Sandra Van Scotter

Sandra Van Scotter is the Democratic nominee in California's 20th District, a health care worker and, as local news describes her, a longtime advocate for disability rights and veterans' issues. She finished second in the June 2026 primary, and her campaign emphasizes Medicare for All and streamlining disability benefits.[1][2][3]

According to BallotReady, Van Scotter worked as a respiratory therapist at Sarah Bush Lincoln (2004-2011) and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (2011-2014), in cardiac testing at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital (2017-2021), and as a direct support professional. The Loop Newspaper in Tehachapi describes her as a longtime advocate for disability rights and veterans' issues.[2][3]

In her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey, Van Scotter says her whole career has been advocating for people in places where they cannot speak for themselves. She names Medicare for All as a key message and lists streamlining veterans' and Social Security disability benefits as a policy passion.[1] She advanced from the June 2, 2026 primary with 28.8 percent of the vote, second to Vince Fong's 68.2 percent, and was endorsed by the Tehachapi Mountain Democratic Club. The Loop reported in April that she had traveled more than 20,000 miles within the district.[1][3][4]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.