When you're staring at a long ballot in Los Angeles, things get blurry. You see names you don't recognize. You want to know the "team" they play for. Naturally, people keep asking: is la shae henderson democrat or republican? It’s a fair question, especially since politics feels like it’s bleeding into every corner of our lives these days.
But here is the thing. La Shae Henderson ran for a seat on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. In California, judicial races are officially nonpartisan. That means you won't find a "D" or an "R" next to her name on any official government document.
Technically, she doesn't represent a party in her professional capacity as a candidate for the bench. However, if you look at who supported her and where she comes from, the picture gets a lot clearer. Honestly, her platform wasn't exactly a mystery to anyone paying attention.
The "Defenders of Justice" Connection
Henderson wasn't just a solo act. She was part of a specific group called the Defenders of Justice slate. This wasn't some quiet, moderate group. It was a trio of public defenders—Henderson, George Turner, and Ericka Wiley—who wanted to flip the script on how LA courts work.
They were backed by La Defensa, Ground Game LA, and the Working Families Party. If those names sound familiar, it's because they are the heavy hitters in the progressive movement. These groups don't usually hang out with the GOP.
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Henderson spent 18 years as a public defender. She worked in the Racial Justice Act unit and the juvenile justice division. When you look at her endorsements, you see the Culver City Democratic Club and the LA County Public Defenders Union Local 148. These are deep-blue organizations.
Is La Shae Henderson Democrat or Republican?
If you had to bet, you’d bet Democrat. Or, more accurately, Progressive.
While she didn't run as a "Democrat" because the law forbids it for judges, her support base was almost exclusively from the left wing of the Democratic party. She talked a lot about "equity" and "impartiality." She wanted to bring a defense attorney’s perspective to a bench that is traditionally crowded with former prosecutors.
Her opponent in the 2024 general election, Sharon Ransom, also ran as a nonpartisan. Ransom eventually won that race with about 62% of the vote. Henderson pulled in over a million votes, but it wasn't enough to overcome Ransom's lead.
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- Henderson's Party Label: Officially Nonpartisan.
- Endorsement Lean: Strongly Progressive/Democratic.
- Key Issues: Racial justice, court accountability, and diversifying the bench.
Why the Party Label Matters (and Why It Doesn't)
In California, the governor often appoints judges to fill vacancies. Those appointments are almost always political. But when a seat is up for election, the "nonpartisan" tag is supposed to keep the courtroom neutral.
Voters still want the shorthand. They want to know if la shae henderson democrat or republican beliefs will influence how she handles a case. Henderson’s campaign was rooted in the idea that the "tough on crime" era was a failure. She leaned into the "progressive prosecutor" (or in this case, progressive judge) movement that has swept through big cities like LA and San Francisco.
Conservatives generally didn't flock to her. The Republican-leaning voters in LA County tended to favor candidates with more traditional law-and-order backgrounds.
What the 2024 Election Results Told Us
The primary in March 2024 was a three-way split. Sharon Ransom took 48%, Henderson took 27%, and Sam Abourched took 24%. Because no one hit the 50% mark, it went to a runoff in November.
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During that gap, the "progressive" vs. "traditional" debate heated up. Henderson was basically the standard-bearer for the reform movement. When the dust settled on November 5, 2024, the voters went with Ransom.
It seems the "Defenders of Justice" slate had a mixed night. While some progressive candidates have succeeded in LA, the judicial bench has remained a tougher nut to crack for the far left.
Moving Forward: What to Watch For
If you are following Henderson's career, don't expect her to just disappear. She has a deep history in the Los Angeles legal community. Whether she runs again or stays in private practice, her influence on the conversation around the Racial Justice Act is likely to stick around.
If you’re trying to decide how to vote in future judicial races, don't just look for a party. Check the "slate." Look at the unions and the clubs that put their money behind the candidate. In a city like Los Angeles, the real battle isn't usually Democrat vs. Republican—it's Moderate Democrat vs. Progressive Democrat.
Next Steps for Informed Voting:
- Check the "Voter Guide": Look at the Progressive Voters Guide or the LA County Republican Party endorsements to see where nonpartisan candidates fall on the spectrum.
- Verify the Slate: If a candidate is part of a "slate" (like Defenders of Justice), research the founding organization to understand their core ideology.
- Search the Bar Association: The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) often releases "ratings" (Qualified, Well Qualified, etc.) that focus on legal skill rather than politics.