) Aug 5, 2026
- [16] PD Editorial: Connolly for state Senate and Lucan for state Assembly(opens in a new tab) May 8, 2026
- [17] Connolly Expands Education Rights Awareness for Immigrant ...(opens in a new tab) Feb 5, 2025
- [18] Damon Connolly is Sworn in as Assemblymember for District 12(opens in a new tab) Dec 5, 2022