Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear announced her candidacy for California’s 36th state Senate seat this week.

Blakespear — who won re-election as Encinitas’ mayor in November and has served on the City Council since 2014 — is running to fill the seat currently held by Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), who will be termed out of office in 2022. The district covers portions of San Diego and Orange counties.

“As we emerge from the pandemic, the challenges facing Californians have become starker — affordable housing, homelessness, health care, education, and climate change are all interrelated and require systemic solutions, not just political talk,” Blakespear stated in her announcement. “Now, more than ever, we need leaders who will bring us together to advance economic, social and environmental justice for every Californian.”

Blakespear currently serves as chairwoman of the San Diego Association of Governments. In addition, she is a board member of the San Dieguito Water District, San Elijo Joint Powers Authority, Encina Wastewater Authority and the San Diego Airport Authority.

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