Darsh Patel

Dr. Darshana "Darsh" Patel is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly representing the 76th District in northern San Diego County, an area that includes the communities of Escondido, San Marcos, Rancho Bernardo, and Carmel Valley. ^[1,4] A cancer research scientist who spent years developing therapeutics at Genentech, ^[1,2] Patel transitioned to public service through the Poway Unified School District Board, where she served as president. ^[1,2] Elected to the Assembly in 2024, she made history as the first Hindu woman to serve in the California State Legislature. ^[2] With a 19% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, her legislative record has diverged from the California Family Council's core priorities on the sanctity of life and education freedom. Her public support for what she calls "abortion access" — which CFC views as the expansion of abortion access — and her emphasis on increased government spending over parental empowerment in education place her at odds with CFC's framework. However, her work on youth mental health and her commitment to students with disabilities reflect a concern for child welfare that CFC recognizes as.

Patel was elected in November 2024, defeating Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane in the general election after advancing through a three-candidate primary. ^[1] She currently serves on the Budget, Economic Development and Household Impact, Education, Health, and Higher Education committees, and chairs the Select Committee on Youth Mental Health and Treatment Accessibility. ^[1,4] Her early legislative efforts have focused on streamlining bureaucratic processes facing school districts and expanding resources for students with disabilities. ^[6] Prior to her Assembly election, she served on the Poway Unified School District Board beginning in 2016, winning re-election in 2020 and rising to board president. ^[1,2] She also served as a commissioner on the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. ^[2]

His 17.2% Biblical Values Scorecard rating across 29 scored floor votes reflects consistent divergence from CFC's worldview framework. His voting record has supported abortion access expansion over the sanctity of human life, government-directed education over parental authority and school choice, and progressive social mandates over religious liberty protections.

Patel's policy platform reflects her scientific background and school board experience. She has publicly prioritized fully funding public education from transitional kindergarten through community college, expanding healthcare access, addressing climate change, and protecting what she describes as "abortion access." ^[1] On education, CFC's framework holds that parents are the primary educators of their children and supports school choice — including charter schools, education savings accounts, and homeschooling freedoms — as expressions of parental authority. Patel's approach favors increased public school funding and expanded government services, a model that CFC views as growing the state's role at the potential expense of parental direction and educational diversity. On life issues, her support for abortion access expansion stands in direct opposition to CFC's conviction that human life possesses full moral worth from the moment of fertilization. Her focus on youth mental health and support for students with disabilities, however, reflects a commitment to the welfare of vulnerable children that CFC's framework values. CFC's worldview affirms that every person, including those with disabilities, bears the image of God and deserves the opportunity to flourish — making Patel's work in this area a point of bipartisan connection.