Political Party:
Democrat
Ballot Designation:
Digital Communication Strategist
Law Enforcement Contributions:
None as of 09/18/2026
Background:
Colin Hernandez is a digital communication strategist who describes himself as a Democratic Socialist and an advocate for “LGBTQ+ rights, equitable tax policies, criminal justice and immigration reform, and ending homelessness.”
Public Safety Platform:
On his campaign website, Hernandez supports many of the progressive issues in alignment with IJ Action, such as housing for all, universal healthcare, and “a version of public safety that’s rooted in care and evidence, not harm.” He promises to “push legislation to create social housing to place people into permanent housing and offer services, such as mental health evaluations and substance rehabilitation.” Hernandez says he would “support increasing funds to help those facing deportation gain access to legal counsel” and supports the abolition of ICE.
While these are all values that IJ Action supports, Hernandez does not appear to have a viable campaign given his low fundraising and few endorsements. It is very likely that the incumbent will win in this race, but since Hernandez is more in alignment with our values, we recommend supporting him as the harm reduction choice.
Website:
Political Party:
Democrat
Ballot Designation:
California Assemblymember
Law Enforcement Contributions:
Background:
Assemblymember Zbur was first elected to the State Assembly in 2022. Prior to joining the Assembly, he was Executive Director of Equality California for eight years, leading the state’s largest LGBTQ rights organization.
Assemblymember Zbur served on the Public Safety Committee during his first term in office, and later Chaired the Select Committee on Retail Theft, where he championed a retail theft bill package that increased criminal penalties for minor offenses such as shoplifting, which IJ Action strongly opposed.
Despite his support for criminalization measures, he has also had a fairly strong voting record on justice reform issues, earning an “A” on our Legislative Scorecard three years in a row.
Public Safety Platform:
On public safety, Assemblymember Zbur states that he “supports a smart approach to reducing crime like reforms to reduce police violence, increase gun safety, and employ qualified professionals who can offer mental health and addiction services to fight the root causes of crime.”
Due to his support of criminalizing petty theft and strong support from law enforcement, IJ Action is not recommending voting to re-elect Assemblymember Zbur.
Website:
