By admin 
Republican incumbent Heather Hadwick and Democratic challenger Dianna James will face off in November’s general election to represent California’s largest Assembly districts by area. Each Assembly district represents about 500,000 residents.
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At 27,276 square miles, the 1st District stretches along the eastern edge of the state from the Oregon border to Lake Tahoe, wrapping around the Sacramento Valley along the northern Sierra Nevada. It includes Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties. The district is primarily rural and heavily Republican — Democrats have been locked out of the seat since 2012.
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In the primary race, Hadwick earned 50.4% of votes, James earned 36.6% and Darin Hale — a second Republican candidate — earned 13%.
Who is running to represent the 1st District?
Hadwick was elected as the 1st District’s Assembly member in 2024 with nearly 60% of votes.
The owner of a family farm and pumpkin patch in Modoc County, she previously worked on safety and preparedness for schools at the Modoc County Office of Education. The incumbent also worked at the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office as the deputy director of the Office of Emergency Services and as a public information officer — roles that involved leading response efforts for COVID-19, wildfires and floods.
“Working in a small community where we all it’s all based on relationships — I think that’s the thing that’s helped me the most because in a small community, your reputation is everything, and you have to help each other,” she said.
Hadwick has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science from California State University, Chico and a master’s degree in leadership and management from Western Governors University.
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On her campaign website, Hadwick said her main goal is to make life more affordable for middle-class families in California. The Republican aims to support small business owners, suspend California’s gas tax, provide resources for farmers and increase wildfire mitigation funding. She also intends to strengthen criminal accountability, place unhoused individuals in shelters and oppose state laws that grant abortion access.
Hadwick has authored six bills that have been signed into law during her time in office. One expanded eligibility for rural counties to receive funding for hazardous waste management, while another helps firearm dealers meet state safety regulations. She said she is proudest of her bill that exempts wildfire payments from income tax and allows victims of the 2021 Dixie Fire, the 2022 Mill fire and the 2024 Park Fire to receive the full payment they are owed.
“Every time I vote on something, that’s my first thought: How will this affect rural California?” Hadwick said.
Her opponent, James, is a former foreign affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State from Mount Shasta. At the state department, the challenger provided technical expertise on democracy and human rights in Iraq. She also served as a field-based aid specialist working in partnership with USAID in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. There, James fought to strengthen democratic processes, protect human rights, and press governments to deliver for their people, according to her campaign website.
James said on her campaign website her platform is centered on good jobs, clean water and open land. The Democrat’s priorities include investing in infrastructure that connects rural communities, expanding access to capital for local entrepreneurs and preserving the region’s rivers, forests and farmland. James also aims to tackle the rising cost of living for North State families, strengthen communities against wildfire threats through forest management and defensible space programs and lower utility rates.
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