By admin 
Assemblymember Heath Flora, R-Ripon, withstood challenges from five Republicans and Democrats, to secure the highest vote total in the June primary of anyone running for the 9th District seat he currently occupies.
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The former Republican leader in the Assembly did so despite failing to secure endorsements from county Republican groups and scrutiny of his campaign spending and personal life. A Sacramento Bee investigation last year found Flora was not living in the Central Valley home that was registered as his “legal domicile,” he did not pay child support until a court-initiated wage garnishment, and he regularly spent campaign funds at Sacramento restaurants and bars for “district meetings,” even though they are outside the area he represents.
To complete his gauntlet in November, Flora must defeat Matthew Adams — a Democrat who doesn’t have the name recognition or financial backing of the incumbent.
Where is the district?
The 9th Assembly District includes parts of Sacramento County and extends down to Modesto, covering cities such as Lodi and Manteca.
Who are the candidates?
Adams, 30, describes himself as an educator and community organizer on his campaign website, and says: “We need a representative who’s accountable to the people of our district, not to special interests.” In an email, he said he lives in Woodbridge, an unincorporated part of San Joaquin County, went to college at Sacramento State, is not married and does not have any children.
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Flora, 43, has served as his party’s top budget official in the chamber and been the subject of several cases with the Fair Political Practices Commission, which regulates campaign finance, lobbying and government ethics. He introduced 31 bills and resolutions in the past two years but, in what is especially true for Republican legislators, many of them did not pass. Some that did involved wages for state firefighters, clarify when certain nurses can provide anesthesia-related care, and designate a portion of Highway 99 to honor a Galt police officer who died in a vehicle crash. He went to Modesto Junior College and has two daughters from a previous marriage. His campaign did not respond to an email request asking for biographical information.
Who is backing the candidates?
Flora has collected contributions from unions, corporations including Walmart, Chevron and Uber, and major trade organizations and vastly eclipses the financial contributions that his challenger has received.
Adams has support from the California Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Sacramento County.
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This story was originally published October 4, 2026 at 4:30 PM.