The American River connects the cities of Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Citrus Heights, forming the core of California’s 7th Assembly District, which also includes the unincorporated communities of McClellan Park, North Highlands, Foothill Farms, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Gold River, Rosemont, Mather, and most of Carmichael. The district lies entirely within Sacramento County. 

According to the 2023 Census American Community Survey, 496,790 people live in the district. The population is 57.7 percent White, 19.2 percent Latino, 10 percent Asian, and 6.1 percent Black. About 18.7 percent of residents were born outside the United States, and 6.5 percent are veterans. 

The cost of living in Sacramento County continues to shape daily life across the district. With a median household income of $90,390 and a median home value approaching $500,000, many families find themselves balancing opportunity and strain. Renters now make up nearly 40 percent of households, and the average rent of $1,760 reflects the broader pressure of California’s housing market. 

California homes are about twice as expensive as the typical US home. In Sacramento County, the monthly payment for a newly purchased “bottom-tier” home has gone up a whopping 74 percent since January 2020.

Rising insurance costs, food prices, and utilities have further tightened budgets, especially in the newer suburban neighborhoods that define Folsom and Rancho Cordova.

As of October 20, 2025, there were 299,234 registered voters in AD 7: 36.87 percent Democratic, 33.09 percent Republican, and 21.20 percent No Party Preference. The Democratic registration advantage of +3.78 percent has declined from +5.6 percent in 2022.

Before redistricting, 64.5 percent of the current district came from the former AD 08 (D +6.9 percent), 33 percent from AD 06 (R +4.9 percent), and 2.5 percent from AD 07 (D +8.8 percent).

Past elections in the region have been consistently close with frequent flips between blue and red. Barack Obama carried the area by just 0.54 percent in 2008, Mitt Romney by 1.88 percent in 2012, Hillary Clinton by 2.97 percent in 2016, and Joe Biden by 5.92 percent in 2020. In gubernatorial races, Jerry Brown won by 6.52 percent in 2014, while John Cox defeated Gavin Newsom by 3.22 percent in 2018.

In December, Politico listed this seat as one of two seats the California Democratic Party is targeting for a flip.

Joshua Hoover

Incumbent Joshua Hoover (R–Folsom) (b. April 11, 1988) was first elected to represent the district as an Assemblyman in 2022, defeating incumbent Democrat Ken Cooley 50.4 to 49.6 percent.

In that race, Hoover focused on homelessness and crime prevention, flipping the seat from blue to red and winning by just 1,400 votes.

Before his election in 2022, Hoover served as chief of staff to then-Assemblymember Kevin Kiley and as an elected member of the Folsom Cordova Unified School District Board. 

Hoover won re-election in 2024 and is now seeking a third term in 2026.

He is a member of the Assembly Problem Solvers caucus. 

He earned an associate degree from American River College, a bachelor’s in political science from UCLA in 2011, and a master’s in public administration from USC in 2015. His early career included roles with Senator Mimi Walters, Assemblymember Melissa Melendez, and Assemblymember Jay Obernolte, followed by his service in Kiley’s office beginning in 2016.

He lives in Folsom with his wife, Nicole, and their three children. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, Hoover has served on the Folsom Cordova Special Education Community Advisory Committee and in local PTA leadership.

Hoover’s 2023 scorecards included 100 percent from the California Chamber of Commerce, 92 percent from the National Rifle Association, 17 percent from the California Labor Federation, 6 percent from the California League of Conservation Voters, 27 percent from Equality California, and 17 percent from Planned Parenthood of California.

By mid-2025, Hoover remained one of the best-funded incumbents in the region. He had raised $505,168 for his 2026 campaign, spent $96,025, and reported $320,992 cash on hand.

In 2024, Hoover faced Porsche Middleton, a Citrus Heights City Councilmember, and YK Chalamcherla, a Folsom City Councilmember. In the primary, Hoover received 52.70 percent of the vote, Middleton 29.32 percent, and Chalamcherla 17.98 percent. Middleton raised $277,000 and Chalamcherla $178,000 before the primary, while Hoover raised nearly $700,000 for the cycle and reported $410,000 on hand by mid-February. The race also drew $232,000 in outside spending, all supporting Hoover.

In the November general election, Hoover defeated Middleton 53.64 to 46.36 percent, a margin of more than 15,000 votes. The contest drew $1.55 million in outside spending, including $1.4 million benefiting Hoover and $154,000 supporting Middleton. The parties combined to spend $2.25 million through their state and county committees.

Kamala Harris carried the district for president by 4.5 percent, and Adam Schiff won it for U.S. Senate by 0.2 percent, but Hoover outperformed both. The district’s 1.46 percent rightward shift from 2020 to 2024 was the smallest among California legislative seats.

The June 2, 2026, nonpartisan top two primary election will feature Hoover, three Democrats (Christopher Gia Hoang, Vance Taylor, and Amy Slavensky), and one No Party Preference candidate (Sanaz Motamedi).

Chris Hoang (D)

Christopher Gia Hoang (b. April 25, 2003) is a resident of Carmichael. 

“I was born and raised in the Sacramento area, and I have lived here for most of my life. My parents were refugees from Vietnam, but found the American Dream by working in healthcare. The work of my parents inspires me to help others, and I hope to serve the community in my own way,” Hoang said in a questionnaire.

He graduated from George Washington University in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and has been very active in Democratic politics. Hoang supported Prop 50.

Hoang previously interned for Nancy Pelosi, Ken Cooley, Doris Matsui, Suzanne Bonamici, and Paula Villescaz. He also interned with Spiros Consulting in Washington, D.C., in 2025.

The three key messages for his campaign are lowering costs, reducing homelessness, and raising wages.

“People should have the opportunity to live where they grew up, near where they work, and near their friends and family, without worrying about raising prices,” he said.

Hoang entered the race as a first-time candidate and had raised $10,803 by June 30, 2025. His campaign had spent $1,601 and reported $5,093 cash on hand.

Vance Taylor (D)

Louis "Vance” Taylor (b. November 1, 1977) is chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. He was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015.

The office is “responsible for ensuring that our emergency management system works for everyone.”  He was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy as a child and has used a wheelchair for most of his life. 

Taylor was born and raised in San Francisco. He earned a bachelor’s in communications from Brigham Young University and a master’s in homeland security from the University of Connecticut. 

Taylor previously worked for Reps. Mike Thompson and Zoe Lofgren, directed security policy for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, and was a principal at Catalyst Partners LLC. 

President Biden appointed Vance to serve as a member of the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) in 2022.

He resides in Rancho Cordova. He is married with two daughters.

Taylor’s campaign reported $10,900 raised as of June 30, 2025. He’s been endorsed by Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Operating Engineers Local 3, and Elevator Constructors Local 8.

Amy Slavensky (D)

Amy Slavensky (b. August 1, 1963) is an educational coach and consultant born and raised in the Fair Oaks and Carmichael communities.

Slavensky left home at 17 and put herself through college. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene University, a master’s from Azusa Pacific University, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Claremont Graduate University. 

She has spent the last 40 years in public education, including as Superintendent of the Amador County Unified School District from 2016 to 2021 and in the San Juan, Upland, and Sacramento City school districts. 

“I stand for strong, well-resourced public schools because I have witnessed for decades how education transforms lives,” she said.

In mid-2019, Slavensky was involved in a controversy after a well-liked high school principal was fired after a negative performance review.

She and her husband, Mike, have five children and three grandchildren.

“I am, at my core, a mom, a wife, an educator, and a neighbor who believes in showing up for people with compassion and integrity,” she said.

Her personal experiences influence her campaign platform.  “Having lost my brother after years of homelessness, I believe we must treat people experiencing mental illness, trauma, and housing instability with humanity, while expanding mental health care, diverse housing options, and pathways to stability.”

Slavensky has been endorsed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the California Women's List, and Porsche Middleton, the 2024 candidate for the seat, as well as by other local leaders.

Her campaign had raised $11,900 as of mid-2025.

Sanaz Motamedi Atkinson (NPP)

Sanaz Motamedi Atkinson (b. January 6, 1992) is a realtor from Rancho Cordova. She has been licensed since 2022 and filed as a No Party Preference candidate in November 2025 after previously registering with the American Independent Party. Motamedi is a first-generation American.

“I’m not here for politics as usual. I’m here for *you*. I’m here to bring a new voice to the table, one that listens, learns, and takes action for the people,” Motamedi said, emphasizing her outsider background.

She graduated from Cal State Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health

At the time of her filing, Motamedi had not reported fundraising activity.

A District Defined by Competition

Assembly District 7 is one of California’s most evenly divided districts, having swung between the two major parties for more than a decade. It continues to draw statewide attention ahead of the 2026 election. The presence of more than 21 percent No Party Preference voters has made independent voters pivotal to the outcome.

About the 2026 California Nonpartisan Top Two Primary

The last day to register to vote for the June 2 Top Two primary is May 18, 2026. All active registered voters in California will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the primary. County election offices will begin mailing ballots by May 4. Ballot drop-off locations open on May 5.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or to a county elections office. Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning on May 23. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by June 9.

Source Notes: This article draws on publicly available information from the California Secretary of State, CalMatters, the California Target Book, Ballotpedia, California FPPC campaign finance filings, individual candidate websites and social media accounts, and reporting from local and regional newspapers and television stations.