California 37th District
Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D) holds this seat and is running again. 2 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026.
Who should win this race, and why?Say what you think. Other readers can answer you.Discuss
Sydney Kamlager-Dove
Democrat · holds this seat today
FLiberty Score FOn the liberty side in 27 of 101 votes and bills.
Raised $1,644,249 since January 2025: 70% from people, 30% from PACs and other committees. The filing at FEC.gov
Samantha Mota
Democrat · community activist, former santa monica police oversight commissioner
No gradeNo grade yetI have no votes in Congress to count for Mota, and what Mota has said and done settles only 3 of my principles. I went through it on October 24. A grade needs 4.
Raised $12,579 since January 2025: 57% the candidate’s own money, 43% from people. The filing at FEC.gov
Voting in California: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Samantha Mota, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Mota, so the grade above comes from this list: what Mota has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Her foreign policy page lists ending foreign aid and a total arms embargo among the first policies she would co-sponsor.
“End Foreign Aid + total arms embargo”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
A blanket end to foreign aid and arms sales names no country or alliance; the site counts the same words the same way for everyone (Randy Villegas, ca-22), so it settles nothing here.
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In the newspaper questionnaire she says she will support federal spending for public housing and impose rent control and market caps.
“impose rent control and market caps”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Rent control is a price control, named against liberty by this test.
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In the questionnaire she says she fully supports stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions, including carbon pricing.
“I fully support stronger regulations on pollution and carbon emissions”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
More regulation is the against side of this measure.
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Her economic security page says she will raise corporate tax rates.
“Raise Corporate Tax Rates”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Higher taxes are the against side of this measure.
-
Her health care page says she will fight for Medicare for All and a national health insurance system.
“To renew the efforts of universal health care, we will fight for: Medicare for All”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Government-run health care for all is named against liberty by this test.
-
Her foreign policy page lists repealing the Trump tariffs.
“Repeal Trump Tariffs”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Broad tariffs are against liberty by this test, so repealing them is the with side.
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Her small business page backs a larger small business tax deduction and a lower tax rate for small corporations.
“Expand Small Business Tax Deduction to 23%”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Cutting a named tax is the lower taxes side of this measure.
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Her housing page says government regulations, zoning restrictions and red tape on building can be eliminated.
“We can ELIMINATE government regulations, zoning restrictions, and red tape”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Less regulation is the with side of this measure.
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Asked in a newspaper questionnaire whether she would approve more military money, she said she would redirect defense funds to domestic programmes and cut spending on weapons programmes and bases.
“I would deny and direct funds from the U.S. Department of Defense to finance universal healthcare, a national paid family leave policy, tuition-free public colleges and universities, and affordable childcare.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
the defense test treats cutting the defence budget as against liberty; she says she would deny defence funds and cut spending on weapons systems and bases.
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Her immigration page lists dismantling ICE and ending for-profit detention among the things she will champion.
“Dismantle ICE and end for-profit detention”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Abolishing ICE is named against liberty by this test.
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Her immigration page says she will work to let people here illegally integrate as full participants in American life.
“In order to provide protections for vulnerable individuals and their families, and to allow undocumented persons to integrate as full participants in American Life and Society, I will champion for”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Making those here illegally full participants in American society is the path to citizenship side of this measure.
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
Who should win this race, and why?
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Discussion
California 37th District
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