Thanks to all who attended our 2026 June 2 Primary Election candidate forums! Missed one or more? See below under PREVIOUS EVENTS for recording or transcript links
Next up: Watch this space for updated ENDORSEMENTS as they come in
Final information on our CANDIDATE FORUMS • Sunday, March 8, 2026 — City Attorney • Saturday, March 21 — State Sen. & Assembly • Sunday, March 29 — Mayor • Saturday, April 4, 11 AM — Insurance Commissioner
Missed the mayoral forum or want to see the city council candidates’ video statements?
To those who have asked that we include Spencer Pratt in the mayoral candidates forum:
We appreciate the interest in hearing from a wide range of voices at our events! However, PaliDems is a chartered Democratic club with a clear purpose: to support Democratic-aligned candidates and issues. We do not present ourselves as nonpartisan. Based on publicly available information, Mr. Pratt is a registered Republican, so we will not be including him in the forum, as our focus is on providing a platform for candidates whose policies and perspectives align with the mission of our club.
We value thoughtful public dialogue, and encourage those interested in hearing from Mr. Pratt to seek out community organizations that host broader or nonpartisan forums.
At the same time, we recognize the importance of working collaboratively for the good of our community. Should Mr. Pratt or another Republican be elected, we would be open to engaging constructively on issues that benefit Pacific Palisades and the city as a whole.
Thank you to everyone who reached out to us. While our Democratic club categorically operates on one side of the political spectrum, we greatly respect civil political engagement from community members of all stripes.
Not affiliated with PPDC but of great interest:
The big No Kings rally? It’s today. It’s >now<. Get out there and add your voice!
Why is passing Prop. 50 so important? MoveOn.org explained it well:
Proposition 50, on the ballot for the November 4, 2025 election, would enact the congressional maps approved by the California legislature earlier this August. This measure is a direct response to the unprecedented GOP-driven power grab, backed by Trump, taking place in states like Texas, Indiana, and Missouri.
If passed, Proposition 50 would lock these new congressional boundaries in place until 2030, when the regular census and redistricting process resumes. Unlike in Texas, where political leaders unilaterally redrew maps at the direction of the president and governor, California is putting this decision in the hands of voters for their approval.
This measure does not permanently change the state’s redistricting process. Instead, it allows the legislature’s approved maps to take effect temporarily, ensuring a fairer process while countering the blatant partisan manipulation happening elsewhere. The balance of the House of Representatives is at stake, and our ability to push back on future power grabs, if we don’t respond to Republican redistricting efforts.
Want to not just vote but also volunteer to help pass Prop. 50?Click below to join the action at one of our sister Get Out the Vote orgs, Grassroots Dems HQ and Westside Dem HQ
A record crowd showed up at our 2025 PaliDems Garden Party — 164 RSVPs! Thanks to you and to our elected officials for supporting our club and community as we get our bearings after the fire
Post-fire statement from your Pacific Palisades Dem Club
For decades, PPDC has been at the heart of Democratic organizing on the Westside — mobilizing volunteers, endorsing and supporting Democratic candidates and causes, and helping turn elections in favor of both Democrats and small-“d” democratic values.
The Palisades Fire has not only shaken our community but also severely impacted the club’s financial stability. PPDC lost thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise, event paraphernalia, and membership supplies. And we rely on local events, grassroots contributions, and community engagement to fund our work, but the disaster forced the cancellation of key activities. At the same time, many of our members are understandably focused on recovery.
Had the fire not battered us the way it did, the pain inflicted on our country by the Trump administration would have been traumatic enough. Today, the stakes for our democracy could not be higher. With crucial elections ahead, we cannot afford to lose momentum. PPDC has a proven track record of helping candidates win tough races, but we need immediate support to continue that mission.
We are asking our friends and neighbors to stand with us in this critical moment. Getting tickets to the Garden Party is enormously helpful (same ticket price as last year!). We thank you for that, and further ask those of you who can comfortably contribute more to consider a major donation at this time.
Your sponsorship will help us rebuild our operations, unite the community, and ensure that Dem candidates have the backing they need to beat back right-wing extremism. Together, we can turn elections — and turn these challenges into an opportunity for renewed strength.
and brought in L.A. County Tax Assessor Jeff Prang, State Sen. Ben Allen, and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin
to talk about post-fire property tax implications and recovery information and answer your questions
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 6:30 PM, FREE & OPEN TO ALL
Join the PaliDems meeting to hear from AM Irwin, who’s working hard on legislation to help our recovery …and Assessor Prang, who’ll discuss taxes not only for people whose homes were lost, but also for those whose homes are still standing
NOTE: If you’re thinking of rebuilding 10% larger
or not rebuilding on the same footprint
your taxes could go up — please attend and get the facts
before you decide what to do
Missed the meeting? Click here to watch the recording
BECAUSE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SEVERAL ON THE PPDC BOARD,
WERE SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE PALISADES FIRE,
WE RESCHEDULED AND REFOCUSED OUR 2025 ANNUAL MEETING
(ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2, NOW TO BE MARCH 2, 2025)
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO EVERYONE AFFECTED, AND WE WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY
TO REBUILD OUR BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS
AND TO UPHOLD OUR DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AS THE NEW PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION
TRIES THEIR DAMNDEST TO UNDO THE PROGRESS WE’VE MADE
AND THE RULE OF LAW
AND THE POLICIES WE’VE FOUGHT HARD TO BRING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
SEE WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO!
Truman Awards
Saturday, January 25, 2025, 11 AM
Congratulations to PaliDems board member and phenomenal Palisades community leader Maryam Zar, this year’s PPDC local club winner
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LEFT: MARYAM RECEIVING THE AWARD ….. CENTER AND RIGHT: MARYAM WITH REP. BRAD SHERMAN AND MEMBERS OF DPSFV AND THE PPDC BOARD (apologies to those on either side of the photo on right — we tried for a half hour to get the gallery to fit you in but the template lops off the sides no matter what we adjust 😣)
The Pacific Palisades Dem Club is among the most influential Dem clubs in the US, proud to have led the founding and running of Presidential election year **Westside Democratic Headquarters**
… wildly successful Santa Monica GOTV centers with national reach, Because CA is safely blue and home to some of the country’s most giving democrats (you), we target not only CA voters but swing staters, too. This gives >you< the power to swing elections!
The HQ also hosts fun events, ballot prop debates, and the Westside’s best selection of political merch
WDHQ’s 2024 Santa Monica election center at 1241 3rd St. Promenade had its kickoff event on August 22: a soft open watch party for Kamala Harris’s historic nomination speech — with overflow crowd and local TV news coverage
With grand opening Sunday, September 1, 2024, attended by over 300 people who came to eat, drink, hear from Rep. Maxine Waters and other VIPs, and sign up to volunteer
WDHQ now open seven days/wk for election action
Promenade HQ Harris speech watch party & grand open pics:
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For 2024 the other amazing GOTV group founded and run by PPDC board members, **Grassroots Democrats HQ**, has opened an HQ in at 1027 Westwood Blvd. in addition to their already operational Brentwood and Malibu pop-up HQs
Grassroots Democrats is a preeminent GOTV operation that’s among the most successful in the country, working hard and bringing in VIPs like Reps. Adam Schiff and Eric Swallwell to fire folks up!
Here’s an exciting look at some of what the Grassroots crew was up to:
Pacific Palisades Democratic Club (aka PaliDems, or PPDC) celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2023! PPDC has an active membership base that supports our work promoting Democratic principles, legislation, and candidates. Members donate to the cause, attend events, and advocate locally, statewide, and nationally
