Vance Taylor and Amy Slavensky to address voters ahead of primary race to unseat incumbent Josh Hoover
The Folsom Area Democratic Club (FADC) will host a town hall featuring the two Democratic candidates vying for the party’s nomination in California’s Assembly District 7. The event will take place on Tuesday evening, Jan. 13 and will be moderated by Julian Sarafian, president of FADC, according to a media release from the FADC.
The town hall offers voters an opportunity to hear directly from candidates Vance Taylor and Amy Slavensky as they make their case to represent Democrats in the race to unseat incumbent Assemblyman Josh Hoover ahead of the June 2, 2026, primary election. Candidates will answer questions from audience members. Due to capacity limitations and security, the specific location is not being released. Those seeking information about it can contact the FADC at folsomareademocrats@gmail.com.
California uses a top-two “jungle” primary system, in which all candidates regardless of party appear on the same ballot and the top two vote-getters advance to the November general election. With incumbent Hoover expected to secure first place in the primary, Taylor and Slavensky are competing to earn the second spot and face Hoover in November.
This event comes ahead of the California Democratic Party’s endorsement process, which kicks off in late January.
Taylor is a first-generation American, born and raised in California, who spent 13 years in Washington, D.C., advising members of Congress on homeland security and emergency management. For the past decade, he has served as a senior executive at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, appointed by Jerry Brown and reappointed twice by Gavin Newsom. In 2022, President Biden appointed him to the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council. He was later fired by Donald Trump, a distinction he proudly wears as a badge of honor. Raised by a single mother and living with a disability, Taylor has lived the struggles facing many working families. He is running to strengthen community safety, affordability, good-paying jobs and public schools. Taylor lives in Rancho Cordova with his wife and two daughters.
Slavensky recently completed 40 years of service in K–12 California public school education, including work as a classroom teacher, elementary and middle school principal, director of early childhood education and superintendent of schools. Most recently, she served as interim deputy superintendent for the San Juan Unified School District from 2023 to 2025. Raised in Fair Oaks and Carmichael by a single mother, Slavensky’s family depended on food stamps and Medi-Cal — experiences that shaped her commitment to fighting for working people and ensuring everyone has what they need to thrive. She is running to strengthen resources and services for District 7, with a focus on public education funding, affordable housing and expanding access to healthcare and social services. She has earned advanced degrees in education and is a recipient of ACSA’s Bob Price Distinguished Service Award.
The Assembly District 7 Democratic Candidates Town Hall will take place Tuesday evening, Jan. 13, 2026. The event will be moderated by Julian Sarafian, president of the Folsom Area Democratic Club. The candidates participating are Vance Taylor and Amy Slavensky.
The Folsom Area Democratic Club is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to promoting Democratic values and candidates in the Folsom area and surrounding communities. For more information, emailfolsomareademocrats@gmail.com
