Brian Goldsmith, a Democrat, is running for California State Senate District 24 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

He faces fellow Democrat John M. Erickson.

Goldsmith said he grew up in West Los Angeles and is raising his family in the district, according to his campaign website.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in government, Harvard University (2005); juris doctor, Stanford University (2012)
  • Endorsement: Democrats for Israel Los Angeles

Experience and public service

Goldsmith has worked in media, politics and business. He said he served as campaign staff on Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate campaign from 2000 to 2001 and has been a columnist and contributor for The Atlantic and Politico.

He was co-host and executive producer at Katie Couric Media from 2016 to 2018 and a political consultant at Yahoo News during the same period, according to his BallotReady profile. He is listed as principal at Kona Media since 2019, founder of Scriber since 2022 and an angel investor since 2011.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Goldsmith's campaign website and a Santa Monica Daily Press interview. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

Education: Goldsmith said California's K-12 system is underperforming in areas like third-grade reading and math. He said the state needs to change how it measures success if spending and legislation have not produced improvement.

Public safety: Goldsmith said he supports adequate staffing and funding for law enforcement agencies across the state. He said he wants to fund community-based policing and early intervention programs for people at risk of incarceration. He also raised concerns about security in communities where homes are being rebuilt after fires.

Gun policy: Goldsmith said he wants to ban guns that can be converted into assault weapons and regulate 3D-printed firearms. He said California should strengthen licensing and training requirements for gun buyers and eliminate gun show loopholes.

Environment and energy: Goldsmith said he wants to make climate change a budget priority, including support for lower- and middle-income Californians to reduce energy costs. He called for building clean energy projects on developed land such as rooftops and brownfields, with streamlined permitting. He said he supports a $3,500-per-year electric vehicle tax credit for first-time EV buyers in California.

Housing: Goldsmith said he wants to speed up permitting and streamline regulations so construction can begin soon after financing is secured. He said he supports modernizing the California Environmental Quality Act to protect the environment while preventing housing and job-creating projects from getting stuck in years of review. He also called for down payment assistance for new homebuyers and prioritizing workforce housing for public servants.

"It shouldn't cost twice as much per square foot to build multifamily in California as it does in Texas," Goldsmith said on his campaign website.