U.S. House of Representatives, District 12

U.S. House of Representatives, District 12

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Lateefah Simon (D)55.8%
85,905 votes
Jennifer Tran (D)14.9%
22,964 votes
Tony Daysog (D)11.1%
17,197 votes

Race called at 5:22 PM PT on March 15, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

Why does this race matter? 

Barbara Lee’s bid for the U.S. Senate leaves her House seat open for the first time in 26 years, drawing a slew of candidates to replace her. The seat represents a large swath of the East Bay, including the cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, Piedmont, San Leandro and Alameda. 

What does a U.S. representative do? 

Representatives are your local community’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of congress write and vote on bills, including the federal budget. The top-two finishers in this primary election, regardless of party, will face off in the November election. The winner will serve a two-year term. 

Key Candidates

This list represents the most notable candidates running for the seat.
Tony Daysog
Tony DaysogVice Mayor, city of AlamedaDemocrat
Glenn Kaplan
Glenn KaplanOakland Bar OwnerDemocrat
Abdur Sikder
Abdur SikderComputer Science Professor, SFSUDemocrat
Lateefah Simon
Lateefah Simon Board Director, BART Democrat
Stephen Slauson
Stephen SlausonElectrical EngineerRepublican
Jennifer Tran
Jennifer TranEthnic Studies Professor, Cal State East Bay Democrat

Key Supporters

This list represents notable organizations and individuals who have taken a position on the ballot measure or candidate, or who are funding campaigns in support or opposition. This list is not exhaustive, and may be updated.

For Daysog

  • Steven Okazaki, media producer
  • Marshall Goldberg, marketing executive

For Kaplan

  • N/A

For Sikder

  • Sheikh Rahman, state senator, Georgia 

For Simon

  • Gavin Newsom, governor, California 
  • Barbara Lee, U.S. representative
  • Rob Bonta, attorney general, California 
  • Emily’s List
  • California Working Families Party
  • Reproductive Freedom for All (Formerly NARAL)

For Slauson

  • N/A

For Tran 

  • Asian American & Pacific Islanders Rising and Empowering
  • LPAC 
  • Long Bui, professor, UC Irvine
  • Phuc Tran, insurance broker
  • Kim Tran, real estate broker
 

Positions on Key Issues
Candidate summaries are based on interviews with the candidates, questionnaires, statements made at debates and public events, and past news coverage.

Housing affordability has been a challenge for East Bay residents for decades. What would you push for in Congress to address the region's housing crisis?

Daysog says he believes the federal government should focus on making the current housing stock more accessible to lower-income residents. He would expand eligibility for the government’s low-income housing voucher program — known as Section 8 — so people renting rooms in houses, as opposed to those renting whole units, could also benefit from it. He says doing so would encourage “empty-nest housing-rich elderly homeowners” to rent unused rooms to people in need.
Kaplan says he believes the federal government must tackle income inequality in order to address the housing crisis. He would push to create a federal universal basic income program and advocate for a 99% tax on all annual income over $5 million dollars. When the government doesn’t strongly tax the ultra rich, Kaplan says, “the nation allows white-collar crime to thrive along with the glorification of environmentally damaging consumerism.”
Sikder says he would push for a national “special housing fund” to build sufficient housing for all families experiencing homelessness. “All Americans deserve housing, it should be a right not a privilege,” he says.
Simon says that as a BART board director, she oversaw housing development on BART land, and believes the federal government should similarly invest in building new housing on its land to alleviate the region’s housing crisis. She would seek to increase funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development — which provides grants to affordable housing developers — and plans to help streamline the bureaucratic review process.
Slauson says he believes there is enough affordable housing already available throughout the Bay Area. If elected, he would encourage the federal government to continue to provide housing vouchers to help subsidize rent for lower-income residents, and require all cities to provide land that is zoned for trailer-park accommodations.
Tran says the federal government must address mental illness, drug addiction and poverty to solve homelessness. She says she would push to better fund state hospitals and care courts for people with serious mental illness and drug addiction, and promote housing voucher programs that include mandatory job placements. To encourage housing development, she would work to expand the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s budget and require that cities adopt permitting processes that encourage affordable housing construction.

Amid the recent uptick in crime in a number of East Bay cities, what kind of national policies would you advocate for to increase public safety?

Daysog says he believes the federal government should provide funds to local police departments to hire new officers. He envisions hiring these officers for two years of desk duty only, to “free-up veteran police officers from desk duty so they can be out on the street instead.”
Kaplan says he would call on Gov. Gavin Newsom to send the National Guard to the Bay Area to “quell the massive crime wave.” As a small-business owner in Oakland, he says he lives in constant fear and the “repercussions of unaccountable felons.”
Sikder says the federal government needs to pass stricter gun laws. He advocates for “community policing initiatives” and “data-driven policing,” and says law enforcement must work closely with the communities they serve. He also says he is committed to addressing underlying causes of crime including “poverty, lack of educational opportunities, and limited access to mental health services.”
Simon says crime often occurs across county and state lines. If elected, she would facilitate collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies. She would also help prevent crime by pushing Congress to “close loopholes in federal gun laws,” as well as “increase mental health and drug addiction treatment, lower barriers to access to existing programs, and provide resources to expand programs geared to prevent recidivism.”
Slauson says “the cop on the beat” is the theme of his campaign. He believes all cities should increase the size of their police forces, and would advocate for the federal government to require cities to do so. He believes harsher punishments prevent crime. He opposes Prop. 47, and would push to eliminate no-cost bail nationwide and for the “mandatory incarceration of repeat criminals.”
Tran says she will work to create a “federal standard ratio” for the number of police required per 1,000 residents. If cities can’t afford to meet those staffing levels, she would push the federal government to provide funding. She would also support a requirement that every police car be staffed with one armed officer and one uniformed social worker to improve how law enforcement responds to people experiencing mental health crises.

What actions would you take in Congress to help the region better respond to climate change-related impacts like sea-level rise?

Daysog says that as an elected official serving a city on an island in the Bay, he is acutely aware of the risks presented by rising sea levels. In Congress, he would push for funding for “natural responses over hardscape responses.” To reduce the deadly impact of wildfires, he would advocate for federal agencies to build fire breaks in vulnerable communities, underground power lines and plant “vegetation that is less flammable.”
Kaplan says he believes climate change is an existential threat and says the U.S. “needs to be a leader in its elimination.” If elected, he would end government subsidies for fossil fuel companies, ban single-use plastic water bottles, and “impose severe taxes on greenhouse-emitting companies.” He would also propose subsidies for electric cars and solar tax credits that never expire.
Sikder says he would “propose a bill to protect our shoreline from sea-level rise.”
Simon says she believes public transportation is central to combating climate change. She would push for Green New Deal legislation, including major boosts in federal funding for transit and biodiversity protections, and seek to ban federal land leases for fossil-fuel extraction. She would also push for funding to update water and sewage infrastructure to better handle increases in storm runoff and microplastics.
Slauson says he does not believe climate change is causing sea-level rise. Instead, he says the federal government should focus on severe storms that have caused extensive damage to coastal towns, and advocates for long-term federal disaster recovery funds for impacted communities.
Tran says she believes it is too late to invest in a “long-term plan for transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electric.” Instead, she would advocate for the federal government to invest heavily in “innovative technologies that can capture greenhouse gasses.” She says, “That is literally our only hope of reversing this trajectory we’re on.”

If elected, would you advocate for changes to the immigration system to help undocumented residents gain legal status? If so, what would those changes look like?

Daysog says he would work to pass the DREAM Act if elected to Congress.
Kaplan says he would advocate for a path to citizenship for undocumented residents who arrived in the United States as children, also known as “Dreamers.” “We are a nation of immigrants. Our ethnic makeup is constantly changing as it has for hundreds of years and is indeed our greatest strength, not a liability,” he says.
Sikder says he would vote for “comprehensive immigration reform,” and propose legislation to create additional pathways to citizenship for undocumented residents who have no criminal record within the last 10 years. “The U.S. needs more workers,” he says. “Why not keep good people to contribute to our economy?”
Simon says she supports creating a clear pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented residents who she says “are already a vital part of our nation.” In response to what she calls a “humanitarian crisis” at the southern border, Simon would pursue legislation to improve conditions at immigration-detention facilities, reduce wait times for visa and asylum applications, protect whistleblowers and guarantee legal representation to people in immigration proceedings.
Slauson says the U.S. should deport anyone “who refuses to get a work permit or a green card or register for immigration status.” He would encourage the strict enforcement of current immigration laws and push for the federal government to withhold funding to any cities with sanctuary policies, which restrict local agencies from cooperating with immigration authorities.
Tran says new immigrants create an opportunity to massively expand local tax bases if they are given access to aboveboard jobs. If elected, she would advocate to “expand entry opportunities and paths to visa programs.” She envisions an expansion of the immigration system that would allow for “the processing of immigration applications at six to seven times the current capacity,” which she says “would resemble more of the EU Eurozone system.”

Would you advocate for a cease-fire in Gaza, and would you support continued U.S. military aid to Israel?

Daysog says he opposes pending House Resolution 786, which calls for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. He says any resolution he would support “must recognize the two-state solution,” renounce terrorism, recognize Palestinian self-rule, and include significant Israeli contributions to infrastructure in Palestinian territories.
Kaplan does not say whether he would support a cease-fire. Instead, he says, “regardless of one’s position on the current conflict in Israel, there is no place for Islamophobia or anti-Semitism in the public sphere.” He condemns some of the public comments made in support of Oakland's cease-fire resolution in November, which he says were anti-Semitic and “a stain and embarrassment on our community.”
Sikder says he would follow in Barbara Lee’s footsteps and call for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. He says inflation has put working class Americans in a hard place over the last year and would urge Congress to think twice before committing resources to foreign conflicts. “It is important to help our allies but we need to put Americans' interest first before any other,” he says.
Simon says she would push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. “I believe that we must focus on a lasting and peaceful two-state solution,” she says. She also supports the U.S. continuing to provide “bilateral assistance, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic leadership” in the region, including to Israel, which she recognizes as a key ally. But, if elected, she would “want to see a significant reduction in global military spending.”
Slauson does not say whether he would support a cease-fire, but says he would call on the government to stop supplying military aid to Israel. “It’s not OK for Israel to kill innocent women and children by bombing them,” he says, adding that it’s also not okay for Hamas to do so. “It's time to part company with Israel,” he says. “There is no benefit to America maintaining a presence in the Middle East.”
Tran doesn’t say whether she would support a cease-fire, but points to her experience working as mediator. “Instead of war for geopolitical empire-building, U.S. foreign policies on intervention should be anchored in negotiations and compromise at all costs,” she says. “We need to treat all foreign entities — even Russia, China, Iran, North Korea — with enough respect to listen to their grievances and try to help them solve them.”

Additional Candidates

Andre Todd
Andre ToddNavy Veteran and Former InvestorDemocrat. Todd served in the Navy for decades and retired in 2023 at the rank of lieutenant commander.
Eric Wilson
Eric WilsonNGO EmployeeDemocrat. Wilson ran for this seat in 2022, finishing fourth out of five candidates in the primary.
Ned Nuerge
Ned NuergeRetired Driving InstructorRepublican. Nuerge ran for this seat in 2022, finishing fifth out of five candidates in the primary.

More Alameda County Results

U.S. House of Representatives, District 10

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Mark DeSaulnier (D)(incumbent)65.5%
121,265 votes
Katherine Piccinini (R)18.8%
34,883 votes
Nolan Chen (R)10.5%
19,459 votes

Race called at 5:02 PM PT on March 8, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

U.S. House of Representatives, District 12

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Lateefah Simon (D)55.8%
85,905 votes
Jennifer Tran (D)14.9%
22,964 votes
Tony Daysog (D)11.1%
17,197 votes

Race called at 5:22 PM PT on March 15, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

U.S. House of Representatives, District 14

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Eric Swalwell (D)(incumbent)66.7%
83,989 votes
Vin Kruttiventi (R)17.5%
22,106 votes
Alison Hayden (R)9.4%
11,928 votes

Race called at 5:51 PM PT on March 11, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

U.S. House of Representatives, District 17

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Ro Khanna (D)(incumbent)62.9%
73,941 votes
Anita Chen (R)26.8%
31,539 votes
Ritesh Tandon (D)4.8%
5,728 votes

Race called at 5:50 PM PT on March 7, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Senate, District 5

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Jim Shoemaker (R)43.6%
74,935 votes
Jerry McNerney (D)33.2%
57,040 votes
Carlos Villapudua (D)23.1%
39,648 votes
Race called at 1:07 PM PT on March 13, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Senate, District 7

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Jesse Arreguín (D)32.1%
61,837 votes
Jovanka Beckles (D)17.6%
34,025 votes
Dan Kalb (D)14.9%
28,842 votes

Race called at 5:58 PM PT on March 15, 2024
98.78% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Senate, District 9

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Tim Grayson (D)
Marisol Rubio (D)
Race called at 8:00 PM PT on March 5, 2024
Associated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 14

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Buffy Wicks (D)(incumbent)73.5%
78,678 votes
Margot Smith (D)17%
18,251 votes
Utkarsh Jain (R)9.4%
10,068 votes
Race called at 6:30 PM PT on March 14, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 16

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Joseph Rubay (R)
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D)(incumbent)
Race called at 8:00 PM PT on March 5, 2024
Associated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 18

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Mia Bonta (D)(incumbent)84.9%
73,040 votes
Andre Sandford (AIP)5.3%
4,575 votes
Mindy Pechenuk (R)5.1%
4,389 votes

Race called at 7:13 AM PT on May 2, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 20

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Liz Ortega (D)(incumbent)
Race called at 8:00 PM PT on March 5, 2024
Associated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

State Assembly, District 24

Top two candidates advance to general election.

Alex Lee (D)(incumbent)68.3%
45,544 votes
Bob Brunton (R)22.4%
14,951 votes
Marti Souza (R)9.2%
6,148 votes
Race called at 4:23 PM PT on March 14, 2024
99% of votes countedAssociated Press
This percentage is an Associated Press estimate of how much of the vote in an election has been counted. It is informed by turnout in recent elections, details on votes cast in advance and – after polls close – early returns. The estimate may fluctuate as election officials report additional results and AP learns more about how many voters have cast a ballot.

Superior Court Judge, Office 5

Top candidate wins seat.

Terry Wiley(incumbent)100%
200,601 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Superior Court Judge, Office 12

Top candidate wins seat.

Mark Fickes55.2%
133,009 votes
Michael P. Johnson44.7%
107,844 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Education, Trustee Area 2

Top candidate wins seat.

Angela Normand(incumbent)79.3%
26,637 votes
John Lewis20.6%
6,943 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Education, Trustee Area 5

Top candidate wins seat.

Janevette Cole(incumbent)51.1%
13,338 votes
Guadalupe "Lupe" Angulo28.8%
7,521 votes
Joe Orlando Ramos19.9%
5,213 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Education, Trustee Area 6

Top candidate wins seat.

Eileen McDonald(incumbent)67.6%
20,875 votes
John Guerrero32.3%
9,989 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Supervisors, District 1

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

David Haubert(incumbent)100%
41,038 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Supervisors, District 2

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Elisa Márquez(incumbent)100%
31,034 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Supervisors, District 4

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Nate Miley(incumbent)60.7%
34,607 votes
Jennifer Esteen39.2%
22,400 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Board of Supervisors, District 5

Candidate with majority vote wins seat. If no candidate reaches majority, top two candidates advance to runoff in general election.

Nikki Fortunato Bas34%
27,597 votes
John J. Bauters20.7%
16,783 votes
Ben Bartlett16.6%
13,518 votes

Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Flood Control & Water Conservation District Director, Zone 7, Full Term

Top three candidates win seat.

Catherine Brown25.6%
34,519 votes
Laurene K. Green22.5%
30,343 votes
Kathy Narum(incumbent)17.7%
23,833 votes

Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Oakland Auditor

Top candidate wins seat.

Michael Houston(incumbent)100%
59,227 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure A

Alameda County. Civil service. Passes with majority vote.

Yes59.4%
167,903 votes
No40.5%
114,432 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure B

Alameda County. Recall rules. Passes with majority vote.

Yes64.4%
182,200 votes
No35.5%
100,483 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure D

Oakland. Appropriations limit. Passes with majority vote.

Yes75%
59,852 votes
No24.9%
19,945 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure E

Alameda Unified School District. Parcel tax. Passes with 2/3 vote.

Yes76.1%
17,280 votes
No23.8%
5,412 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure F

Piedmont. Parcel tax. Passes with 2/3 vote.

Yes75.6%
3,673 votes
No24.3%
1,182 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure G

Albany Unified School District. Parcel tax. Passes with 2/3 vote.

Yes78.8%
4,651 votes
No21.1%
1,247 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure H

Berkeley Unified School District. Parcel tax. Passes with 2/3 vote.

Yes88.2%
29,418 votes
No11.7%
3,913 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure I

Hayward Unified School District. School bond. Passes with 55% vote.

Yes64.5%
14,151 votes
No35.4%
7,778 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County

Measure J

San Leandro Unified School District. School bond. Passes with 55% vote.

Yes63%
7,784 votes
No36.9%
4,554 votes
Updated at 7:02 PM PT on April 1, 2024
Alameda County