Rick Zbur

District 51 voters elected Rick Chavez Zbur to the State Assembly in 2022, after a public life that included environmental law, LGBT civil rights and electoral politics. More than a quarter-century earlier, he ran for Congress in a district represented by Republican Steve Horn. Between that race and his Assembly victory, Zbur practiced law, held leadership posts in the California League of Conservation Voters and led Equality California. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus. In 2025, he also led Assembly opposition to a proposal to increase housing supply and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning.

ROOTS AND THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB

Zbur was born March 2, 1957, and grew up with his mother, Erlinda Chavez Zbur, on a farm in the Rio Grande Valley of rural New Mexico. He has distant Sephardi Jewish ancestry. His legal career included about three decades practicing environmental law before he retired from Latham & Watkins in 2014.

His work outside the law office included HIV/AIDS advocacy and political fundraising. In the early 1980s, Zbur campaigned against HIV/AIDS and later helped found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation. In 1992, he organized fundraisers for Bill Clinton and Barbara Boxer; both were elected.

Zbur also became active in California’s environmental movement. From 2011 to 2017, he served as president of the California League of Conservation Voters and as a chair of its board of directors. In 2014, the year he retired from Latham & Watkins, he became executive director of Equality California. He led the LGBT civil rights organization until 2021, part of nearly four decades as a vocal leader in that movement.

THE PATH TO OFFICE

In 1996, Zbur ran for the U.S. House in California’s 38th Congressional District against Republican incumbent Steve Horn. His campaign priorities included environmental protection, Social Security and Medicare. On March 26, Zbur won the Democratic primary, becoming the first openly gay non-incumbent congressional primary candidate to win an election. He lost the general election to Horn.

In April 2020, Zbur said he would run in the 2022 Los Angeles city attorney election. He subsequently decided not to compete for that office. In 2021, he instead announced his candidacy for Assembly District 51.

Zbur won the Assembly primary and then the 2022 general election. His route to the Assembly included a congressional defeat, work in law and advocacy organizations, and a city attorney campaign he later chose not to pursue. He is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.

THE POLICY SIGNATURE

Zbur’s documented policy work includes environmental protection, HIV/AIDS and LGBT civil rights. That work has included about three decades of environmental law, service as president of the California League of Conservation Voters from 2011 to 2017, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, and leadership of Equality California from 2014 to 2021. His 1996 congressional platform also included Social Security and Medicare.

His Assembly record includes a housing intervention. In 2025, Zbur led Assembly opposition to SB 79, bipartisan legislation to increase California’s housing supply, and gave a speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. He is also a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.

Zbur’s public work has included campaigning against HIV/AIDS, helping found the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, advocating for LGBT civil rights and participating in California’s environmental movement. On housing, he gave a 2025 speech defending single-family exclusive zoning. His record also includes leadership of California organizations, electoral campaigns and service in the State Assembly.