Last night, the Club came together for one of our longest-standing and most meaningful traditions: our biannual Judicial Candidates Forum.
We heard from the final group of candidates seeking our endorsement this primary season, the candidates for Los Angeles Superior Court, bringing our endorsement process for the June 2 primary to a close.
After a thorough interview process conducted by our Judicial Endorsements Committee, candidates addressed members directly, followed by a closed, unrecorded session in which attorneys, court insiders, and Club members engaged in a thoughtful and substantive discussion, with differing viewpoints shared candidly before voting began.
This democracy in action is what makes our Club special: informed members, real discussion, and a transparent process driven by participation and debate. Last night’s meeting was a powerful example of the vibrant civic life that has defined SMDC for decades.
While votes were being tallied, we were also treated to a timely and substantive conversation on the recent Chiles v. Salazar Supreme Court ruling and its implications for LGBTQ+ rights.
We were joined by Councilmember Dan Hall and Stonewall Democratic Club President Renay Grace Rodriguez for an important discussion about the decision and what it means moving forward.
In Case You Missed It , you can watch the entire meeting here:
🗳️ Endorsement Results
Per our Club Bylaws, contested endorsements require 55% support.
Endorsed candidates listed below in bold blue.
Office #2(52 votes cast, no abstentions)
Robert Draper – 0 votes (0%)
Tal Valbuena – 44 votes (85%)
No Endorsement – 8 votes (15%)
Office #14(46 votes cast, plus 6 abstentions)
Angie Christides – 26 votes (57%)
Irene Lee – 14 votes (30%)
No Endorsement – 6 votes (13%)
Office #64(50 votes cast, plus 2 abstentions)
Rhonda Haymon – 4 votes (8%)
Maria Ghobadi – 45 votes (90%)
No Endorsement – 1 vote (2%)
Office #65 ROUND ONE(45 votes cast, plus 7 abstentions)
Justin Clayton – 19 votes (42%)
Anna Slotky Reitano – 11 votes (24%)
Chellei Jimenez – 5 votes (11%)
No Endorsement – 1 vote (2%)
Result=Clayton and Reitano advance to Round Two; Jimenez eliminated.
Office #65 ROUND TWO(42 votes cast, plus 1 abstention)
Justin Clayton – 23 votes (54.76%)
Anna Slotky Reitano – 14 votes (33%)
No Endorsement – 5 votes (12%)
Result =Per SMDC Bylaws, endorsement requires that a candidate “receive votes of at least fifty-five percent (55%).” Accordingly, the Club did not reach consensus in this race.
Office #66(52 votes cast, no abstentions)
Ben Forer – 48 votes (92%)
[write-in vote]: Cheryl Turner – 1 vote (2%)
No Endorsement – 3 votes (6%)
Office #81(52 votes cast, no abstentions)
David Walgren – 47 votes (90%)
No Endorsement – 5 votes (10%)
Office #87(44 votes cast, plus 8 abstentions)
Sharee Sanders Gordon – 13 votes (30%)
David Dejute – 21 votes (48%)
No Endorsement – 10 votes (23%)
Result = The Club did not reach consensus in this race.
Office #116(51 votes cast, plus 1 abstention)
Paul Thompson – 40 votes (78%)
[write-in vote]: Pat Connolly – 1 vote (2%)
No Endorsement – 10 votes (20%)
Office #131(48 votes cast, plus 4 abstentions)
David Ross – 13 votes (27%)
Donna Tryfman – 21 votes (44%)
No Endorsement – 14 votes (29%)
Result = The Club did not reach consensus in this race.
Office #176(52 votes cast, no abstentions)
Zachary Smith – 46 votes (88%)
No Endorsement – 6 votes (12%)
Office #181(52 votes cast, no abstentions)
Ryan Dibble – 50 votes (96%)
No Endorsement – 2 votes (4%)
Here are the rest of our endorsements for the June 2 primary:
US House District 36 – Ted Lieu
State Senate District 24 – Sion Roy
State Assembly District 51 – Rick Chavez Zbur
Lieutenant Governor – Michael Tubbs
Treasurer – Tony Vazquez
Secretary of State – Shirley Weber
Attorney General – Rob Bonta
Controller – Malia Cohen
Insurance Commissioner – Ben Allen
Superintendent – Nichelle Henderson
Board of Equalization – Mike Gipson
LA County Sheriff – Robert Luna
LA County Supervisor – Lindsey Horvath
LA County Assessor – Jeffrey Prang
Congratulations to all endorsed candidates!
And thank you to every Club member who participated in this endorsement season by attending the meetings, asking thoughtful questions, and casting your well-reasoned votes.
Our next monthly membership meeting is coming up on April 22, Earth Day!
We will host our annual Board Election (Candidates listed below) and will be joined by US House candidate Jake Levine, astrophysicist and CSU Northridge professor Loraine Lundquist, and more to be announced shortly.