.png)
The San Diego candidate only lost by 2 percentage points to the incumbent last election.
Republican California Assembly candidate Kristie Bruce-Lane is leading as the frontrunner in the 76th District race against two other Democrats, according to early polling.
Bruce-Lane is set to run in the upcoming 2024 elections against Democrat Joseph Rocha and Democrat Darshana Patel, who are all seeking to replace Democrat Assemblymember Brian Maienschein, according to The Coast News Group. Maienschein, who is retiring from the position, is clearing the seat for a new potential candidate for the first time in 12 years.
In a new campaign push to voters, Bruce-Lane released polling data from the Lake Research Partners, showing that she is in the lead in both primary initial and informed ballots. The data has her polling 14 points ahead of Rocha, who sits at 23%, in a primary initial ballot.
Additionally, within the informed primary ballot, Bruce-Lane sits at 17 points ahead of Rocha, who sits in second place with 28% and Patel with 14% in third.
Bruce-Lane previously ran in the 2022 76th District race against Maienschein, only coming up short by two percentage points.
“Coming within a couple of percentage points of winning last year against a 20-year incumbent of the legislature and local office who had unlimited resources, I demonstrated the strength of my candidacy and campaign,” Bruce-Lane previously told Coast News.
Bruce-Lane has notably stated that if elected, her top issues will be focused on “making California more affordable, reducing homelessness, fighting crime, and improving education for our kids.”
“I am a proven leader and the only Assembly candidate with elected experience in government combined with experience working in the issues that are impacting our communities,” Bruce-Lane stated. “I’m ready to serve the residents of District 76 from my first day in office.”