Senate District 27: Stern Wins Reelection

MALIBU, CA — State Sen. Henry Stern (D-27) has defeated challenger Houman Salem 62 percent to 38 percent, the AP has called.

Stern faced off Tuesday against Salem, a West Hills fashion executive, for representation of state Senate District 27, which extends from Topanga to Ventura County and into the northwest San Fernando Valley.

Stern, 38 is a sixth-generation Californian from Malibu who has represented the district since 2016. In Sacramento, Stern has chaired the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, where he has pushed to improve wildfire preparedness and provide clean water to the most vulnerable. He also sits on the Senate's Budget, Judiciary, Environmental Quality, Election & Constitutional Amendments, and Energy, Utilities & Communications committees. Prior to running for the Senate, Stern was an environmental lawyer and senior advisor to his predecessor Fran Pavley, who was also the first mayor of Agoura Hills.

Stern lists climate change, renewable energy, wildfire preparedness, democracy, and assistance to the vulnerable as some of his top legislative priorities. He has sponsored legislation to assess climate change risk in California, increase oversight over gas storage facilities, penalize people who intentionally mislead voters about mail-in ballots, and make it easier for fire officials to help vulnerable Californians during emergencies, to name just a few.

Salem, 49, is the oldest son of Iranian immigrants who grew up in Chatsworth. The West Hills resident has worked for EMI Capitol Records, Sony Music Group, and Universal Music Group, and most recently founded ArgyleHaus, a clothing design and manufacturing company. Salem opposes changes to Prop. 13, which caps property taxes at 125% of the value of the property and opposes AB5, a bill ensuring greater labor protections for contract workers. He says that he wants to create new water sources rather than restricting water usage, and favors school choice, but argues that parents must not be forced to have their child's education be indoctrinated with age inappropriate and overly sexualized content."

In the March primary, Stern won 63.8 percent of the votes, while Salem won 36.2 percent.

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