“Hello, I’m Alex Balekian
Glendale, California, has been my home for my entire life. I've grown up here, learned from the local public school system, and it's here where I've built my life and career.”
Alex Balekian, an intensive care physician, managed to surpass expectations in the crowded primary election for California’s 30th Congressional district. Competing against well-known, well-funded candidates—including a California Assembly member, a State Senator, the Los Angeles City Attorney, and an LAUSD board member—Balekian raised a modest sum but still secured second place on election night in March 2024. He finished nearly 5 points ahead of State Senator Anthony Portantino and former LA City Attorney Mike Feuer, qualifying for the November general election against Assembly member Laura Friedman.
Balekian, a Glendale-born and raised physician, is redefining the GOP in Los Angeles County. He embodies characteristics not typically associated with contemporary Republican candidates: Middle Eastern, the son of immigrants, pro-choice, and never having run for public office before. He is also married to a man. This unique profile likely contributed to his success in a district where a Dem-on-Dem general election seemed inevitable. His and his Republican challenger's nearly 22% of the open primary vote in a district with only 15% registered Republicans defies the common explanation of vote-splitting among Democratic candidates.
Balekian identifies as a proud Deukmejian Republican and has felt disenfranchised within the party for the last 20 years (he began the race as a no party preference candidate before redesignating his campaign as Republican two months later). His campaign platform focuses on keeping the streets clean and safe, reducing taxes, and limiting government intrusion into personal lives. These priorities resonate with voters seeking law and order, fiscal responsibility, and personal freedom.
Despite avoiding identity politics, Balekian's non-traditional background appeals to diverse voter groups. California’s 30th Congressional district includes bedroom communities like Glendale, Burbank, Sunland/Tujunga, and parts of Pasadena, as well as urban areas like Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Silverlake. The district's voter blocs include Armenians, Latinos, and Koreans in the northeastern parts, gay and lesbian communities in West Hollywood, and Orthodox Jewish and Russian-Jewish communities in the Fairfax and Hancock Park neighborhoods.
Balekian frames his campaign as a contest between Progressives and non-Progressives, rather than Democrats versus Republicans. He states, “Progressive policies aren’t working. My fiscally responsible, socially sane platform, prioritizing ideas over identity politics, will attract disenfranchised voters—moderate Democrats, Independents, and moderate Republicans—tired of extreme polarization in the two-party system.
Can I vote for Alex?
California's 30th Congressional District encompasses a diverse range of communities, including all of Burbank and Glendale, the Linda Vista neighborhood of Pasadena, and various Los Angeles communities such as Sunland-Tujunga, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Edendale, Park La Brea, Hancock Park, and the westside of Echo Park. If you reside in any of these areas, you are eligible to vote for Alex Balekian, MD in the upcoming congressional election.
Explore a district map here to confirm your location within the district and make sure your voice is heard.
I want to volunteer.
Volunteering for Alex Balekian's campaign is a great way to make a meaningful impact in California's 30th Congressional District. There are numerous ways to get involved, whether you prefer making phone calls, sending texts, or engaging directly with your community. You can host a meet & greet to introduce Alex to your friends and neighbors, organize a fundraiser to support the campaign, or participate in door-knocking efforts to spread the word about Alex's platform. Every effort counts and helps ensure that our message reaches as many voters as possible. Join us in making a difference and supporting a candidate who is committed to practical solutions for our district.
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