She ran for the 61st District in the California State Assembly in 1998 after incumbent Republican Fred Aguiar was term limited. She lost the Democratic vote to Nell Soto in the open primary 53%-47%.[4] In 2000, she ran again and ranked first in the 7-candidate open primary with 28% of the overall vote and 62% of the Democratic vote. Republican Dennis Yates won the Republican vote with 35% and 19% of the overall vote, qualifying for the general election.[5] In the November election, she defeated Yates 54%-43%.[6][7] In 2002, she defeated Republican Matt Munson 62%-38%.[8][9] In 2004, she defeated Republican Alan Wapner, an Ontario City Councilman,[10] 64%-36%.[11]
Tenure
She sponsored legislation to ban age discrimination.[12] In late 2006, she was a key vote in favor of same-sex marriage.[13][14][15]
In 2006, Negrete McLeod decided to run for the California Senate in the 32nd district after incumbent Nell Soto was prevented from running for re-election due to term limits. She defeated Assemblyman Joe Baca Jr. in the Democratic primary 61%-39%.[18] She won the November general election unopposed.[19] In 2010, she won re-election to a second term with 68% of the vote.[20]
Tenure
The 32nd District stretches over two counties encompassing parts of San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County. In San Bernardino County, she represents the cities of Chino, Colton, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Rialto, and San Bernardino. In Los Angeles County, she represents the city of Pomona.
Negrete McLeod is actively involved in the cleanup of groundwater contamination. She focuses on current water supply.[21]
In December 2009, California's weekly periodical Capitol Weekly gave her a 49 score, making her one of the most moderate Democrats in the legislature.[22] The NARAL Pro-Choice America of California (2014, 2013, et al.) and Planned Parenthood of California have given her a perfect 100 rating (2012).[23]
Committee assignments
Budget and Fiscal Review
Business, Professions and Economic Development
Legislative Ethics Committee
Master Plan for Higher Education Committee (Vice Chair)
Public Employment and Retirement Committee (Chair)
In June 2011, after Negrete McLeod found out that the Citizens Redistricting Commission had drawn a new congressional district that was virtually coextensive with her state senate district, she announced she was running for it, saying, "I'm in, I'm in, I'm in, I'm in. There's nobody there." She was referring to the fact that there weren't any incumbent congressmen living in the district.[25]
Negrete McLeod officially announced her candidacy for the newly redrawn and open 35th district on September 6, 2011.[26] She faced Congressman Joe Baca in the primary. Baca's home is in the 31st District, but his old 43rd District took up almost 60% of the new 35th. In the open primary, Baca ranked first with 45% of the vote, Negrete McLeod ranked second with 36% of the vote, and Green party candidate Anthony Vieyra ranked last with 19% of the vote.[27]
^"How we scored". Capitol Weekly. December 19, 2009. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved 2016-06-30.((cite news)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
