Historic Milestone: California Senate Republicans Achieve First-Ever Women Majority

In a significant shift for California politics, the State Senate Republican Caucus has reached a historic milestone with women now comprising a majority of its membership.  For the first time in a general election since 1980, Senate Republicans ousted an incumbent Democrat. Additionally, for the first time in history, the California Senate Republican Caucus has a women-majority makeup.

“As Californians grow increasingly frustrated with the failures of Democrat leadership, they are shifting toward Republican solutions,” said Leader Jones. “Senate Republicans are not only growing in numbers but also diversity. Heading into 2025, we’re proud to expand our caucus to 10 members, up from 8 members just one year ago. With this strengthened team, we’ll continue fighting to deliver real results and fix California.”

Newly-elected Senator Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) also won her election in a landslide victory to represent California’s 1^st Senate District. A former member of the State Assembly, Dahle is a small business owner, mother of three, and an education advocate. 

“It has been an honor to serve in the Assembly and I can’t wait to get to work in the Senate and continue fighting for our rural communities,” said Senator-elect Dahle. “Our rural families need representation in the room, and I am proud to bring that to the State Senate.”

Key Diversity Achievements

The newly expanded 10-member Republican caucus features several notable diversity milestones:

• A majority of the caucus members are women
• Three of the six Republican women senators are Latina
• The caucus includes representatives from varied professional backgrounds, including business, education, and academia

Notable Women Leaders

Several key female legislators are helping shape this historic moment:

Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Yucaipa)

• Re-elected to represent the 19th Senate District
• Made history in 2020 as the first Republican Latina elected to the State Senate
• Won re-election in the newly redrawn district

Senator-elect Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita)

• Former Assemblymember joining the Senate
• Brings business and non-profit experience
• Will represent Senate District 23

Senator-elect Megan Dahle (R-Bieber)

• Won California’s 1st Senate District in a landslide
• Background as a small business owner and education advocate
• Transitioning from the State Assembly

Additional Women Members

• Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (Jackson)
• Senator Shannon Grove (Bakersfield)
• Senator Janet Nguyen (Huntington Beach)

This diversity milestone comes as the caucus expands from 8 to 10 members, representing growth in both numbers and representation. Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones highlighted this achievement as part of the caucus’s commitment to delivering “real results” for Californians, emphasizing how the strengthened and more diverse team will work to address state challenges.

The increased representation of women and Latina legislators in particular represents a significant shift in the makeup of California Republican leadership, potentially signaling a new direction for the party in the state.

source: California Senate Republicans Press Release

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