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WESTSIDE - Democrat Brian Goldsmith, a leading candidate in the race to succeed retiring Senator Ben Allen in the 24th Legislative District, brings a distinct and diversified approach to governance that speaks more to common sense then political ideology or the status quo.
I had the opportunity to interview him this week via ZOOM as we discussed affordability, cost of living, education, homelessness, and how state government must be held accountable.
A resident of Beverly Hills, Goldsmith has worked as a media consultant, political advisor, journalist and entrepreneur.
Making his first run for public office, he is married and the father of two children and graduate of Stanford University Law School who has worked on high profile campaigns such as Hillary Clinton's presidential run.
He finds himself in a very competitive and crowded contest that to date has been low key and respectful. The leading candidate in terms of fundraising, Goldsmith has secured the endorsement of former speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as the former Secretary of State, First Lady and US Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton.
Both enthusiastic and optimistic, we started our conversation on the issue of homelessness, where I mentioned that between 1948-1952, the United States through the Marshall Plan reconstructed Europe and built some 4 million units of housing based on a $13 billion dollar investment ($180 billion today), and it was done primarily through efficiency and lower material costs.
Can the same approach be replicated to solve the current homelessness crisis?
Goldsmith was in agreement that new processes need to be considered, and that modular home construction will lower costs.
He emphasized the use of government owned land and access to transportation as critical in solving the crisis.
"We need to offer faster and cheaper solutions. We need to incentivize developers and make it profitable to construct."
Goldsmith sees the homeless crisis and the overall housing crisis in general intertwined into several areas such as education and childcare.
He believes the construction of condominiums is a gateway to affordable housing , and affordable rental units must be part of an overall strategy.
He noted California is lagging behind in quality education, and that moving away from regressive taxation would be something he would support in Sacramento.
Goldsmith, in light of soaring gas prices, would consider a reduction or temporary suspension of the current Gas Tax to alleviate the strain of the expense on working families in lieu of the current Iran conflict.
As of July 1, 2025, California has the highest gas tax in the nation, with a state excise tax of 61.2 cents per gallon. Total taxes and fees, including sales tax and environmental fees, add roughly $0.90 per gallon, funding highway and road repairs.
Goldsmith opposes the closure of refineries and was concentrated on how roads and highways remain repaired and maintained, as those driving electrical vehicles should play a part in that cost.
Goldsmith noted under Governor Jerry Brown state spending was $208 billion and under current Governor Gavin Newsom was $349 billion.
"How we spend effectively and prepare for the lean years" will be his priorities in the state senate.
From a legislative perspective, Goldsmith believed his role in the oversight of state government was the most critical.
He believed California can learn from other states such as Mississippi where they have made marked improvements in reading skills and proficiency and that a renewed emphasis in K-12 instruction and curriculum is an absolute priority.
Goldsmith noted that childcare affordability must be an investment for parents and that children of all grades are in fact learning.
The candidate was also adamant that waste, fraud and abuse cannot be tolerated, and that auditing be a reliable tool to prevent scandals that occurred at EDD.
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) scandal involved at least $20 billion to over $32 billion in fraudulent pandemic unemployment payments (roughly 10%–27% of total benefits). Lax security during the COVID-19 surge allowed massive fraud, including payments to inmates and overseas syndicates, while legitimate claimants faced severe delays. The state is currently undergoing a $1.2 billion overhaul of its systems, with over 1,800 investigations leading to hundreds of arrests and $5.9 billion recovered.
Auditing homelessness spending, healthcare, and other large state expenditures to ensure delivery of services will also be crucial.
Regarding the Pacific Palisades wildfires and restoration, Goldsmith was concerned about toxins in the soil that were derived from modern construction and that testing was critical in the permitting process. He was also concerned about individuals being paid by their insurance carriers in a timely fashion.
In summary, Goldsmith sees this race as an opportunity to get things back on track for Californians and create the protections needed to make living here affordable again while leaving no one behind.
For Goldsmith views his role as a state senator as not just a lawmaker, but a community advocate, problem solver and fiscal watchdog for constituents of the 24th district.
With seven weeks to go before the June 2nd Primary, Goldsmith continues to collect support from local leaders and elected officials because of an effort he believes is issue focused, as he continues to crisscross this sprawling coastal, and diversified Westside district.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-three-year resident of Venice who is covering the various races on the June 2nd Primary ballot, including this race to succeed the retiring Ben Allen in the 24th LD. Have a take or tip on the race? E-mail him at [email protected])
