New Bill Introduced to Address Mental Health Impacts of Hostility Toward Political Candidates
SACRAMENTO – Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) introduced SB 1170, a bill to allow non-incumbent candidates running for office to use campaign funds to pay for candidates’ mental health care costs that are not covered by insurance. Supporters of the bill include California Women’s List, Close the Gap California, Courage California, National Women’s Political Caucus of California, and Vote Mama Foundation.
Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) speaks on a panel at California Women’s List’s Her Stories on the Campaign Trail report release event in Sacramento in August 2023. Photography by David Sengthay. Full coverage of event here.
The bill comes on the heels of a first-of-its-kind report released by California Women’s List on the state’s political culture, analyzing the experiences of candidates who are running for office. The report, Her Stories on the Campaign Trail: Analyzing the Mental Health Impacts of Hostility Women Face Pursuing Political Office in California, authored by Marissa Roy, Camille Zapata, Dr. Sarah Carson, and Jocelyn Tapia, LMFT, surveyed over 100 candidates who have run for office in California since 2016 and found that more than 80% of them reported online abuse during their campaign with over 50% receiving harassment in person. In particular, over 40% of women experienced stalking on the campaign trail and over one quarter of women experienced physical violence directed at them on the campaign trail.
Marissa Roy, President of CWL (left) and Camille Zapata, Co-Author and Board Member of CWL (right) at the Her Stories Report release event in Sacramento, CA. Photography by David Sengthay. Full coverage of event here.
The report found that this hostility had understandable impacts on a candidates’ mental health with approximately 80% of respondents experiencing new or worsened mental health or well-being symptoms that they believed were caused, in whole or in part, by hostility experienced on the campaign trail.
Allowing candidates to use campaign funds to address the mental health impacts of hostility faced on the campaign trail was a top recommendation of the report. The bill introduced by Senator Menjivar would ensure that non-incumbent candidates are able to access needed mental health services so they have the capacity to run their campaigns.
“Harassment and threats are pervasive on the campaign trail, with those who are underrepresented in government disproportionately reporting severe hostility, stalking, and even physical violence,” said Senator Menjivar, “The mental health toll can be detrimental to a candidate’s campaign, especially for women, women of color, and LGBTQ+ folks. We cannot stop harassment from occurring but, by allowing campaign funds to be used for mental health care costs, we can support candidates’ sense of well-being as we strive to increase the diversity of voices in government.”
“Using campaign funds to cover necessary mental health care costs will allow candidates to overcome the barriers they have been fighting alone. This is a matter of equity, as the candidates who receive disproportionate hostility are often from the communities that are underrepresented in government,” said Marissa Roy, President of California Women’s List. “California Women’s List is deeply appreciative to Senator Menjivar for her advocacy and her commitment to tearing down the barriers faced by underrepresented candidates, so that we can have a government that reflects California’s diversity.”
"All Californians deserve to have our communities and values represented in our elected leaders, and that is only possible when we remove barriers and provide comprehensive support to candidates running across the state. In a more polarized and weaponized political climate, that means allowing candidates – especially from underrepresented populations – to access mental healthcare services as they become more public figures and navigate challenging the status quo of who gets to serve in office and what they fight for. Courage California applauds Senator Menjivar and California Women's List for their work and advocacy on this important issue leading into the introduction of SB 1170, and we are committed to ensuring its passage through the state legislature and governor's office this year,” said Irene Kao, Executive Director of Courage California.
"Empowering women in politics transcends mere representation; it demands breaking down systemic barriers. By allowing campaign funds to be used for direct access to mental health services, we dismantle a significant obstacle that disproportionately affects women: the stigma surrounding mental well-being. This bill not only fosters a healthier political environment but also paves the way for more women to confidently pursue leadership roles, ensuring that our democracy reflects the diversity and strength of all its citizens. National Women's Political Caucus of California is honored to have supported our partners in this movement and proudly sign on as a cosponsor,” said Sabrina Ashjian, President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of California.
“Entering the political arena should never come at the expense of a candidate's physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Unfortunately women, especially women of color, face persistent harassment, threats, and abuse on the campaign trail that takes a toll on their mental health and can even drive them out of politics altogether. We need more women, more mothers, and more diverse voices in office, and a crucial part of building a more representative democracy is ensuring candidates have resources to navigate our political landscape and protect themselves. Using campaign funds to cover mental healthcare for candidates is a concrete step we can take to address this problem and empower more candidates to run for office. Vote Mama Foundation is proud to support this legislation, and we applaud Senator Menjivar for her leadership and continued advocacy on this issue,” said Vote Mama Foundation.
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Press Contact
Marissa Roy, Board President, marissa@cawomenslist.org
About California Women’s List
California Women’s List (CWL) is a Political Action Committee that endorses, fundaises for, and elects women to public office in California. Its mission is to elect women who will make California more just and equitable for all. CWL is run by volunteer board members from across the state who lend their time and talents to CWL’s mission and operations. Learn more at californiawomenslist.org.
Close the Gap California
Close the Gap is a statewide campaign to close the gender gap in the California Legislature by 2028. By recruiting accomplished, progressive women in targeted districts and preparing them to launch competitive campaigns, CTG has been changing the face of the Legislature one cycle at a time since launch in 2013. Twenty CTG Recruits (14 of them women of color) are serving in Sacramento today. CTG Recruits are committed to reproductive freedom, public school funding, and combating poverty. Check out an introductory video to our work here.
About Courage California
Courage California’s mission is to unite and equip Californians to hold leaders accountable and take courageous action for change. By providing the information, resources and infrastructure Californians need to hold their elected officials accountable, Courage California is fighting for a California that works for all of us. Driven by members and partnerships throughout the state, Courage California actively calls out institutional corruption and oppression, improves coordination and collaboration between progressive organizations, and demands that state and local representatives be accountable to and reflective of the Californians they seek to serve.
About National Women’s Political Caucus California
The National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) is a multicultural, intergenerational, and mult-issue grassroots organization dedicated to increasing women’s participation in the political process and creating a true women’s political power base to achieve equity for all women. Founded in 1971, NWPC recruits, trains, and helps elect progressive, pro-choice women to elected and appointed office.
About Vote Mama Foundation
Vote Mama Foundation is the leading source of research and analysis about the political participation of mothers in the United States. It works toward gender equity by normalizing mothers of minor children running for and serving in office, naming and dismantling the barriers that keep moms out of office and out of power, and enabling legislators to pass truly family-friendly policies. Vote Mama Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more at votemamafoundation.org.
