Hey, nice logo! Rogers for State Senate campaign sign via the candidate’s Facebook page.

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The race to decide which Sonoma County resident will represent us in the California State Senate come the year 2026 is heating up!

Rogers.

Via the Press-Democrat, we are made aware that Santa Rosa City Councilmember Natalie Rogers is throwing her hat in to succeed State Sen. Mike McGuire, who will be termed-limited out at the end of next year.

According to her bio on the city of Santa Rosa’s website, Rogers is a family therapist who was first elected to the City Council in November 2020. She’s a union member. She served as the city’s mayor from 2022-2024.

Welcome, Ms. Rogers! Humboldt County here.

As linked above, Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore announced in January that he would seek to follow McGuire after the latter is booted out next year.

But according to the P-D, which is physically very close to the population center of the Second Senate District, the race is about to get more crowded still in the coming days.

The paper mentions that Assm. Damon Connolly, who currently represents the Marin/Napa half of the Second Senate District in the lower house, is expected to jump in at any minute.

Other names to watch, according to the P-D, are former Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelley, last seen shooting for former Assemblymember Jim Wood’s vacated seat, and … drumroll … Arcata’s own Rusty Hicks, last seen doing same!

Nice that legislative seats are contested once again. It didn’t use to be this way.

Fun note: Natalie Rogers’ Santa Rosa City Council colleague, Chris Rogers, was the eventual victor in last year’s assembly race. So if Natalie ends up victorious in her campaign for the Senate, she would reunite with Chris in Sacramento and the North Coast would have both a Mr. Rogers and a Ms. Rogers representing us in the Capitol. Makes you think.