Gavin Newsom calls for special election to replace Assemblyman Bill Essayli
Gov. Gavin Newsom called Monday for a special election Aug. 26 to fill an assembly seat in Southern California after Bill Essayli resigned this month from the Legislature to become the Los Angeles area’s top federal prosecutor.
Essayli, R-Corona, said he would step down from his position representing the 63rd District after President Donald Trump appointed him the U.S. Department of Justice’s lead prosecutor overseeing the Central District of California.
The first Muslim to serve in the chamber, Essayli became known for his willingness to go toe-to-toe with Democrats on culture war issues, but less so for his legislative successes.
The 63rd District covers Temescal Valley and parts of Riverside County, a conservative-leaning area that elected Trump over Kamala Harris last November by less than two percentage points, according to election data. Essayli handily rewon his election that month over Democratic opponent, Chris Shoults, by 15 points.
The district leans Republican, which has a six-point advantage over Democrats, according to state voter affiliation data. Republican Assembly caucus leader James Gallagher, R-East Nicolaus, said he was “confident” Essayli would be succeeded by another Republican.
“Californians know that the crime, homelessness, and high cost of living plaguing our state are a direct result of Gavin Newsom and his Democrat (sic) enablers in the Legislature,” he said in a statement.
The candidate filing deadline is May 1, according to Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office.
Neither the California Democratic Party nor the California Republican Party immediately responded to questions about whether they were encouraging candidates to run for the district seat.
After stepping down, Essayli endorsed Lake Elsinore city council member Natasha Johnson, the Press-Enterprise reported.
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the candidate filing deadline for the election to replace Bill Essayli. The Sacramento Bee is waiting for the Secretary of State to confirm the deadline.
