Five year Riverside City Council member Clarrisa Cervantes decided not to run for re-election this upcoming November, instead she is taking a second attempt at running for state Assembly in the 58th district. Cervantes has been a prominent figure in Ward 2 since she assumed office in July of 2021, voting in favor of resolutions that encourage transparency amongst Immigration and Custom Enforcement Officers and supporting affordable housing initiatives.
Born in Indio, California, Cervantes is a Riverside County native. Before being inaugurated to the City Council, she worked as a legislative field representative for former city council member Andy Melendrez.
Cervantes also worked as a union organizer for SEIU 121 RN, a campaign organizer for presidential, congressional and local campaigns. Cervantes was also a chair of the Riverside Transit Agency NOW chapter.
Cervantes was the first openly LGBTQ+ member to sit on the Riverside City Council; While on the council Cervantes served as a part of the Housing and Homeless Committee.
She previously ran for state Assembly in 2024 and lost by approximately 0.4% to Republican Candidate Leticia Castillo.
When asked by The Highlander why she decided to run for state Assembly again, she attributed it to seeing her older sister Sabrina Cervantes deliver over $700 million to provide affordable housing for Californians, among other causes, during her time in state assembly. Councilwoman Cervantes stated, “To me, it is the incredible product of impact that we could have. If you have the right champion that’s fighting for you that knows what the district needs to deliver, that can build those partnerships that can actually work with people to accomplish and bring back those resources and funding that’s instrumental for our region.”
Cervantes’ main campaign promises consist of working to expand affordable housing, standing up against utility and water rate increases, strengthening wages, reducing health care costs and ensuring that firefighters and police have the staffing and resources they need.
When asked what her first priority if elected for state Assembly would be, she said “We need to figure out how to establish an affordable healthcare system — at the end of the day health is our wealth.” Cervantes also emphasized that building affordable housing also has to be a priority, “we need to really pipeline affordable housing and need to really make sure we are doing everything we can, all the tools in the tool box giving resources, allocating funding to not only support families that need access to that housing, but also preventing homelessness.”
Cervantes claimed that “getting to the preventative” of homelessness would save the state billions of dollars. She also stated that to her, housing, health care and access to food are all human rights.
When asked about the legacy she hoped to leave for Ward 2, she stated “When I think of legacy I think of impact.” Cervantes expressed pride in the Eastside library stating Ward 2 was the only Ward without a standalone library and that the community deserved its own. She also shared that the Ceasar Chavez community center will be a “state of the art — arts innovation center.”
Cervantes was asked why University of California, Riverside (UCR) students should vote for her in November and she stated “I am proud to be the only candidate in this race being endorsed by our Democratic Party.” She also stated that she is endorsed by teachers, faculty and employees that work on the UCR campus, “because I have been a champion and a fighter for their wages, their benefits and making sure they have good quality pay.” She also expressed her support in higher education and her interest in keeping low tuition rates.
