Nora Campos

In 2020, Jim Beall termed out of California's 15th State Senate district. Campos is one of three leading candidates competing for the open seat; these are one-time fellow councilmember and current termed-out Contra Costa County Supervisor Dave Cortese and UC Berkeley Law School adjunct lecturer Ann Ravel.

In 2016, termed out as an Assembly member and after advancing in the primary with the endorsement of then presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Campos failed to unseat Jim Beall in the election for the 15th State Senate District by a wide margin.

As an assemblywoman, Campos upheld civil rights. She sponsored a bill that resolved for the federal government to "immediately halt cases it is pursuing against unrepresented immigrant children until lawyers are made available to represent them." As a champion of workers, Campos balanced social justice with environmental justice, it is jobs or health, for workers, both are important and Campos maintained a lifetime Eco score of 87%, which only a third of state assembly members achieved. In a disappointing turn during the 2015 session, Democratic Governor Brown vetoed Campos' AB1017, a bill that would have barred employers from using previous salary information to justify paying women less than their male co-workers. The bill was one of two vetoed by Governor Brown that day that targeted gender equity, the other was by fellow Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and addessed gender parity in workers compensation. In a win, with AB 2393(2016) Campos gained the right to parental leave for all California K-14 employees; this time Governor Brown signed.

If successful, Campos would have been the first Latina/o to hold the 15th State Senate seat (including prior to rezoning the 13th Senate District). She was defeated in the primary by Cortese and Ravel, finishing in third place.

In June 2009, Campos announced her candidacy for the 23rd California State Assembly District. She was elected on November 10, 2010 with 75% of the vote, succeeding term-limited Democrat Joe Coto. As an assemblywoman and a Latina, Campos alongside other Latina policymakers like Lorena Gonzalez, represented her constituents in the lopsidedly white male demographic of the California assembly. Campos prevailed in that role, in August 2012 she was appointed speaker pro tempore in the Assembly.

Campos was elected to represent District 5 on the San Jose City Council in a special election in March 2001 and served for ten years, winning re-election twice. As a San Jose City councilwoman, as of 2015, Campos (2001) was one of only six women that have served in that role since 1998; the others are Madison Nguyen (2005), Nancy Pyle (2005), Judy Chirco (2003), Cindy Chavez (1998), and Linda J. LeZotte (1998).

Campos graduated from William C. Overfelt High School in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University.

Nora Campos (born 1963) is an American politician from California. Campos is a 2020 candidate to California's 15th State Senate district. She served on the San Jose City Council and then in the California State Assembly. She is a representative on the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and a member of the Latino Caucus of the League of California Cities. While a State assemblywoman, Campos was chair of the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee, and of the Status of Girls and Women of Color Committee.