https://wp.calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/Rancho-Santa-Margarita.jpg
Headshot of Kate Sanchez

Kate Sanchez

Republican, State Assembly
District 71, Rancho Santa Margarita
Time in office:
  • Assembly: 2022-present

News coverage of Kate Sanchez

Bio

Kate Sanchez, 37, was first elected to the Assembly in 2022 in a close race against fellow Republican Matt Rahn. She’s supported bills to lower taxes and fees and increase criminal penalties for shoplifting and prohibit homeless encampments near schools. She authored a bill that requires schools to have emergency epinephrine auto-injectors and another that aims to prevent heat strokes on public school campuses. She worked for former Republican U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, and she was a member of the California Policy Center, a right-leaning think tank.

Ideology

Left

Moderate

Right

Bill Activity

0

Of 8 bills:
0 Passed
2 Failed
6 Pending

For this session year, this legislator initiated 8 bills: 0 passed, 2 failed, and 6 are currently pending.

Alignment Meter

See all-time percentage of this legislator’s alignment with any organization based on total votes.

xx%votes: xx

Financials

This feature tracks three sources of money intended to help a candidate win election: 1-Money given directly to a candidate’s committee, 2-Money given to an Independent Expenditure Committee, 3-Money given to a political party. (NOTE: Senators are elected every four years. Twenty of the 40 Senators are on the ballot in even-numbered years, so Senators may do little or no fundraising in the first two-year session of their Senate term).

Election

This display shows money given directly to the incumbent’s campaign committee (NOTE: The industry categories for donors come from Open Secrets, a nonpartisan research organization for campaign finance. Some contributions are “uncoded,” meaning they have not been assigned to an industry sector. As a result, the total for each sector is also an estimate).

Agriculture

$29.3K

Communications & Electronics

$20.5K

Construction

$18.8K

Energy & Natural Resources

$46.5K

Finance, Insurance & Real Estate

$79.2K

General Business

$65.6K

Government Agencies/Education/Other

$46.1K

Health

$53.5K

Ideology/Single Issue

$9.0K

Labor

$52.4K

Lawyers & Lobbyists

$7.0K

Transportation

$28.9K

Uncoded

$89.1K

Unitemized Contributions

$79.9K

Candidate Donations

Individuals, corporations, organizations and committees are limited to a maximum donation to candidates of $5,500 for the primary and for the general elections.

Total
$625.7K

32.0% higher than the average legislators

Independent Expenditures

Money from Independent Expenditure Committees (IEC) for advertising or grassroots activity targeting a candidates run for office is unlimited, but it cannot be spent in coordination with the candidate or the candidate's campaign.

Total
$7.3K

92.0% lower than the average legislators

Grand Total for Elections

$633.0K

12.0% higher than the average legislators

This is a total of the money targeting this legislator's campaign(s) including direct donations to the candidate, money spent by Independent Expenditure Committees and money from political parties.


Influence

There are three categories of donations to legislators after they are elected that encourage a working relationship between the donor and the legislator. The three categories are: 1-Gifts, 2-Travel, 3-Behests.

Giver
Value
Date
Description
Haley and Katie Cawelti$300Dec 9, 2022Salvation Army gala ticket
Women in California Leadership$46.01Dec 2, 20222 office plants, 2 pins

Gifts

Legislators are not allowed to accept gifts of more than $10 per month from registered lobbyists. Gifts from any other single source are limited to $590 in a calendar year.

Gift Received Rating
#93/120

This legislator is ranked 93rd highest for the amount of personal gifts received.

Committees

Most of the policy work in the state Capitol is done in “Standing” committees. Legislators also work on budget subcommittees. There are also “Special” and “Select” committees with a more narrow topic focus. And there are “Joint” committees with members from the Senate and Assembly.

Hearings

Featured Comments

Below are links to the video and transcript of recent, substantive comments by this legislator in committee hearings or floor sessions.

Preview image for AB 891H
Apr 1, 2025

AB 89

Interscholastic sports: gender equity.

Preview image for AB 2288MIN
Mar 12, 2025

AB 228

Pupil health: epinephrine delivery systems.

Preview image for AB 35515MIN
Mar 4, 2025

AB 355

Crimes: extortion.

Preview image for AB 197849SEC
Aug 31, 2024

AB 1978

Vehicles: speed contests.

Preview image for AB 187441SEC
Aug 31, 2024

AB 1874

Crimes: disorderly conduct.

Preview image for AB 19781MIN
Aug 22, 2024

AB 1978

Vehicles: speed contests.

Preview image for AB 197812MIN
Jul 2, 2024

AB 1978

Vehicles: speed contests.

Preview image for AB 18747MIN
Jun 18, 2024

AB 1874

Crimes: disorderly conduct.

Preview image for AB 18741MIN
May 21, 2024

AB 1874

Crimes: disorderly conduct.

Preview image for AB 274212MIN
Apr 22, 2024

AB 2742

Emergency vehicles: penalties.

Preview image for AB 220929MIN
Apr 9, 2024

AB 2209

California Values Act: exception.

Preview image for AB 187219MIN
Apr 9, 2024

AB 1872

Crimes: extortion.

View All Hearings

District

View of map with yellow overlay for Assembly District 71 boundaries.
District 71 is a Safe Republican District
Republican Party candidate has a very high likelihood of winning in an election

Previous Election (2024):

Gary Kephart
38.5%
Kate Sanchez
61.5%
WON

Party Registration

Census Data

Median age0102030

Median age