Today we are continuing our profiles of our favorite Progressive candidates who are running to represent their communities at the state and federal levels, and move the country forward, to continue to ensure that all Americans are equally represented in government.

Christy Holstege (she/her/hers) is a social justice attorney and the current mayor of Palm Springs, California. A bisexual millennial, she is a member of the first all-LGBTQ city council and was only the seventh openly bisexual public official when she was elected in 2017. She has been active in numerous organizations, including Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission, the City of Palm Springs Homelessness Task Force, and the Cal Cities (League of California Cities) Housing and Community and Economic Development policy committee. Issues she has championed in Palm Springs include funding programs to combat homelessness, investing in green energy to combat climate change (which disproportionately affects her district), and leading the city through the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring worker protections and vaccination availability for all.

Where are you based?

Palm Springs, California

What is your current position and what position are you running for?

I am running for California’s 47th Assembly District; I currently serve on the Palm Springs City Council.

Why did you choose this seat?

After years of Republican leadership representing our community in Sacramento, it’s time for a freshvoice to represent Assembly District 47. This region deserves someone who will fight tirelessly for our fair share of state resources, deliver real results for our communities, represent our values, and bring the 47th District into a more equitable future.

How would you briefly summarize your platform?

Access to affordable housing and combating homelessness: As the Mayor of Palm Springs, we have made considerable progress on this issue: approving hundreds of units of affordable housing, investing millions of dollars to build new housing, and securing $10 million of state funds for innovative housing and homelessness services. We have delivered $36M in outside funding to build our city’s first homelessness housing and navigation center. I will advocate for the state to allocate more resources to help local communities address this growing problem.

Regional economic development: In the Assembly, I will help build an economy that works for all of us. This includes creating stable jobs and careers that pay a living wage, investing in a regional economy that provides opportunities to all, protecting workers and local businesses, and increasing access to healthcare and social services.

Protecting our environment: Our state is seeing the effects of our planet’s climate crisis firsthand and this region is on the frontlines of our worsening drought. Extreme weather events fueled by climate change are getting worse every year, and we’re directly seeing the consequences of our dependence on fossil fuels and air pollutants. It’s time to accelerate our transition to green, renewable energies to protect our environment and reverse the effects of climate change.

What inspired you to run?

I know I am ready to deliver on these policy priorities and more – because I’ve made these strides locally on the Palm Springs City Council, bringing necessary progressive change to our great city. Additionally, I am unquestionably the most qualified candidate in this race. Unlike my opponent, I am the only candidate who has been on the ballot before, served as an elected official, and has experience advocating for our region. As the Mayor of Palm Springs during the pandemic, as a civil rights attorney, and as a new mom, I have a strong track record of delivering results and the background and experience to champion our region and lead. From this experience, I know what problems keep the members of our community up at night and I have the courage to propose bold solutions that will help address these issues head on. Furthermore, my opponent is a far right Republican whose views are out of step with this district. The bottom line is, I’m the only person running for this office who will fight for the people of this district and advance policies that protect public education, women, LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants, workers, the environment, people of color, and all Californians.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district, state, and country?

Whether it’s homelessness and a lack of affordable housing, increasing cost of living, threats to reproductive freedom, or the climate crisis, the challenges we face as a country and as a region may seem daunting, but we can’t solve them on our own. It’s going to take all of us together to tackle the complex issues we face, with courage and conviction, which is why I’m running to represent my community in the California State Assembly. We are a region full of opportunity, and we deserve a champion for our values in Sacramento. I’m running to create real change for our residents and lasting progress for our region. Together, we can build a region that works for all of us.

How long have you been in office? What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?

I first ran for city council in 2017 and was elected as the youngest woman to our city council since 1950. I was also the first openly bisexual councilmember and the first millennial. I was re-elected in 2020 and gave birth two weeks before election day, becoming the first mother mayor of our city, and the first openly bisexual mayor in the nation. I served as mayor with a newborn. As the Mayor of Palm Springs, I have led the way on the most important issues affecting our daily lives: building an economy that works for all of us, supporting and protecting workers and local businesses, investing in our local economy, continuing our progress on LGBTQ and civil rights, increasing access to healthcare and social services, leading on environmental issues, and enacting programs that have actually reduced homelessness in our region. That includes securing $10 million in state resources for housing and homelessness services, spearheading new programs to house over 200 formerly homeless people, and approving the first affordable housing developments in the city in 10 years, creating hundreds of new affordable units for seniors, families, and low-income residents. During the pandemic, I led the charge in enacting strong worker protections, supporting small business relief, and providing healthcare and other critical social services to the community — including approving hero pay for essential workers, providing $1 million in small business relief, and converting the Palm Springs Convention Center to a COVID-19 testing site, a mass food bank with the national guard, and later a vaccination site that administered 42,000 vaccines and hundreds of thousands of free meals for residents most in need.

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?

Access to affordable housing and combating homelessness: In Palm Springs, we have made considerable progress on this issue: approving hundreds of units of affordable housing, investing millions of dollars to build new housing, and securing $10 million of state funds for innovative housing and homelessness services. I will advocate for the state to allocate more resources to help local communities address this growing problem. This region used to be affordable compared to the coastal parts of the state, but as more people have moved inland, longtime residents are seeing their rents skyrocket. The state must step because this issue is too large for any individual community or region to tackle on their own.

Regional economic development: In the Assembly, I will help build an economy that works for all of us. This includes creating stable jobs and careers that pay a living wage, investing in a regional economy that lifts all of us up, protecting workers and local businesses, investing in our local economy, and increasing access to healthcare and social services. We cannot create opportunities for future generations in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County without investing in higher education so that young people can gain the skills that are necessary to succeed in our rapidly changing world. I will work to expand access to two and four-year degree programs, as well as other upskilling and experiential trainings that lead to good quality jobs.

Ensuring reproductive rights: It’s critical that our state not only codifies access to a safe and secure abortion into law, but that we are also a beacon of hope to women and pregnant people across the nation seeking abortions, which means providing greater funding to Planned Parenthood and other providers. Phoenix is only about three hours away from the Coachella Valley, and we are the closest metro area with enough proper medical facilities to actually serve patients crossing state lines to access reproductive care. I will work to ensure that we do our part as California steps up as a leader for those seeking refuge from Republican states with draconian, out of date laws that criminalize people’s healthcare decisions.

Protecting our environment: It’s time to accelerate our transition to green, renewable energies to protect our environment and reverse the effects of climate change. In the State Assembly, I will push for policies and support legislation to invest in more green and renewable energy projects, and moves us to a greener, more sustainable future, while also making sure that we keep in mind environmental justice for all and investing in communities most impacted and communities of color. The worsening drought is affecting this region particularly hard and we must be effective stewards over areas like the Salton Sea that could pose additional health risks to our communities.

America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?

As a Palm Springs Councilmember, I worked my way up in local government, where the only way to be effective is to listen to all perspectives, build consensus and work with both parties to get things done. In the Assembly, I will bring this same approach to Sacramento to build bridges, bring everyone to the table and find real solutions and deliver for all Californians. At the end of the day, there is far more that unites us than the rhetoric we see on national media. Everyone wants a safe community, good schools, a quality job, and the ability to access the care that they need to live a healthy life. I will tune out the distractions and stay focused on those priorities where it is much easier to find common ground.

How would you foresee your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?

As a civil rights attorney, I’ve worked for the last 10 years representing people in our community who too often don’t have a voice in our government: renters, farmworkers, people with disabilities, and workers. I’ve fought for the rights of seniors, veterans, LGBTQ people, Spanish-speakers, and victims of discrimination. I’ve helped people in the toughest times of their lives and helped them create better futures. In this district, I have founded a legal aid clinic for domestic violence victims, worked as a civil rights attorney for California Rural Legal Assistance, and worked as an attorney practicing employment law, disability rights, and tenants rights. As the Mayor of Palm Springs, I have led the way on the most important issues affecting our daily lives: building an economy that works for all of us, supporting and protecting workers and local businesses, investing in our local economy, continuing our progress on LGBTQ and civil rights, increasing access to healthcare and social services, leading on environmental issues, and enacting programs that have truly reduced homelessness in our region. As a mother and the first openly bisexual Mayor in America, I have developed a thick skin. I have the toughness to speak up for my community even when it is difficult and I don’t back down from a fight. My background means I can easily relate to the women who still share far too much of the burden in supporting and caring for the next generation. Like so many others, I am fighting for a better world for my children and all of our families.

What is your motto in life?

”When they go low, we go high.” - First Lady Michelle Obama

Where can we find out more about you?

You can find more about me on my campaign website and my social media profiles on instagram, facebook, and twitter.

Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2022 - Christy Holstege, California State Assembly District 47