Election 2022: The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board’s complete election endorsements

Below is a summary of The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board’s major endorsements for the 2022 primary election.

Endorsements, like editorials, represent the collective opinion of the Editorial Board. Board recommendations are not always unanimous and do not necessarily reflect the individual opinions of board members.

The Bee’s opinion section operates independently from the news section. Reporters do not participate in Editorial Board deliberations or weigh in on its decisions. They may observe candidate interviews.

The board is led by California Opinion Editor Marcos Bretón.

Federal offices

U.S. Representative, California’s 3rd Congressional District

The Bee’s choice: Kermit Jones

Here’s why: Jones is a former Navy flight surgeon and Iraq veteran brimming with thoughtful proposals on health care, wildfire resilience and more.

U.S. Representative, California’s 6th Congressional District

The Bee’s choice: Ami Bera

Here’s why: A physician and former chief medical officer for Sacramento County, Bera has articulated a middle ground on the polarizing subject of pandemic management, focusing on the potential of vaccination and other precautions to speed the recovery of the economy and public education.

U.S. Representative, California’s 7th Congressional District

The Bee’s choice: Doris Matsui

Here’s why: Matsui has championed legislation to document and combat anti-Asian American hate crimes and increase awareness of Japanese American internment. She also supports President Joe Biden’s decision to stop barring asylum seekers from the country on public health pretexts, which has divided her caucus.

Statewide offices

California Attorney General

The Bee’s choices: Rob Bonta and Anne Marie Schubert

Here’s why: The attorney general’s race provides a forum for meaningful discussions on these issues, and the public would be best served if Bonta and Schubert are the two candidates debating them until November.

California Controller

The Bee’s choice: Steve Glazer

Here’s why: Glazer has consistently demonstrated the capacity to go against the party on principle, an indispensable quality for the office he seeks.

California Insurance Commissioner

The Bee’s choice: Marc Levine

Here’s why: Levine has been a strikingly different sort of politician, which is the least this office needs.

California Legislature

California Assembly, 5th District

The Bee’s choice: Rebecca Chenoweth

Here’s why: Chenoweth offers proposals and positions that would help relieve California’s housing and climate crises.

California Assembly, 6th District

The Bee’s choice: Kevin McCarty

Here’s why: McCarty is a thoughtful, hardworking legislator who has been unafraid to confront some of the most controversial issues in California government.

California Assembly, 7th District

The Bee’s choice: Josh Hoover

Here’s why: Hoover is an experienced legislative aide and Folsom Cordova school board member.

California Assembly, 10th District

The Bee’s choice: Eric Guerra

Here’s why: Guerra has been an advocate for small business and economic development in underused city business corridors. He has also supported expanding child care options for working families and combating climate change through city policy.

California Senate, 6th District

The Bee’s choice: Roger Niello

Here’s why: Niello retains the collegial and pragmatic bent that his 2009 vote exhibited — qualities that would suit the district and the Legislature.

California Senate, 8th District

The Bee’s choice: Dave Jones

Here’s why: Jones has decades of experience representing Californians at the local and state level. He has authored policies that increased affordable housing, required a living wage, reformed health care and advanced the rights of women and the LGBTQ community.

Sacramento County

Sacramento County District Attorney

The Bee’s choice: Alana Mathews

Here’s why: Mathews has strong relationships within the state Legislature, where she served as a chief consultant on climate change, fighting for environmental justice statewide. That could help in developing innovative policies to stem recidivism and gun trafficking.

Sacramento County Sheriff

The Bee’s choice: Jim Cooper

Here’s why: The first mayor of Elk Grove, Cooper was on hand as that city took its first steps toward becoming the vibrant community it is today. Combined with his years in the state Legislature, that experience gives Cooper an edge as someone who knows how to work outside the closed culture within the department.

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, 2nd District

The Bee’s choice: Duke Cooney

Here’s why: Cooney would be the first millennial supervisor in Sacramento history, and a staunch advocate for climate-minded regulations, greater investment in the community and mental health resources, and better prioritization of economic justice policies that strengthen the local workforce.

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, 5th District

The Bee’s choice: Jaclyn Moreno

Here’s why: Moreno will bring a fresh lens to a stale group. Her experience in the Consumnes Community Services District has made her a fierce advocate for transparency, accountability and smart planning.

Sacramento City Council

Sacramento City Council, 1st District

The Bee’s choice: Lisa Kaplan

Here’s why: Kaplan has decades of relevant experience as an elected official charged with overseeing a public budget, and demonstrated an unmistakable advantage when it comes to her mastery of the issues facing Sacramento.

Sacramento City Council, 3rd District

The Bee’s choice: Karina Talamantes

Here’s why: Talamantes boasts indispensable experience as an elected leader, City Council staffer and tireless organizer. She can hit the ground running for long-overlooked communities in South Natomas.

Sacramento City Council, 5th District

The Bee’s choice: Caity Maple

Here’s why: The 30-year-old progressive Democrat, now a consultant and homeless advocate, welcomes revitalization projects and major developments such as Aggie Square as long as the potential for displacement is addressed.

Placer County

Placer County Sheriff

The Bee’s choice: Wayne Woo

Here’s why: Woo is a rare and impressive kind of candidate: qualified, level-headed and innovative.

Placer County Board of Supervisors, 2nd District

The Bee’s choice: Scott Alvord

Here’s why: Alvord offers the balance of experience and compassionate leadership that the county needs during an era of rapid transformation.

Yolo County

The Bee’s choice: Jeff Reisig

Here’s why: Reisig is as well-positioned as any prosecutor in the state to deliver on the reforms many of his detractors seek — with bipartisan appeal and public safety in mind.

Have questions? Email us at opinion@sacbee.com.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story misstated the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors candidates for District 5.

This story was originally published May 19, 2022 at 5:00 AM.