Senator Laura Richardson

Political Party: Democratic

District: California State Senate District 35

Current Position: State Senator

Laura Richardson was born on April 14, 1962, and has built a career spanning all three levels of government—local, state, and federal. She currently represents San Pedro and surrounding communities in California's 35th Senate District, a position she has held since 2024.

Richardson began her public service career as a legislative staffer at local, state, and federal levels before pursuing elected office. She worked as Southern California director for Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante and served as staff for U.S. Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald, her mentor and former boss.

Education

Richardson earned a Bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles , where she also played collegiate basketball at UC Santa Barbara before transferring. While working full-time for a Fortune 40 company, she pursued further education and earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Political Experience

Long Beach City Council : Richardson served six years on the Long Beach City Council, where she won a second term outright on the first ballot in 2004.

California State Assembly : After reaching the city council's two-term limit, she was elected to represent the 55th District in the State Assembly, serving as assistant pro tem—the first freshman from Southern California to achieve this position. She focused on health care, public education, and safe neighborhoods.

U.S. House of Representatives : Following Millender-McDonald's sudden death, Richardson was elected in a special election in 2007 to represent California's 37th Congressional District. She served three terms in Congress, earning a reputation for bringing important resources to her district and resolving constituent casework related to disabilities and Social Security. During her tenure, she was reprimanded and fined by the House Ethics Committee for misusing staff members to work on her 2010 campaign.

California State Senate : Richardson was elected in November 2024 to represent the 35th Senate District, where she continues her commitment to improving residents' lives and enhancing local businesses and economic development.