Sarah Hernandez Campaigns for California Senate District 26
Sarah Hernandez, a 43-year-old Democratic candidate for the California State Senate 26th District who once lived in Los Angeles Koreatown over 20 years ago, is now on a mission to represent the vibrant community. Advancing to the November general election in first place after the June primary, she is championing mom-focused policies designed to create a better Los Angeles driven by a mother’s perspective.
In an interview with the local media, Hernandez emphasized her goal of building a city where her child would want to live, highlighting housing, small businesses, parks, and public transit as her core priorities. Having grown up in Salinas and graduated from Duke University, she began her career as a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), living in the St. Andrews Place area of Koreatown. Returning to her old neighborhood recently, she expressed shock at the number of vacant storefronts and closed businesses, noting that small businesses are the cultural foundation of Koreatown.
Boosting Small Businesses and Middle-Class Housing
To support small businesses, Hernandez proposed creating new grants for facility improvements to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and expanding business tax exemption thresholds. Addressing the housing crisis, she pointed to the lack of middle-class housing supply. Her strategy involves introducing a middle-class housing tax credit to encourage construction for teachers, public sector workers, and non-profit employees earning between $80,000 and $120,000 annually.
South Korea-Inspired Public Transit Vision
Looking abroad for transit solutions, Hernandez drew inspiration from South Korea. Recalling a tourist visit to Seoul in 2024, she was deeply impressed by how many seniors comfortably utilized public transit, viewing it as a clear indicator of a successful system. She stated that public transit must be safe and reliable for children and parents, pledging to secure state funding for operations and maintenance to reduce bus and rail wait times to under 10 minutes.
California Senate District 26 includes Koreatown, Chinatown, and Hollywood. In the upcoming November general election, Hernandez will face Sarah Lascon, a candidate backed by the radical-left Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organization.
