Oakland, Calif. — Today Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) officially announced her 2020 re-election campaign to represent the Fifteenth District in the California State Assembly. In a video released to supporters via email, Wicks discussed the commitments she made during her first campaign, her record of achievements while in office, and her reasons for seeking reelection.
“When I ran to represent this district, I promised I would hit the ground running, addressing our toughest and most pressing issues facing our community,” Wicks said.“I promised to tackle our housing and homelessness crisis, fund our public schools, strengthen our social safety net, protect our environment, expand access to health care, reduce gun violence, reform our criminal justice system and fight for equity for all— and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Since arriving in Sacramento, Wicks authored a wide range of progressive legislation focused on supporting working families. Notably, she authored and co-authored bills increasing funding for public schools, expanding access to CalFresh food benefits to combat hunger, and secured a massive increase in state funding for proven, community-based, gun violence prevention programs.
Wicks championed bills tackling the Bay Area and California’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis— both by streamlining production of new affordable housing, and establishing new protections for tenants, such as AB 1482, which protects tenants against egregious rent-gouging. Unafraid to take bold, progressive stances, Wicks came out strongly in favor of Assemblymember Shirley Weber’s AB 392, changing the legal standard for police use-of-force, and worked to build support for the bill’s passage with fellow colleagues.
Assemblymember Wicks won her first term in the Assembly in November 2018, with 54% of the vote. Voters in Assembly District 15 will again have the opportunity to vote for Wicks during the California Primary Election in March 2020.