Incumbent Ling Ling Chang (R) and Josh Newman (D) are running against each other for California’s 29th State Senate seat in the general election on November 3.
The district straddles the intersection of 3 counties: Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino. Centered on the Chino Hills and the northern Santa Ana Valley, District 29 includes arms extending into Walnut in the north and Cypress in the west.
About Ling Ling Chang
Born in Taiwan, Chang and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 3-years old. She was raised in Diamond Bar and graduated from Diamond Bar High School. In 2005, she was elected to the Walnut Valley Water District Board and was then elected twice to the Diamond Bar City Council.
Chang was elected to the California Assembly in the 55th district in 2014. In 2016, she lost the 29th District State Senate seat to Newman. After Newman was recalled by voters in 2018, Chang won the seat. She is the incumbent.
Ling Ling Chang
About Josh Newman
Newman served as an officer in the United States Army following his graduation from Yale University. After leaving the service, he worked in technology and film production. He founded ArmedForce2Workforce, a not-for-profit initiative to assist young veterans in the pursuit of career-oriented employment.
Newman was elected to the California State Senate in 2016, narrowly defeating Chang. In 2018, Newman was recalled following a large State-wide Republican-backed effort due to his vote for SB 1 (the so-called “gas tax”), and Chang replaced him.
Ling Ling Chang Voting Record
Prior to serving in the California State Senate, Chang served in the California State Assembly from 2014-2016.
Below is how she voted on some key bills. This information was obtained from the helpful website www.votesmart.org.
Health Care: She voted against AB 775 (requiring Pregnancy Centers to inform clients of State pregnancy services), and against SB 10 (allowing undocumented immigrants to be eligible for health coverage).
Voting: She voted against AB 1461 (establishing the California new Motor Voter Program to automatically register eligible voters), and against AB 2466 (expanding voting rights for certain convicted felons).
Guns: She voted against SB 707 (prohibiting concealed firearms on school grounds), and against SB 61 (prohibiting the purchase of more than one gun per month).
Environment: She voted against SB 350 (establishing renewable energy production targets), against AB 2002 (requiring Coastal Commission members to disclose private meetings), against SB 839 (prohibiting orca captivity and breeding), against SB 32 (reducing greenhouse gas emissions levels), against AB 197 (establishing the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies), against AB 1889 (funding for High-Speed Rail Project). She voted yes on SB 54 (requiring single-use plastics be made from recyclable materials).
Education: She voted against AB 329 (comprehensive sex education), against AB 1505 (establishing public oversight for charter schools). She voted yes on AB 500 (requiring paid maternity leave for California teachers), and yes on AB 1460 (requiring ethnic studies course completion in State universities).
Workers’ Rights: She voted against SB 3 (increasing minimum wage), and against AB 2757 (requiring overtime pay for farmworkers).
Criminal Justice: She voted against SB 759 (authorizing early release for certain prisoners in solitary confinement), and against AB 1282 (prohibiting prisons from working with ICE contractors). She voted yes on AB 392 (increasing public oversight and police accountability when deadly force is used) and yes on AB 32 (prohibiting private prisons and ICE detention centers).
Housing: She voted against SB 329 (prohibiting discrimination against Section 8 housing renters), and against AB 1482 (establishing rental increase caps).
Josh Newman Voting Record
Though he was only in office for a short time, Newman voted on a number of key bills.
Immigration: He voted yes on SB 785 (prohibiting irrelevant disclosures of immigration status in open court), and yes on SB 54 (establishing a statewide sanctuary policy).
Voting: He voted yes on SB 1171 (authorizing same-day voter registration).
Environment: He voted yes on AJR 29 (expressing opposition to executive offshore drilling proposal), yes on AB 398 (extending California’s cap-and-trade policies), and yes on AB 617 (establishing air-quality regulations).
Health Care: He voted yes on AB 569 (prohibiting firing employees for obtaining an abortion).
Education: He voted yes on AB 841 (restricting marketing of unhealthy foods in schools).
Criminal Justice: He voted yes on SB 394 (authorizing parole for juvenile offenders with life sentences).
Infrastructure: He voted yes on SB 1 (increases gas and vehicle taxes to pay for road and bridge repairs). He was recalled for this vote.
Cannabis: He voted yes on SB 930 (authorizes cannabis limited charter banks).
Campaign Contributions
In addition to looking at their voting records and backgrounds, it’s also instructive to look at campaign finance data for candidates. The official repository for campaign finance data is called Cal-Access and is run by the office of the California Secretary of State. Visit their web site here: cal-access.sos.ca.gov.
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
Newman neds a haircut
Newman voted yes on every bill that raised taxes and fees, including higher gas taxes and higher vehicle license fees. He has his hand in every pocket. Goodbye Newman.
Ling Ling lost my vote when she voted against prohibiting Orka captivity and breeding.
Having had several issues with the state Senator Chang’s office has been very helpful. I have attended several of her over the telephone town halls and have become better informed over our area issues, she is doing an incredible job even if I may disagree at times. Mr Newman was recalled for an action that had a great impact on his constituency financially. A former military officer in favor of sanctuary state status for ‘trespassers’? Are we not a country of laws and legal procedure? He voted for parole for youth offenders with life sentences! Youth with life sentences have done a major crime without remorse and he would like to parole them? He shows he is not for law and order? Being a former military officer I would have thought he would have a better understanding and respect for the constitution and law.
it seems the author of this article highly favors Newman based on the comparison of both candidates’ voting records and how he conveniently described Ling’s SB votes in a more negative way and Newman’s SB votes in a more subtle positive way. I have news for you Jesse La Tour. We the voters NEVER forget that Newman raised our gas tax and we RECALLED him for that.
So, they both vote strictly along party lines.
So, I know how to vote.
Newman is annoying! He only makes an appearance during election season and crawls back to his cave when he loses.
Ok! why the Newman even on the ballot if he was recall Newman was recalled following a large State-wide Republican-backed effort due to his vote for SB 1 (the so-called “gas tax”), and Chang replaced him?.