FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Contact: info@benallenca.com 

California Teachers & Most Democratic Legislators Agree: Ben Allen is the Right Candidate for Insurance Commissioner

LOS ANGELES — A majority of Democratic state legislators – and the California Federation of Teachers – have endorsed State Senator Ben Allen’s (D-Santa Monica) campaign for California Insurance Commissioner.

“Senator Allen cares deeply about public education and our public educators and classified staff,” said Jeff Freitas, President of the California Federation of Teachers.  “He is working to ensure that school districts have the tools to push back against unscrupulous insurance business practices.  He has a long track record of fighting for consumers and for the public interest, and we know he’ll fight for accountability in the insurance system for regular working Californians.”

“Senator Allen doesn’t just make promises - he has taken on difficult issues and delivered for the people of California, and for that he has earned the respect of his colleagues and constituents,” said Senator Sasha Renee Perez (D-Altadena). “We have worked closely together to help fire survivors and impacted communities in the wake of the terrible LA-area fires, and Senator Allen has my support for Insurance Commissioner. I trust him to will hold insurance companies accountable and fight for working Californians struggling to afford life here.”

“I’m so grateful to my colleagues and our teachers for their support and encouragement as I run for this incredibly difficult and important position,” said Senator Allen.  “Through my time in the Senate, I have worked hard to deliver difficult bills through the legislature that have strengthened our educational system and protected our environment and California consumers.”

Endorsements from 29 members of the Assembly and 18 state senators convey Allen’s significant support ahead of the California Democratic Party endorsing convention in February, where state party delegates — many of whom are appointed by these elected officials — will cast their votes for statewide constitutional offices.

These leaders include Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limon, Pro Tem Emeritus Mike McGuire, and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas – all of whom announced their support for Allen when he launched his campaign in mid-September.

29 Assembly Members

• Chris Rogers, AD02

• Maggy Krell, AD06

• Damon Connolly, AD12

• Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, AD16

• Matt Haney, AD17

• Marc Berman, AD23

• Alex Lee, AD24

• Patrick J. Ahrens, AD26

• Esmeralda Soria, AD27

• Gail Pellerin, AD28

• Robert Rivas, AD29

• Dawn Addis, AD30

• Gregg Hart, AD37

• Steve Bennett, AD38

• Pilar Schiavo, AD40

• John Harabedian, AD41

• Jacqui Irwin, AD42

• Nick Schultz, AD44

• Jesse Gabriel, AD46

• Robert Garcia, AD50

• Rick Chavez Zbur, AD51

• Jessica M. Caloza, AD 52

• Michelle Rodriguez, AD53

• Sharon Quirk-Silva, AD67

• Josh Lowenthal, AD69

• Cottie Petrie-Norris, AD73

• Darshana R. Patel, AD76

• Tasha Boerner, AD77

• Christopher M. Ward, AD78

18 State Senators 

• Mike McGuire, SD02

• Christopher Cabaldon, SD03

• Jerry McNerney, SD05

• Jesse Arreguín, SD07

• Angelique Ashby, SD08

• Aisha Wahab, SD10

• Scott Wiener, SD11

• Josh Becker, SD 13

• Dave Cortese, SD15

• Melissa Hurtado, SD16

• Monique Limón, SD21

• Sasha Renee Pérez, SD25

• Henry Stern, SD27

• Eloise Gomez Reyes, SD29

• Bob Archuleta, SD30

• Thomas Umberg, SD 34

• Laura Richardson, SD 35

• Catherine S. Blakespear, SD38

ABOUT BEN ALLEN

Allen is a longtime environmental policy leader – one of the most respected according to Politico and CalMatters – and was the lead author of the climate bond passed by voters in November 2024 that provided the first tranche of fire mitigation funds for brush clearance and other efforts right after the fires.

The Palisades Fire in January was a defining moment for Allen and his career in public service. The fire erupted off a trail he knew well, within sight of where he grew up and where he’s raising his family, and devastated communities he has represented for more than a decade in the State Senate. 

Allen immediately got to work on efforts to assist with the initial governmental response – bringing state and federal leaders together to help with resident assistance, securing funding to rebuild critical local infrastructure and landmarks, and helping families piece their lives back together.

Allen wrote legislation to assist mobile home park residents who lost everything, provide tax assistance for fire victims, and give greater help to victims trying to maximize contents coverage from their insurers. He has supported efforts to establish home hardening standards to help residents better protect their homes from future fires and reduce liabilities for the insurance market. Needless to say, the experience has given him a clear-eyed look into the challenges and limitations of our current insurance system.

Allen is no stranger to tackling complex public policy challenges. In the Legislature, he has earned a reputation for solving difficult problems – from negotiating one of the nation’s most ambitious plastic waste reduction laws to brokering a bipartisan deal to reduce the environmental impact of off-highway vehicles that the Sacramento Bee editorial board praised by refraining, “If only Congress could work out such compromises.”

Throughout his career, Allen’s north star has always been clear: put the public interest first. He has authored laws to improve campaign finance transparency, strengthen voter access, protect coastal waters, and expand access to the arts in schools. Most recently, he successfully spearheaded the legislative passage of what is probably the most significant pro-car consumer bill passed in the state in decades, the Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act.  

Allen is a lifelong Californian who grew up attending public schools and now lives in his hometown with his wife and two young children. Allen has served in the State Senate since 2014 after having served as President of his hometown school board.  He has degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and a law degree from UC Berkeley, where he served as the student member of the Board of Regents.

For more information about his campaign, visit BenAllenCA.com.

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