Inland San Diego County voters are staring down a genuine toss-up on June 2, as they decide who will take over California State Senate District 40. With Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones forced out by term limits, the open seat has drawn former San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott and two Republican contenders into a race that could determine whether this inland stronghold stays red or flips blue. From Santee and Escondido to Poway and San Marcos, turnout in these suburbs and exurbs will decide who survives the top-two primary.
Who's on the ballot
According to the San Diego County Registrar, three candidates have officially qualified for the June 2 ballot: Mara Elliott (Democrat), Kristie Bruce-Lane (Republican), and Ed Musgrove (Republican). Matthew Hanson is listed in filings but is not marked as qualified in the county document, so barring any late changes, voters will be choosing among those three.
Mara Elliott's bid
Elliott jumped into the race in September, centering her pitch on public safety and affordability while rolling out a roster of Democratic Party endorsements, as reported by the Times of San Diego. She served as San Diego city attorney from 2016 to 2024 and has been leaning heavily on that experience in law enforcement and city governance in her early campaign messaging.
Open seat and shifting map
Jones’ exit because of term limits has created a rare open contest in a district that stretches across inland suburbs and rural pockets. The district overview lists communities in SD-40 such as Escondido, Santee, Ramona and San Marcos, underscoring how many different local priorities the next senator will have to juggle, according to the California State Senate. Redistricting after 2020 pushed the district further north and reshaped its partisan balance, setting up a tighter, turnout-driven battle over who can best navigate the new map, per The Coast News.
What to watch before June 2
California uses a “top-two” open primary system in which the two highest vote-getters move on to the November general election regardless of party, according to the California Secretary of State. With the June 2 date locked in and candidate filings certified, campaigns have shifted into turnout mode, working endorsements and local networks to secure one of those two coveted spots. Local television coverage has started to frame the battlefield, too; NBC 7 San Diego recently aired a primer that walks viewers through the neighborhoods each campaign needs to win.
Endorsements are already giving voters a preview of the coalitions forming around each candidate. Local Democratic groups have lined up behind Elliott, according to San Diego Democrats for Equality, while Musgrove is touting backing from municipal officials and tribal leaders, per Ed Musgrove for Senate. Over the next three weeks, the contest will be less about flashy ads and more about who can actually coax voters across SD-40’s patchwork of suburbs, inland towns and unincorporated communities to drop a ballot in the box.
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