Image Source: Martha Guerrero for Congress / www.marthaguerrero.com
(Loomis, CA) – West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero is taking her local leadership to the national stage, launching a campaign for California’s 6th Congressional District focused on affordability, infrastructure, and empowering communities.
In an interview with OpGov.news, Guerrero pointed to her five years leading the city, more than two decades in public service, and her background as a social worker as shaping her understanding of the region’s challenges.
Video Source: Sarah Denos and Robert MacMahon / Youtube
Among her most significant accomplishments, Mayor Guerrero highlighted a billion-dollar flood protection project developed with regional partners and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—an effort reflecting her ability to collaborate on complex issues affecting residents and businesses.
She also criticized federal funding cuts that she says have slowed progress on critical projects, leaving cities to fill the gap, and pointed to broader impacts on public assistance and education that affect working families and local economies.
Addressing the rising cost of living is central to Guerrero’s campaign. She identifies education, healthcare, housing, wages, and food access as interconnected challenges requiring federal action. The mayor says she wants to increase affordability “for your everyday quality of life, whether it be grocery shopping, your housing costs,” or “getting your children...a quality public education.”
Martha Guerrero and Robert MacMahon. Image Source: Sarah Denos / Robert MacMahon
Mayor Guerrero also targets rising healthcare costs, including medications, which she calls “cost prohibitive.” She says her goal is “that people are healthy, and it is affordable.” Guerrero emphasizes restoring healthcare subsidies and “putting caps on…expensive medications.”
Discussing food access, Guerrero raised concerns about cuts to programs like CalFresh. The mayor says, “when you cut a CalFresh subsidy, that person is likely to go to a food bank line,” adding that grocery prices rise “for all of us,” affecting families and local businesses.
Housing affordability remains another priority. Guerrero supports maintaining rent subsidies, expanding below-market-rate housing, and promoting better-paying jobs with benefits to help families keep up with rising costs.
Education and mental health services are also key concerns. Drawing on her background, Guerrero highlighted gaps in school funding and federal support for special education. She notes that the IDEA program “is only covering 12 percent where they are supposed to cover 40,” creating conditions where “teachers are struggling with children who…need additional support” while “children [are] struggling with mental illness.”
Guerrero points to small businesses as central to the region’s economic recovery following COVID-19. As mayor, she helped launch grant programs that allowed businesses to invest in improvements and attract customers. “We had some grants distributed throughout the city for small businesses,” she said, noting many used the funds for long-delayed upgrades.
She acknowledges ongoing challenges, particularly limited access to capital at the federal level, and says she would advocate for expanded funding, loan guarantees, and support to reduce barriers for small businesses.
Guerrero emphasizes her executive leadership and hands-on approach. “I’ve been able to accomplish healthcare benefits for their family and support better pension[s], better wages for our workers,” she said, pointing to improvements for city employees.
She also highlights her engagement with underserved communities. “I understand on the ground, rolling up my sleeves, seeing what their needs are,” she said, emphasizing an open-door approach to ensuring community voices are heard.
When asked why she is running, Mayor Guerrero points to gaps in federal support. “We are experiencing… significant cutbacks in not only resources for the working people, but also for city government,” she said.
Her goal is to restore funding, expand access to essential services, and improve quality of life across the district.
“And that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
As the race takes shape, Guerrero is positioning herself as a Democratic candidate grounded in local experience and community, focused on federal solutions for the Sacramento region. Frontrunners in the race for the 6th district are Democratic candidates District Attorney Thien Ho, Richard Pan, and Rep. Kevin Kiley, running as an Independent.
To learn more about Mayor Guerrero's campaign and priorities visit www.marthaguerrero.com.
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