Union-backed Democrat and MAGA Republican clash in California superintendent race

The nonpartisan California superintendent of public instruction contest has become a partisan battle between Democrat Richard Barrera, backed by the California Teachers Assn., and Republican Sonja Shaw, supported by conservative and MAGA groups.

California’s superintendent of public instruction race, officially nonpartisan, has turned into a showdown between union-aligned Democrat Richard Barrera and MAGA-linked Republican Sonja Shaw. Barrera, a San Diego Unified board president and former labor organizer, secured the Democratic nomination with heavy financial backing from the California Teachers Assn., including over $5 million in contributions and extensive independent-expenditure support.

Shaw, a Chino Valley board president, built her campaign on support from Moms for Liberty, Christian nationalist groups and mainstream Republicans, raising $399,000 in the primary and positioning herself as a defender of “common-sense” education policies. The contest highlights a broader clash over California’s progressive education agenda, including LGBTQ protections, school-choice options, and opposition to privatization, while the superintendent’s authority has been curtailed by recent state legislation.

Both candidates aim to use the office as a platform to influence statewide policy, with Barrera emphasizing union-driven reforms and Shaw promising to challenge liberal policies through the courts. The outcome will signal voter sentiment on education amid ongoing federal pressure from the Trump administration.