Catherine S. Blakespear was elected in 2022 as the state senator for the 38th District, which covers northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. She previously served eight years in local government – six years as the Encinitas Mayor and two on the Encinitas City Council.

In her first three years in the Senate, Blakespear has focused on reducing homelessness, curbing the cost of living, making communities safer and preventing gun violence, protecting the environment and natural wildlife habitat, improving public transportation and countering climate change.

Blakespear is Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and Chair of the Senate Transportation Subcommittee on LOSSAN Rail Corridor Resiliency, which focuses on improving support and planning for the 351-mile rail line that runs from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. 

She also sits on the Senate’s committees on the budget, governmental organization and transportation, and is a member of Budget Subcommittee 2 on resources, environmental protection and energy. 

Blakespear has authored 24 bills that have been passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor. They include environmental legislation that bans plastic bags from being provided at grocery store checkouts, gun violence prevention legislation to ensure people undergoing mental health crises turn in their firearms, and green energy legislation to preserve solar tax breaks.  

In addition, she has hosted and attended dozens of events in Senate District 38 to raise awareness about pressing state and regional issues and engage communities she represents. She has held three policy summits on ending homelessness, bringing together leading policymakers and experts in homelessness to find solutions to this humanitarian crisis.

A lawyer and former journalist, Blakespear lives in Encinitas.