Greg Wallis seeks third time in competitive Assembly race

• Republican incumbent Greg Wallis is defending his seat in California's competitive Assembly District 47 against two Democratic challengers.
• The top issues for the candidates include affordability, public safety, and access to healthcare.
• Wallis emphasizes his focus on tax relief and public safety, citing his legislative record and community engagement.
• Democratic challengers Leila Namvar and Jason Byors both prioritize lowering the cost of living and expanding healthcare access.

Republican state Assemblymember Greg Wallis faces two Democratic challengers in the June 2 California primary who hope to flip the seat and fortify the Democrats' control in Sacramento.

Identified as a purple district due to its combination of Inland Empire cities, the Palm Springs area and high desert, District 47 may come down to the wire this year.

Wallis came to office in 2022 after squeaking out a victory by just 85 votes out of more than 169,000 cast. He defeated Palm Springs Councilmember Christy Holstege that year and defended his seat in 2024 in a rematch with her, winning by a narrow but less nail-biting 51%–49% margin.

This time he is going against two Democrats, software engineer Jason Byors and Leila Namvar, a public arts analyst for the city of Indio who has been a leader in the union that represents city employees. This is Namvar's first run for public office. Byors said in 2025 that he would run for a seat in Congress this year against Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert. But after redistricting moved Calvert's seat out of the Coachella Valley, Byors said Democratic Party officials approached him about running for assembly instead.

The top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election.

To help better understand the candidates, The Desert Sun asked them a series of questions. Here are their responses.

What are the top two issues you would focus on if elected, and what specific actions would you take to address them?

Greg Wallis

Affordability is still the biggest issue facing families across our communities. People are paying more for groceries, gas, insurance, and everyday necessities while feeling like their paycheck goes less and less far.

That is why I introduced legislation for major middle-class tax relief along with bills focused on lowering fuel and insurance costs. California should be a place where working families can still get ahead, not a place people feel pushed out of.

Public safety also remains a major priority. After we tragically lost a community member on Highway 74, I worked with local leaders and law enforcement to push for increased CHP presence and stronger safety efforts along that corridor. That is the kind of practical work I will continue doing to keep our communities safe.

Leila Namvar

The two top issues I would focus on are affordability and access to healthcare.

Families across Assembly District 47 are struggling with the rising cost of housing, groceries, utilities, and insurance. I would fight to expand affordable housing, strengthen renter protections, increase access to down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, and support policies that help working families stay in the communities they helped build. I also support investments in infrastructure and public transit that reduce transportation costs and improve quality of life throughout the Coachella Valley and surrounding communities.

Healthcare access is another urgent issue, especially for seniors, working families, people with disabilities, veterans, and rural residents. I would work to protect and expand access to affordable healthcare services, including mental health care and reproductive healthcare. I also want to increase support for community clinics and improve healthcare access in underserved areas where residents often face long wait times or must travel long distances for care.

Jason Byors

My top priority is putting people ahead of politics and focusing on the issues that matter most to families in this district. Too often, decisions in Sacramento are influenced by special interests rather than the people we represent. Our current Assemblymember has taken the 3rd most personal gifts from lobbyists of any Legislator, and he votes with their interests over the people’s. I believe voters deserve leadership that is accountable and focused on real results.

(Desert Sun note: According to data collected by Cal Matters, Wallis accepted 42 gifts totaling $3,376 in 2024, the 17th highest in the state Assembly.)

First, I will focus on affordability and building an economy that works for everyone. Too many people are struggling with the rising cost of living and are worried about whether they can afford to stay in their communities. I will support policies that create good-paying jobs, encourage responsible economic growth, and ease the financial burden on working families.

Additionally, I will prioritize improving access to healthcare. That means making sure seniors, veterans, Medi-Cal recipients, and working families can get timely, affordable care without unnecessary barriers. My partner just beat stage four Hodgkin’s after months of chemotherapy, so I know the importance of having good healthcare coverage.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing this community right now, and how would your approach differ from your opponents?

Jason Byors

We must address our rising cost of living crisis from all angles — immediate savings and long-term solutions. 

If elected, I vow to immediately work with fellow legislators on tangible solutions to make groceries, healthcare, utilities, and gas more affordable. This includes lowering business taxes and offering businesses grants to make production more affordable, as well as subsidies where it makes sense. This also means regulating our public utility companies to make sure they prioritize the consumer over profit. Utility companies and multi-national gas and oil conglomerates have given tens of thousands of dollars to our Assemblymember because they know he will never regulate them as they jack up prices. I refuse to take a dime from those corporations. 

(Desert Sun note: In 2026, Chevron, Pacific Gas and Electric and Edison International each donated $11,800 in campaign contributions to Wallis. Other utilities and oil companies donated smaller amounts.)

In the long term, we need to make sure housing costs are lowered. Most families spend the largest portion of their budget on rent or mortgages. I will work with builders to make building faster and cheaper here in California by removing unnecessary audits, studies, and bureaucracy that adds hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of building one unit.

Greg Wallis

The biggest challenge is that California is getting harder and harder to afford.

Families are paying more for groceries, gas, insurance, and housing while trying to plan for the future. Small businesses are dealing with rising costs and more bureaucracy. That puts real pressure on people every single day.

What makes my approach different is that I stay focused on solving problems instead of creating political noise. When an issue is brought to my office, we get involved. That might mean helping a small business cut through red tape, pushing a state agency for answers, or working with local leaders when a community needs help.

I have built strong relationships both locally and in Sacramento because people know I take this responsibility seriously. I listen first, learn the issue, and work until we find a solution that helps the people I represent.

Leila Namvar

I believe the biggest challenge facing our community is that too many people feel left behind economically and politically. Working families are doing everything right but still struggling to afford housing, childcare, healthcare, and everyday necessities.

What makes my approach different is that I have personally experienced the economic challenges so many working families face today, working up to four jobs at a time to put myself through college. I am the only candidate in this race who has spent my career in the labor movement, taking on powerful special interests to negotiate better wages, healthcare, and fair treatment for workers.

Also, I come from a background of public service, urban planning, and direct work with immigrant, refugee, and underserved communities. I am not running to represent special interests, I am running to make government more responsive and accessible to everyday people. I believe leadership starts with listening, being present in the community, and building practical solutions that improve people’s daily lives.

I also believe we need leaders willing to address issues holistically; connecting housing, transportation, healthcare, economic development, climate resilience, and public safety instead of treating them as isolated problems.

How will voters be able to measure your success in office, and what should they expect you to accomplish by the end of your term?

Leila Namvar

Voters should measure my success by whether their quality of life improves and whether they feel heard and represented in Sacramento.

By the end of my term, I want residents to see measurable progress in affordable housing development, expanded healthcare access, stronger constituent services, increased state investment in our region, and meaningful support for working families, seniors, small businesses, and vulnerable communities.

I also want to be known as an accessible representative who is transparent, responsive, and actively engaged with the people of Assembly District 47, not just during election season, but every day while serving in office.

Jason Byors

I want voters to know that there are tangible efforts being made to lower the cost of living and to protect them from the disastrous policies of the Trump administration. Our Assemblymember has missed close to 1,000 votes, and has done close to nothing for our district.

(Desert Sun note: The claim of missed votes could not be independently verified. Byors did not respond to a request for clarification by the time this article was published.)

I vow to not miss a vote barring illness or emergency, and vow to write legislation to lower the cost of living in California. This includes subsidies for small businesses, and policies which will lower the cost of building homes in California. Voters can also measure my success in Sacramento by the amount of funding I bring back to our district. Democratic Assemblymembers have endorsed me because they want to work with me to bring back much needed funding to our districts for our cities, school boards, and our infrastructure projects. Local Mayors have endorsed me because they trust me to bring back funding.

Greg Wallis

Voters should expect a representative who stays accessible and never stops working for the district.

I take this job personally. The decisions made in Sacramento affect real people every day, and I will never lose sight of that.

Voters should expect results they can actually point to. That includes legislation focused on lowering everyday costs along with real support for communities when challenges arise.

After the attack on the Palm Springs fertility clinic, I worked to help secure state support because the community needed immediate help. After safety concerns on Highway 74, I worked with local leaders and law enforcement to push for stronger CHP presence along that corridor.

That is how I approach this job. Stay engaged. Solve problems. Deliver for the district.