| Patrick Ahrens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 26th district | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 2, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Evan Low |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Sunnyvale, California |
| Education | De Anza College University of California, Los Angeles San Jose State University (MPA) |
| Website | Legislative website |
Patrick Ahrens is an American politician who is a member of the California State Assembly for the 26th district since 2024. A Democrat, he served on the Foothill–De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees and as a district director for Evan Low.
Early life and education
Ahrens grew up in household that struggled with substance abuse and he experienced homelessness while attending college. Ahrens was the first person in his family to attend college, graduating with an associate degree from De Anza College, a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California Los Angeles, and a Master of Public Administration from San Jose State University.
Career
Ahrens worked for U.S. Representative Janice Hahn in Washington, D.C., where he met Evan Low. He would go on to serve as a district director for Low.
He was first elected to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees in 2018 and selected as president of the board on December 13, 2021.
California State Assembly
Ahrens ran for the California State Assembly in the 26th district in 2024 to succeed incumbent Evan Low, who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He advanced to the general election with fellow Democrat Tara Sreekrishnan, a Santa Clara County Board of Education trustee and legislative staffer to State Senator Dave Cortese. The race attracted $3.7 million in outside spending including $2 million boosting Ahrens. Ahrens defeated Sreekrishnan receiving 56% of votes cast (76,807) compared to her 44% of votes cast (60,392) in the general election.
Personal life
Ahrens had a twin brother, Sean, who died of cancer.
References
- ^ Cannestra, B. Sakura (November 5, 2024). "Patrick Ahrens leads in Assembly District 26 race". San Jose Spotlight. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Hase, Grace (November 6, 2024). "Assembly District 26: Patrick Ahrens leads Tara Sreekrishnan to replace Assemblymember Evan Low". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Sharma, Kritika (March 23, 2023). "From public education to public service, Patrick Ahrens advocates for equity". La Voz. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Scrivens, Vincent (February 21, 2024). "Race for assembly in Cupertino's district". La Voz. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- Cannestra, B. Sakura (September 23, 2024). "Election 2024: Assembly District 26 director ready to move up". San José Spotlight. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
- Morgan, Zoe (December 14, 2021). "Patrick Ahrens picked as Foothill-De Anza's board president, Laura Casas as vice president". Palo Alto Online. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- White, Jeremy; Korte, Lara; Gardiner, Dustin (October 29, 2024). "5 Democratic family feuds to watch on Election Day". Politico. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- Hase, Grace (November 4, 2024). "Assembly District 26 race captures the attention of outside groups that have spent nearly $3.7 million". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- Cannestra, B. Sakura (September 30, 2024). "Special interests back Silicon Valley candidates for state office". San Jose Spotlight. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- Weber, Shirley. "Statement of Vote" (PDF). California Secretary of State. California Secretary of State. p. 9. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
