Patrick James Ahrens is a Democrat representing California's 26th Assembly District in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County. This district includes the cities of Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale, plus parts of San José and unincorporated areas like Burbank and Fruitdale. A native of the region, he has served in the Assembly since 2024 after winning the general election with 56% of the vote against Tara Sreekrishnan. Notable achievements include sponsoring a 2025 bill signed by Governor Gavin Newsom repealing misdemeanor charges for parents of chronically truant students, and authoring a package of bills to support California's 60,000 foster youth. He holds positions as Co-Chair of the California Legislative Technology & Innovation Caucus, member of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and Bay Area Caucus, and serves on select committees including Asia/California Trade and Investment, Biotechnology and Medical Technology, and Child Care Costs. Ahrens identifies as LGBTQ+ and resides in Sunnyvale.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: First-generation college graduate with an associate degree from De Anza College, a bachelor’s degree from UCLA, and a master’s degree in public administration from San José State University.
• Political Experience: Former district director for Assemblymember Evan Low ; President and Trustee of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board, where he led efforts to build affordable housing for students, faculty, and staff. His public service is driven by personal experiences with family substance abuse, homelessness, and housing insecurity during college; his twin brother later passed from cancer.