Your guide to Sacramento’s 7th District City Council primary race
Two political newcomers hope to topple longtime Sacramento Councilmember Rick Jennings in the 7th District City Council primary.
Jennings eked out his City Hall victory in 2014 over Sacramento’s former fire chief with just 54 votes, in part by aligning himself with then-Mayor Kevin Johnson. The former football player and nonprofit executive ran unopposed in 2022.
This year urban planner Scott Lau and attorney Mark Velasquez seek to unseat the incumbent.
Where is District 7?
The district stretches along the western part of the city. The winner will represent these neighborhoods on the dais: Pocket, Greenhaven, Land Park, Upper Land Park, South Land Park, Curtis Park and Z’burg Park.
Who are the candidates?
Jennings served 12 years on the Sacramento City Unified School Board before running for City Council in 2014.
For his day job, Jennings is the chief executive officer for the Center for Fathers and Families, focused on strengthening families and building stronger communities. He played football for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers in 1976 and 1977.
He said his top priorities include public safety, affordable housing, economic growth, homelessness and investing in youth.
Lau was born and raised in District 7 and graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School. He twice dropped out of college, unsure of his direction. Wondering while stuck in traffic about who made decisions about roads, according to his website, he was inspired to become an urban planner.
Lau earned his MBA from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He now works as an emergency planning branch chief for Caltrans.
His priorities are safety, affordability and creating a more business-friendly Sacramento. He hopes to fix Sacramento’s streets, complete a bike trail and streamline the permitting process.
Velasquez is an attorney who has worked with local governments in California for 20 years. He graduated from the McGeorge School of Law in 2006 and opened his own law firm.
He now serves as a deputy city attorney for the city of Stockton, advising the City Council on “good governance, ethics, Brown Act and more,” according to his website.
Velasquez’s political journey began with grief.
His daughter Samantha was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, rare cancer that grows from soft tissues. She died in 2024. Her death turned Valesquez into an advocate for establishing public cemeteries in Sacramento, which he believes is running out of space for burials.
He has pushed the City Council to create a new public cemetery in Meadowview, and ranks establishing a public cemetery district for the city as his main priority. He also hopes to improve sidewalks, crosswalks and public safety.
Campaign filings
Jennings has benefitted from his decade-long term on the dais, outraising his opponents. He has transferred funds for the 2026 election cycle from his previous years running for office.
His top donations include the $7,300 from the California Apartment Association, $6,300 from the Committee for Home Ownership, sponsored by the North State Building Industry Association and $7,300 from the Sacramento Metropolitian Chamber Political Action Committee.
Lau has reported about $4,500 in donations. Velasquez has reported $100. These totals do not include money Lau and Velasquez contributed to their campaigns themselves.
This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Your guide to Sacramento’s 7th District City Council primary race."
