California Legislature · Statewide General Election
State Senator, District 24
Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.
This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.
On the ballot
- Brian Goldsmith — Democratic
- John M. Erickson — Democratic
This person holds your district's seat in the California State Senate (4-year term).
This is an open seat, both November candidates are Democrats, and the money did not decide June: John M. Erickson led with 20.5% on $862,778, while Brian Goldsmith took 18.3% having raised $4,281,548 — the largest legislative campaign fund on this entire ballot. The 2.2-point gap makes this one of the closest Senate contests. The district covers West Los Angeles and part of the Westside and South Bay.
The winner holds one of 40 State Senate seats for a four-year term, inside a 12-year lifetime cap on service in Sacramento. Senate districts are twice the size of Assembly districts, terms run twice as long, and the Senate confirms the Governor's appointments. Because this seat is open, whoever wins starts without seniority.
With two Democrats separated by two points, party is not the axis. The defining fact is a fundraising gap of nearly five to one that produced a second-place finish — $4.28 million against $862,778, and the smaller campaign led. Both drew heavily on individuals rather than committees. Weigh the candidates themselves, because neither money nor party separates them in the way you might expect.
John M. Erickson
Democrat, who led the June primary with 20.5% of the vote in a crowded field. He raised $862,778, including $400,939 from individuals and $330,000 from PACs and committees. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.
Strengths
He led the field while raising about a fifth of what his nearest rival did, with the largest share of his money coming from named individuals.
Trade-offs
He led with only 20.5%, meaning roughly four in five June voters chose someone else; and he has no record in state office to be judged on.
Keep in mind
He goes into November outspent roughly five to one by an opponent two points behind him.
Brian Goldsmith
Democrat, who advanced with 18.3% of the June vote. He raised $4,281,548 — the largest legislative campaign fund on this ballot — including $2,253,945 from individuals and only $83,000 from PACs and committees. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.
Strengths
An exceptionally large campaign drawn overwhelmingly from named individuals rather than committees, and the resources to dominate the run to November.
Trade-offs
More than $4.2 million produced second place and 18.3% of the vote, and he has no record in state office to be judged on.
Keep in mind
$2,612 of that $4.28 million came from donors giving under $100, so the individual base is very deep in dollars and very narrow in people.
Record in office
This is an open seat: no candidate on the November ballot currently serves in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress, so there is no legislative record to compare here. These records cover only those offices.
Financial info
- Small donors
- Individuals
- PACs & committees
- Businesses & other orgs
- Self-funding
Brian Goldsmith
$4,281,548 raised
- Small donors$2,612<1%
- Individuals$2,253,94553%
- PACs & committees$83,0002%
- Businesses & other orgs$74,1002%
- Self-funding$1,861,80044%
John M. Erickson
$862,778 raised
- Small donors$3,863<1%
- Individuals$400,93946%
- PACs & committees$330,00038%
- Businesses & other orgs$127,34715%
- Self-funding$150<1%
1Figures are CA Form 460 filings through June 30, 2026 by committees controlled by each candidate, and can include transfers from a candidate's earlier committees. Semi-annual reports covering January–June 2026 were due July 31, 2026, so some totals lag a period behind. Per the California Secretary of State's Cal-Access raw data export, retrieved 2026-08-22.
June 2 primary — how they advanced
Source review: Very strong (94/100) · 3 cited sources
Official records anchor this contest, with multiple sources checked.
- sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)CA Secretary of State — Statement of Vote, June 2, 2026 primary (certified 2026-07-10)
- ballotpedia.org (opens in a new tab)Ballotpedia — June 2026 California primary
- sos.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)Cal-Access raw data export — California Secretary of State
Last updated August 10, 2026.